Kalamazoo Community

A Place in History

Strategically located midway between Chicago and Detroit, Kalamazoo County began as a small fur-trading post founded by Titus Bronson in the late 1700s. Like many Michigan cities, Kalamazoo’s name was adapted from a Native American word, “kikalamazoo”, meaning boiling water. Water has long been a vital component in Kalamazoo’s major industries including papermaking and agriculture, which have helped the area grow and prosper.

Some of the many famous products manufactured in Kalamazoo include Checker Cabs, Gibson guitars, Kalamazoo Stoves, Stryker hospital beds and Shakespeare fishing rods and reels. In the late 1800s, W.E. Upjohn moved to Kalamazoo and created The Upjohn Company, which is now part of Pfizer Corporation, the world’s largest pharmaceutical company.

Bronson Park, named for founder Titus Bronson, is the traditional center point of Central City.  Surrounded by churches, Bronson Park features monuments to war veterans, an Indian (burial) Mound and the historic marker commemorating Abraham Lincoln’s only public speech in Michigan in 1856. Festivals, concerts and cultural events encourage visitors to linger among the lush flowers and trees.

Kalamazoo is home to five institutions of higher learning including Michigan’s oldest college, Kalamazoo College. Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Davenport University and Cornerstone University infuse the community with more than 31,709 students, ensuring a vibrant college-town atmosphere.

The National Register of Historic Places includes several buildings on the campus of Western Michigan University: the Psychiatric Hospital Water Tower, a 175-ft Queen Anne style landmark, the Gatekeeper’s Cottage, The Oaklands, Montague House and 11 buildings on East Campus.  Famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright built Usonian style homes in the late 1940s, located at Taliesin and Parkwyn Drives and in the city of Galesburg.

One of the original “safe houses”, the Underground Railroad Home was built in 1835 by Kalamazoo County’s first doctor, Nathan Thomas.  This small Greek Revival home hid former slaves en-route to freedom in Canada.

• Hot Spots in Kalamazoo
• On a visit to downtown Kalamazoo, you may find yourself strolling through one of the city’s six historical districts:
• East End, featuring the creative renovation of old railroad buildings into nightclubs, antique stores, coffee shops and microbreweries. 
• South Town, an eclectic mix of downtown neighborhoods, retail business and the elegant campus of Bronson Hospital.
• Haymarket, offering the latest in food and entertainment, surrounded by the classic architecture of the past.
• Arcadia, a district that brings art, festivals, music, history and education together.
• Bronson Park, surrounded by stately churches, celebrations, art shows, summer concerts and holiday displays. 
• Kalamazoo Mall, anchored by the stylish AAA 4-Diamond Radisson Plaza Hotel & Suites is the historic Kalamazoo Mall, the first outdoor pedestrian mall in the United States, featuring parades, sidewalk sales, Art on the Mall, Mixer on the Mall, and more.

No matter what time of year you visit Kalamazoo, you will find a wealth of cultural entertainment offerings, from classical to jazz, from avant garde theatre to traveling Broadway shows.  With 10 live performing theatres and unique concert venues, Kalamazoo is a magnet for big-name, touring artists and musicians.