Kalamazoo, Michigan
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| Kalamazoo, Michigan | |||
| |||
| Nickname: "The Mall City" | |||
| Location of Kalamazoo within Kalamazoo County, Michigan | |||
| Coordinates: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Counties | Kalamazoo County | ||
| Mayor | Hannah McKinney | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 25.2 mi² / 65.2 km² | ||
| - Land | 24.7 mi² / 63.9 km² | ||
| - Water | 0.5 mi² / 1.3 km² | ||
| Population | |||
| - City (2000) | 77,145 (city proper) | ||
| - Density | 1,206.9/km² | ||
| 314,866 (metro area) | |||
| Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) | ||
| Website: www.ci.kalamazoo.mi.us | |||
- "Kalamazoo" redirects here. For other uses, see Kalamazoo (disambiguation).
Kalamazoo is a city in the southwest area of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 77,145. It is the county seat of Kalamazoo County.
Kalamazoo is home to Western Michigan University, a nationally recognized research institution that has benefited from the local presence of Pfizer and Stryker Corporation. This has enabled the school to offer strong programs in both its College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Haworth College of Business.
The city is also home to Kalamazoo College (often referred to as "K-College"), a prestigious liberal arts school located adjacent to Western's campus.
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[edit] Name origin
The city is named after the Kalamazoo River, but no one is certain as to where the name Kalamazoo actually comes from. A lack of evidence means that the truth will likely never be found, but there are a number of theories and folk etymologies accounting for the name:
- It is derived from the Potawatomi word negikanamazo, which is variously translated as "otter tail" or "stones like otters." This could refer to area wildlife. This interpretation was apparently suggested by Henry Schoolcraft.
- Another popular account is the legend of a Potawatomi named Fleet Foot. In order to win his bride, he was required to run from his settlement to a point on the river and back before a pot of water boiled away. This event is thought to have occurred in 1810, a couple of decades before the first permanent white settlers. The Potawatomi word kikalamezo appears on an 1823 atlas of the area. The word translates as "boiling pot" or "place where the water boils," and refers to the Fleet Foot legend.
- The "boiling pot" translation may also refer to various nearby bends in the river that resemble pots.
- An alternate translation of kikalamezo is "mirage" or "reflecting waters," and could refer to the once-clear waters of the river, which are now somewhat clouded by pollution.
- The current name used by the local Ojibwa and Odawa tribes for Kalamazoo is Giikanaamozoog, meaning "They have been smoked/cured." The explanation given for this name is that the dark waters of the Kalamazoo River have a smokey appearance.
- Yet another possibility is that it meant a place to ford the river. The city was originally established near one of the few places in the area where it was easy to cross by wading.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| <tr><td align="center"> 1960</td><td align="right">82,089</td><td align="right">1970</td><td align="right">85,555</td><td align="right">4.2%</td></tr><tr><td align="center"> 1980</td><td align="right">79,722</td><td align="right">-6.8%</td></tr><tr><td align="center"> 1990</td><td align="right">80,277</td><td align="right">0.6%</td></tr><tr><td align="center"> 2000</td><td align="right">77,145</td><td align="right">-3.9%</td></tr> | ||
In his 1986 Indian Names in Michigan, Virgil Vogel explained when Kalamazoo County was formed on July 30, 1830, it "was allegedly named from the 'Indian' name of the river, Ke-kanaamazoo, 'the boiling pot'." There had been various transliterations of the term. In the 1821 Treaty of Chicago, the village of Match-e-be narh-she-wish, was described as at the head of the "Kekalamazoo river" (this village became the present-day city). Vogel suggests that the word "may be from the Miami, because of the presence of l." Vogel cites Father Chrysostam Verwyst stating the name Kalamazoo comes from Ojibwe as a "corruption of Kikanamsoso" meaning "it smokes, or he is troubled with smoke" and pronounced "kee-kah-nah-mo-zo or kee-kau-nau-mo-zo". Vogel also cites William R. Gerard as concurring in this opinion, that "Kalamazoo is a slight alteration of older Ojibwe kikalâmoza, meaning 'he is inconvenienced by smoke in his lodge'." Vogel further cites Gerard as dismissing Schoolcraft's opinion that the name was from negikanamazoo, or "otters beneath the surface" as an "etymological absurdity". However, Vogel also suggests that both Verwyst and Gerard accounts also "deserve this label". Vogel also dismisses the view that the name means "mirage or reflecting river".<ref name="Vogel">Vogel, Virgil J. (1986). Indian Names in Michigan. Ann Arbor, Michigan: The University of Michigan Press. ISBN 0-472-10069-6.</ref>
Instead, Vogel suggests the following interpretations for the source of Kalamazoo as more credible:
- a corruption of Ojibwe kikikamagad meaing "it goes or runs fast"
- a mangled form of Kalimink, which is also the name of a creek in Ingham County
- a mangled form of Killomick, a variant of an early name for the Calumet River, which meant "deep, still water"
The common phrase "from Timbuktu to Kalamazoo" resulted from the strange name, and has served to enter it into pop culture. Today, t-shirts are sold in Kalamazoo that feature the phrase "Yes, there really is a Kalamazoo". There are numerous songs that reference the city name in lyrics and title, including "Down on the Corner" by Creedence Clearwater Revival, "I've Been Everywhere" by Johnny Cash, "I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo" by Glenn Miller, "Kalamazoo" by Ben Folds, "Kalamazoo" by Primus, "Kalamazoo" by Luna, "Flypaper" by Micaela Kingslight, and "Kalamazoo" (mandolin folk-rock) by Brendan Weaver. The word also features in the opera "Einstein on the Beach" by Philip Glass. In addition an indy film, "Kalamazoo?", featured the city as a backdrop.
[edit] History
At the time explorers first began arriving, the area was home to the Potawatomi Indians. The 1821 Treaty of Chicago ceded all the territory south of the Grand River to the United States federal government. However, the area around present-day Kalamazoo was reserved as the village of Chief Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish. On the September 19, 1827, Treaty with the Potawatomi, the tract that became the city was also ceded. The village had been a fur trading center.
In 1829, Titus Bronson, originally from Connecticut, was the first white settler to build a cabin within the present city limits.<ref name="bronson1">Titus Bronson: Founder of Kalamazoo. Kalamazoo Public Library: Local history. Retrieved on 2006-06-20.</ref> He platted the town in 1831 and named it the village of Bronson (not to be confused with the much-smaller Bronson, Michigan about fifty miles (80 km) to the south-southeast).
Bronson was frequently described as "eccentric" and argumentative and was later run out of town. The village of Bronson was renamed Kalamazoo in 1836 (due in part to an incident resulting in Bronson's being fined for stealing a cherry tree).<ref name=bronson2">The History of Kalamazoo MI. Living in Kalamazoo. Retrieved on 2006-06-20.</ref> Today, a hospital and a park, among other things, are named after Titus Bronson.
Kalamazoo legally incorporated as a village in 1838 and as a city in 1883.
On August 27, 1856, Abraham Lincoln spoke at a rally in Kalamazoo's Bronson Park, promoting the presidential candidacy of John C. Fremont, who was running on the ticket of the newly formed Republican Party. The occasion marks Lincoln's only visit or public address within the State.
In 1959, Kalamazoo designed the first pedestrian mall in the U.S., lending it the nickname "Mall City".<ref name="mall">Kalamazoo mall. Retrieved on 2006-11-17.</ref>
Downtown Kalamazoo was struck by an F3 tornado on May 13, 1980, killing 5 and injuring 79.<ref name="tornado">Kalamazoo 1980 Tornado. Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Genealogy and Local History. Retrieved on 2006-07-30.</ref>
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 65.2 km² (25.2 mi²). 63.9 km² (24.7 mi²) of it is land and 1.3 km² (0.5 mi²) of it (1.99%) is water. including several lakes. To the south is its largest suburb, Portage, Michigan, which includes the largest collection of major stores in the area. It is located approximately halfway between Detroit and Chicago.
At least part of the munincipal water supply for Kalamazoo is provided by the watershed contained within the Al Sabo Preserve[1] in Texas Charter Township, Michigan, immediately southwest of Kalamazoo.
Another watershed, Kleinstuck Marsh[2], is very popular with hikers and birdwatchers. Kleinstuck Marsh is located south of Maple Street, between Westnedge Avenue (Kalamazoo's major north-south artery) and Oakland Drive.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 77,145 people, 29,413 households, and 14,353 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,206.9/km² (3,125.4/mi²). There were 31,798 housing units at an average density of 497.5/km² (1,288.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.77% White, 20.64% Black or African American, 0.58% Native American, 2.39% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 2.38% from other races, and 3.18% from two or more races. 4.28% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 29,413 households out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.6% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.2% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.3% under the age of 18, 27.6% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 15.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,189, and the median income for a family was $42,438. Males had a median income of $32,160 versus $25,532 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,897. About 13.6% of families and 24.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.0% of those under age 18 and 11.3% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Education
Kalamazoo is home to Western Michigan University, (often referred to simply as "Western") which is located on the western edge of the city. The college has four campuses in Kalamazoo, (West Campus, East Campus, Parkview, and Oakland Drive) as well as several satellite campuses throughout Michigan. West Campus has by far the largest concentration of university students, programs and school services. The school is one of the 50 largest universities in the nation, and one of the top 100 public universities in the country. In 2005, the university had over 26,000 students and employed over 1,200 faculty. Also in 2005, Western ranked #2 Wireless Campus in the U.S. in a national survey done by the Intel Corporation.
Western Michigan University is also the home of the International Congress on Medieval Studies, held each year in May, and organized by the Medieval Institute. The Congress brings some 3,000 professors and students from around the globe to present and discuss a variety of topics on the Middle Ages. Graduate students play an important role in its organization.
Kalamazoo College, the first educational institution in the state of Michigan and a pioneer in the field of coed education, resides next door to Western. The school was ranked #1 in Study Abroad programs by US News & World Report 2003 Edition America's Best Colleges, with 80% of students spending at least one term abroad. It was also the #1 school in 2005 for recruitment into the Peace Corps (per capita).
Kalamazoo is also the home to Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Davenport University. It also had been the home of Nazareth College, which closed in the 1990s.
Because of very generous private donations from several anonymous individuals, every resident graduate of the Kalamazoo Public Schools is provided with a scholarship for up to 100% of tuition and mandatory fee costs for four years at any public university or community college in Michigan, starting with the class of 2006. This program is known as the Kalamazoo Promise.
To receive any assistance, a student must live within the Kalamazoo Public School District boundaries and would have had to attend since at least ninth grade. Sixty-five percent of that student's tuition would be paid.
The scale goes up from there, with eighth graders receiving 70 percent of their tuition paid, 75 percent for seventh graders, 80 percent for sixth, 85 percent for fifth, 90 percent for fourth, and 95 for first through third graders. Resident students attending schools in the district from kindergarten through high school graduation will have 100 percent of their tuition and fees paid.
[edit] Economy
[edit] Breweries
Kalamazoo has three popular local breweries and brewpubs producing a variety of beer styles, from light bodied wheat ales to stouts and barley wines.
The most well known is Bell's, originally established as the Kalamazoo Brewing Company in 1985 by its flamboyant founder, Larry Bell.[3] The brewery has expanded from its original Kalamazoo location, which houses the Eccentric Cafe, to a modern, state-of–the-art brewery located in nearby Comstock.
The craft brewery, Kraftbrau Brewery[4], one block away from Bell's downtown site, compliments Bell's Eccentric Cafe as another local entertainment venue in a brewery atmosphere. Olde Peninsula is a downtown brewpub featuring a small selection of craft beers to accompany its diverse menu.
[edit] Flavorings
The A.M. Todd Company, one of the lead producers of peppermint oil and other flavorings, is headquartered in Kalamazoo.[5] Its founder, Albert M. Todd, was elected to the United States House of Representatives Fifty-fifth Congress.
Kalamazoo is also home to Kalsec, another flavorings company, which is family-owned and managed by some of Todd's descendants.[6]
[edit] Historical
In the past, Kalamazoo was known for its production of windmills, mandolins, buggies, automobiles, cigars, stoves, paper, and paper products. Agriculturally, it once was noted for celery and bedding plants. Although much has become suburbanized, the countryside still continues to produce significant quantities of farm crops.
One notable business founded in Kalamazoo was the Gibson Guitar Corporation (which spawned the still-local Heritage Guitars). The company was incorporated originally as "Gibson Mandolin - Guitar Co., Ltd" on October 11, 1902, by the craftsman Orville Gibson. Gibson originally produced some of the finest hand-crafted mandolins. This quality and attention to detail followed into the guitars the company began making later. The Gibson guitar is known for its quality and sought after world-wide by professional musicians and collectors alike. Operations were moved gradually from Kalamazoo to Nashville, Tennessee, (Electric Division) and Bozeman, Montana, (Acoustic Division) in the 1980s. Some workers from the original factory stayed in Kalamazoo to create the Heritage Guitar company.[7]
Other notable businesses founded in the city include the Shakespeare Company, a fishing and tackle manufacturer; and the Checker Motors Company, an automobile manufacturer, best known for the Checker Cab.
The eponymous Kalamazoo Stove Company used to have such slogans as "A Kalamazoo direct to you."
[edit] Medical
Kalamazoo was home to The Upjohn Company, a pharmaceutical manufacturer now part of Pfizer. Many of Upjohn's complexes remain, most centered in downtown and neighboring Portage, and Pfizer remains a rather large employer in the area, although they did cut many jobs from the plants leaving many middle-class residents jobless.
Michigan State University has a branch of its medical school and several post-doctoral residency training programs in Kalamazoo. Resident training programs in Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Family Medicine, Orthopedic surgery, Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, and sports medicine are centered at The Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies (KCMS) founded by Michigan State University.
The city is also home to the Stryker Corporation, a surgical and medical devices manufacturer.
[edit] Research
The W. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, a nonpartisan, not-for-profit research organization, has operated in Kalamazoo since its establishment in 1945. The Institute conducts research into the causes and effects of unemployment and measures for the alleviation of unemployment. The Institute also publishes Business Outlook for West Michigan [8], a quarterly journal that provides economic analyses and forecasts on the West Michigan economy.
[edit] Other
Other notable Kalamazoo businesses include:
- First of America of Michigan (now National City) - Banking & Finance
- Pro Co - Audio Equipment
The Farmer's Market, located on Bank Street, is open on Tuesdays and Saturdays, May through November. A wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and flowers are sold from stalls by area growers. Saturday is much busier than Tuesday. Directions
[edit] Culture
Largely due to its college-town influence, Kalamazoo has always been notable as a center for the arts. Among the local theater groups are the Kalamazoo Civic Players, New Vic Theatre and Barn Theater in nearby Augusta, along with others. There are also productions by college students. Big-name stars and groups often perform at the State Theatre, Miller Auditorium at Western Michigan University, and Wings Stadium. There are a number of art galleries, the most prominent being the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts. The city is also home to the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra. [9]
An annual event is "Eccentric Day" at Bell's Eccentric Cafe which celebrates the brewery's Eccentric Ale. The celebration is in December on the Friday marking the end of finals at Western Michigan University.[10]
The Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum—generally called the Air Zoo—is located at the airport. It is the first museum of its kind in the world with its "museum-meets-indoor-amusement-park" theme. It boasts many historical and rare aircraft, including the world's only remaining SR-71B Blackbird. Many of its antique planes are airworthy.
Downtown is the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, a "hands-on" museum aimed largely at children which also has a planetarium and a nationally recognized Challenger Learning Center. It also features a mural painted by renowned artist James "Jungle" Powell. Northeast of town is the Gilmore Car Museum, which includes cars used in Walt Disney movies. In 2001, the Kalamazoo Public Library was awarded "Library of the Year" by Library Journal. The city's library system is comprised of four branch libraries in addition to its central location, as well as the bookmobile system.[11]
Kalamazoo is also the birthplace of the Moped Army, a nationwide moped club. The Kalamazoo branch, the Decepticons, hosts an annual Memorial Day event which attracts riders from all over the United States.<ref name="moped">Swarm and Destroy is Motto of Moped Army. Kalamazoo Gazette. Retrieved on 2006-11-16.</ref>
Despite the name and a Woody Woodpecker cartoon, there is no zoo in Kalamazoo, besides the mentioned aviation museum called the Kalamazoo Air Zoo. The City closed its only zoo in 1974 when the Milham Park Zoo, located within the large park of the same name, was closed.
Adjacent to Milham Park is the Milham Park golf course, which is rated among the best municipal golf courses in the country. Completed in 1936, the 18-hole, par 72 course features a pro-shop and restaurant, all within the city limits of Kalamazoo.
[edit] Sports
Kalamazoo plays host to three non-collegiate teams:
- The Kalamazoo Kings minor-league baseball team plays games at Homer Stryker Field and is a member of the independent Frontier League.
- The Kalamazoo Wings minor-league hockey team plays games in Wings Stadium and is a member of the United Hockey League.
- The Kalamazoo Kingdom amateur-league soccer team plays games at Mayor's Riverfront Park and is a member of the USL Premier Development League.
The Western Michigan University Broncos, who compete in NCAA Division I in the Mid-American Conference, play at various venues throughout the city:
- Waldo Stadium (football)
- Lawson Arena (hockey)
- University Arena (basketball)
- Hyames Field (baseball)
Kalamazoo College and Kalamazoo Valley Community College also have several collegiate athletic teams.
Hyames Field played host to the first two College World Series held in 1947 and 1948.
The United States Tennis Association Boys 18 and 16 National Tennis Championships are hosted every summer by Kalamazoo College.
[edit] Local media
- See also: List of AM stations in Kalamazoo, List of FM stations in Kalamazoo, and List of TV stations in Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo is served by two daily newspapers, the Kalamazoo Gazette and the Western Herald.
[edit] Transportation
[edit] Highways
Kalamazoo is served by highways I-94, US 131, M-43 and M-96. It was on the original Territorial Road in Michigan of the 1800s, which started in Detroit and ran to Lake Michigan. Much of that, but not all, later became Old U.S. 12—the "old" designation came about when I-94 was built parallel to it—and also was called Red Arrow Highway after a World War I army division. The name "U.S. 12" was shifted south to what once was U.S. 112 between Detroit and Chicago. Some parts of Old U.S. 12 outside of town, especially in Van Buren County and Berrien County to the west, are still called Red Arrow Highway. The term "Old U.S. 12" has faded from use.
[edit] Rail, bus, and air
Kalamazoo has rail service provided by Amtrak, with the station located downtown and combined with a newly renovated bus terminal. Bus service to and through the city is provided by Greyhound and Indian Trails. Public bus services within the city are provided by Kalamazoo Metro Transit. On the southern end of the city is the Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport, where flights on American Eagle, Northwest Airlines, Delta Connection (Comair, Atlantic Southeast Airlines), Northwest Airlink (Mesaba Airlines, Pinnacle Airlines), and United Express connect people to many cities in the USA, including Atlanta, Detroit, Cincinati, Chicago, Minneapolis and Memphis
[edit] Other
The Kal-Haven Trail, heavily used by bicyclists and snowmobilers, extends nearly to downtown Kalamazoo. It runs 34 miles (55 km) between South Haven, Michigan, to a point just west of Kalamazoo, though there are plans to extend it into the city.
[edit] Sister cities
The city of Kalamazoo, Michigan has three sister cities.
- Image:Flag of Jamaica.svg Kingston, Jamaica
- Image:Flag of Japan.svg Numazu, Japan
- Image:Flag of Russia.svg Pushkin, Russia
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
<references />
[edit] External links
- City Of Kalamazoo
- Kalamazoo Regional Chamber of Commerce
- Central City, Kalamazoo's Downtown
- Kalamazoo Collective Housing
- Kalamazoo Public Library, Clarence L. Miller Family Local History Room
- Vanished Kalamazoo
- Built Kalamazoo
- Kalamazoo Local Search & Reviews
- my Kalamazoo
- Discover Kalamazoo
- Kalamazoo Community Home Page
- Kalamazoo College
- W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research
- Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra
- Kalamazoo Singers
- Air Zoo
- Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
- Kalamazoo Valley Museum
- Kalamazoo at the Open Directory Project
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
it:Kalamazoo no:Kalamazoo pl:Kalamazoo fi:Kalamazoo zh:卡拉马祖 (密歇根州)
