Kalamazoo County Facts

Kalamazoo County Facts

·        Western Michigan University, located in Kalamazoo, is the fourth largest public university in the state.

·        Kalamazoo College, founded in 1833, is the oldest private college in the state.

·        The Kalamazoo Walking Mall opened on August 19, 1959 as the nation’s first, downtown pedestrian mall.

·        Kalamazoo County was the Celery Capital of the World in the early decades of last century.  Celery touted as “fresh as dew from Kalamazoo” was shipped throughout the U.S.

·        Kalamazoo County is the leading producer of bedding plants (i.e. marigolds, petunias, and impatiens) in the U.S. and is the Bedding Plant Capital of the world.

·        Seventy-five percent of the bedding plants planted in the country are produced in Kalamazoo.

·        Bells Greenhouse is the nation’s largest supplier of African violets.

·        Kalamazoo has the oldest and largest microbrewery in the state, the Kalamazoo Brewing Company.

·        West Michigan is the nation’s fourth largest producer of wines and juices.

·        St. Julian, founded in 1921, is now the state’s largest and oldest winery.

·        Peterson & Sons Winery is the only winery in the state that produces wines with no preservatives added.

·        The United Kennel Club, nation’s second oldest and second largest all-breed dog registry, was founded in Kalamazoo in 1898.

·        The familiar old yellow taxicabs were produced in Kalamazoo by the Checker Cab Company until production stopped in 1983.

·        Thousands became aware of the city with the odd name through the marketing tool of Kalamazoo Stove Company, wood burning stove manufacturer.  Around the country, thousands chanted, “From Kalamazoo, Direct To You.”

·        Albert M. Todd started producing mint at the young age of 19.  By the 20th century ninety percent of the world’s supply of peppermint grew within seventy-five miles of Kalamazoo and the A.M. Todd Company refined most of it.

·        Kalamazoo was a stop on the Underground Railroad.  Dr. Nathan Thomas’ Underground Railroad House was in operation for twenty years. 1,000 to 1,500 escaping slaves were given food, shelter and medical aid.

·        In 2000, Kalamazoo Valley Museum was voted the top small museum in Michigan by readers of Michigan Living Magazine.

·        The Ladies Library Association was organized in 1852.  It is the oldest women’s club in Michigan and third oldest in the U.S.

·        The Ladies Library Association building, built in 1879, was the first to house a women’s club in the nation. This was even prior to the time women could be property holders or vote.

·        Kalamazoo Public Library was honored as the national Gale Group/Library Journal Library of the year in 2002.

·        Westnedge Avenue is the second busiest street in Michigan next to 28th Street in Grand Rapids.

·        Kalamazoo is rated one of the best places to live in the U.S. for people who are blind or visually impaired by the American Foundation for the Blind. First was Charlotte, NC, second was Berkeley, CA followed by Kalamazoo and then New York City and La Crosse, WI and Louisville, KY tied for fifth place.

·        Kalamazoo Nature Center was voted the number one nature center in the nation by other nature centers.

·        Air Zoo is the tenth largest non-government aviation museum in the nation. Nationally recognized for their restoration efforts and Smithsonian affiliated.

·        The Barn Theatre is Michigan’s oldest summer stock theatre at 58 years old. Starring Tom Wopat, Melissa Gilbert, Jennifer Garner, Kim Zimmer, and Dana Delany to name a few actors and actresses that have performed at the Barn Theatre.

·        Kalamazoo Civic Auditorium was built in 1929, the states oldest Civic Auditorium. Also, it is ranked number one among its peers from the American Association of Community Theatre for community theatres in the country.

·        Kalamazoo is famous as the home of the United States Tennis Association Boys 18 & 16 National Championships for the past sixty years.  Kalamazoo is also the home of the National Street Rod Association Nationals North for sixteen years and draws 3,400 cars and 30,000 spectators. Along with the Gilmore Keyboard Festival that brings in top names such as Harry Connick Jr., Dave Brubeck and Dudley Moore.

·        Kalamazoo was once the manufacturing domain for Checker cabs, Gibson guitars, Kalamazoo Stoves, Kalamazoo Corset, Kalamazoo Sled, Shakespeare fishing rod & reel , along with the Kalamazoo Pant Company , Scott Trillby violins,, the Bowers lighter and the Stryker beds. In the late 1800’s, W.E. Upjohn moved to Kalamazoo and created The Upjohn Company, which is now part of Pfizer Corporation, the world’s largest pharmaceutical firm. The Upjohn Company manufactured Rogaine and Kao-pectate.

·        Kalamazoo County is within 100 miles of five million Americans.  A 250-mile ring captures 40 million people.

·        In 2002 Kalamazoo County won First Place in the America in Bloom Community Beautification Award for communities of 100,000-300,000 people.

·        In 2004 Kalamazoo County won the America in Bloom’s National Competition:  Environmental Awareness and Community Involvement Awards.

·        Greater Kalamazoo United Way won first place for highest per capita giving in the United States for communities of its size.

·        Kalamazoo is home to eight Frank Lloyd Wright homes.

·        The name Kalamazoo is a Pottawatomie Indian word meaning ‘place of boiling or bubbling water.’ Kalamazoo is also home to an Indian mound (burial site) from the Mound Builder Indians and is estimated to be between 500 and 1,000 years old.

·        Abraham Lincoln’s only Michigan speech while running for President was at Bronson Park in Kalamazoo.

·        Kalamazoo was awarded one of the top three cities in the country for the sight impaired by the American Foundation for the Blind.

·        Glenn Miller made famous the song “I’ve Got a Gal in Kalamazoo.”  The students at Kalamazoo College decided we needed a real Gal in Kalamazoo and voted Sara Wooley that Gal.  Sara traveled around the country representing Kalamazoo at Bond Drives and USO dances.

·        Gilmore Car Museum was voted one of the ten best automobile museums in the U.S.  Seventeen different automobiles were manufactured in Kalamazoo, such as Checker from 1920-1982, Kalamazoo Cycle company from 1902-1903 and Michigan Buggy from 1909-1911.

No matter where you are in Kalamazoo County, you’re no more than 25 minutes of anywhere else you want to visit.  The city can be crossed traffic jam free, in about ten minutes.

With more than 2,600 affordable hotel rooms-ranging from an intimate bed and  breakfast inn to a four-diamond, world-class convention hotel-this scenic year-round community offers a renovated and vibrant downtown, historical neighborhoods, outstanding museums and theaters, 22 golf courses, 3 ski  resorts, 4 wineries and 83 lakes with public access.  Conveniently located a short drive or 30 minute flight from either Chicago or Detroit, Kalamazoo is easy to get to and hard to leave.