Kalamazoo is the largest city in the southwestern region of the US state of Michigan. The city has about 73,598 residents (as of 2020) and is the administrative center of Kalamazoo County. Together with the city of Portage, it forms the Kalamazoo-Portage metropolitan area.
Kalamazoo, Michigan, a city steeped in industrial history and
Victorian-era architecture, harbors a wealth of eerie tales and forsaken
structures. From its roots as a hub for paper mills, guitars, and
educational institutions to its more shadowy side involving asylums and
tragic events, the area is rife with legends of restless spirits and
decaying ruins. Many haunted sites stem from historic buildings where
deaths, tragedies, or unexplained phenomena have left lingering
presences, while abandoned places often overlap with these hauntings,
drawing urban explorers and paranormal enthusiasts. Below, I'll delve
into the most prominent haunted legends and abandoned locales, drawing
from local lore, eyewitness accounts, and historical records.
Haunted Legends and Places
Henderson Castle
Built in 1895 by Frank
and Mary Henderson, this grand Queen Anne-style mansion on Kalamazoo's
West Main Hill was originally the home of a successful businessman
involved in military regalia. Over a century later, it's renowned as one
of Michigan's most haunted sites, with over 200 paranormal
investigations conducted there. Guests and staff report friendly but
active spirits, including the Hendersons themselves, who are said to
roam the halls. Mary Henderson's presence is particularly strong in the
Dutch room, where apparitions and cold spots are common. Other entities
include a Spanish-American War veteran, a playful child (often described
as a boy in red overalls peeking from under beds or in mirrors), and
even a ghostly dog whose barks echo through the corridors. The castle,
now a bed-and-breakfast, has featured in horror films, amplifying its
mystique. No malicious activity has been noted, but bizarre occurrences
like objects moving or whispers keep the legend alive.
Kalamazoo
Civic Theatre
Established in 1929 and housed in a Depression-era
building on South Park Street since 1931, the Civic Theatre is home to
the benevolent spirit of Thelma Mertz. Legend holds that Mertz, an
actress, plummeted to her death from a prop deck at the nearby Chenery
Auditorium during a performance; her ghost reportedly followed the
troupe to their new venue. Staff and performers describe seeing a woman
in a long black dress on an empty stage, hearing music from unoccupied
areas, or witnessing white mists. One marketing director recounted
spotting a figure on a stage monitor while alone, later identifying it
as Thelma. Crashing sounds often lead to discoveries of undisturbed
props, and some feel an inexplicable chill or presence. The theatre
embraces Thelma as a protective entity, refusing formal investigations
to preserve their "resident ghost."
Heritage Guitar Factory
This nearly century-old factory at 225 Parsons Street, originally part
of the Gibson Guitar Corporation founded by Orville Gibson in the 1800s,
now produces Heritage guitars. The building closed in 1984 before
reopening under new ownership. Paranormal activity centers on the third
floor, where employees hear footsteps, voices, and encounter
apparitions. One long-time repairman faced a spectral old man staring at
him during inventory, believed to be Lloyd Loar, a Gibson designer with
an office there (though some speculate it's Gibson himself, despite his
death elsewhere). The ghosts are described as curious and
non-threatening, often manifesting as whispers or shadows, tying into
the site's musical heritage.
Kalamazoo State Theatre
Opened in
1927 for vaudeville and later hosting operas, bands, and films, this
ornate downtown venue is plagued by poltergeist-like activity. Visitors
report being touched by invisible hands, hearing footsteps throughout
empty halls, and witnessing objects relocate unaided. Sinks and toilets
bubble mysteriously, and a statue atop the stage shifts positions
overnight. Ghostly voices have been captured on recordings, with some
attributing the hauntings to performers or patrons from its heyday. The
theatre's age and history of live shows fuel tales of residual energy,
making it a staple in local ghost tours.
Heritage Hall (East
Hall) at Western Michigan University
Constructed in 1903 as Western
State Normal School's first building, this Prospect Hill structure—now
the alumni center after 2015 renovations—has a haunted reputation. It
once housed offices and a K-12 program, and the ashes of university
president Dwight B. Waldo are interred there. However, the primary ghost
may be Professor Leslie Wood, who died of a stroke in 1933 while
preparing for a field trip. Reports include lights flickering
inexplicably, eerie feelings in the old gym and empty pool, orbs in
photos, and EVPs captured by paranormal teams. Former staff describe an
uneasy atmosphere, with some breaking in during the 2000s to explore
abandoned sections.
Kalamazoo Regional Psychiatric Hospital (KPH)
Opened in 1859 as Michigan's first asylum, this sprawling complex on
Oakland Drive is partially operational but features abandoned sections
infamous for hauntings. Legends speak of tortured patients' screams
echoing at night, bricked-up doors, a basement morgue, and buzzer sounds
in powerless areas. The water tower is particularly eerie, with reports
of shadowy figures. Urban explorers note a disturbed energy, and workers
confirm paranormal encounters. The site's history of mental health
treatment, including a tuberculosis annex (see below), amplifies tales
of lingering souls envious of the living.
Other Notable Haunted
Sites
Hatchet Man Road: A dirt road where a man allegedly murdered
his family; shadows cross paths, cars vanish, and moans are heard.
Oakhill Cemetery: A statue weeps real tears on full moons and Halloween.
Harrison Cemetery: A gravestone glows eerily but darkens upon entry.
The Beckwith House: Invisible forces pull people from beds, with
giggling children and cold touches.
Columbia Court Apartments:
Footsteps, knocking, and unseen groping plague residents.
McLinden
Nature Trails: Site of a 1980s Satanic ritual hanging, with residual
hauntings.
Mountain Home Cemetery: Misty figures in frock coats
appear in photos.
Air Zoo: Historical artifacts trigger sightings and
sounds from otherworldly inhabitants.
Asylum Lake: Drownings and
Yeti-like sightings, plus underground tunnels.
Nearby in
Southwest Michigan (within 30-50 miles), tales like the Morton House
Museum's apparitions or the Hickory Creek Phantom Skater add to the
region's chilling folklore, though they're outside central Kalamazoo.
Abandoned Places and Their Eerie Ties
Kalamazoo's industrial past
has left behind numerous ruins, many intertwined with haunted legends.
Tuberculosis Sanitarium (Demolished)
Built in 1954 on Blakeslee
Street as a 45,000-square-foot facility for TB patients, it later served
as a psychiatric annex until abandoned around 1990. Vandals left it in
ruins, with a morgue basement and shattered glass everywhere—except for
one pristine, unbroken mirror in a trashed room, fueling legends of a
cursed or protective spirit. Neighborhood screams and spiritual unease
persisted until its 2011 demolition by WMU. Souls are said to linger in
nearby homes.
KVP/Crown Vantage Paper Mill
Once the heartbeat
of "Paper City," this massive complex along the Kalamazoo River was
founded by the Kalamazoo Vegetable Parchment Company in the early 1900s.
It employed thousands before closing in the 2000s, leaving decaying
warehouses, machinery, and worker housing plots. Urban explorers
document graffiti-covered halls and rusting equipment, with some
reporting odd noises tying into industrial accident ghosts. Parts remain
as ruins, attracting photographers despite dangers.
Hallmark
Living Nursing Home
Shut down in 2019, this former nursing facility
stands vacant, with explorers finding leftover medical equipment and
personal items. Its abandonment stems from operational issues, but the
eerie silence of empty patient rooms evokes tales of lingering elderly
spirits or unexplained shadows.
Other Abandoned Sites
First
Reformed Church: A historic 19th-century building explored before its
2019 demolition, with ornate but decaying interiors.
Derelict
Building on North Street: An 1888 structure between neighborhoods, vast
and crumbling, with potential for urban decay photography.
Kalamazoo
Stonehenge: A hidden, makeshift stone circle in woods near the Growlers
stadium, more whimsical than haunted but abandoned and mysterious.
Indigenous Peoples and Pre-Settlement Era
The history of
Kalamazoo, Michigan, begins with its indigenous inhabitants, predating
European contact. The area was home to ancient moundbuilders, a
prehistoric culture that constructed earthen mounds and earthworks
across the region. These structures, including a prominent circular
mound in what is now Bronson Park with a base diameter of 58 feet and a
height of nearly five feet, were likely used for burials or ceremonial
purposes. Evidence of "garden beds"—raised patches of soil separated by
sunken paths—suggests these early peoples were agricultural, cultivating
crops with wooden tools that have not survived. This moundbuilder
culture dates back potentially to around 2000 BC, influenced by groups
from the central Mississippi region, and later the Hopewell people
around 500 BC, who built effigy mounds and engaged in extensive trade
networks before disappearing around 900 AD, possibly displaced by
Algonquin groups.
By the time of European arrival, the dominant tribe
was the Potawatomi, a branch of the Algonquin nation that migrated south
from the Upper Peninsula along Lake Michigan's western shore in the late
17th century. They were part of the "Three Fires" alliance with the
Ojibwe (Chippewa) and Odawa (Ottawa). The Potawatomi inhabited the
southwest corner of Michigan, including areas around Kalamazoo and the
St. Joseph River, where they lived off fertile lands, harvesting crops,
fishing, and gathering wild rice. The name "Kalamazoo" itself derives
from Potawatomi words, with interpretations varying: "Kikalamazoo"
meaning "the mirage of the reflecting river" or "boiling water"
(referring to swirling rapids or morning mist on the Kalamazoo River),
"negikanamazo" signifying "otter tail" or "stones like otters," or
"kikalamezo" evoking a "boiling pot" from local legends. The river,
originally called by names like Muramek or Reccanamazoo, was central to
their life.
French explorers and fur traders interacted with the
Potawatomi and earlier tribes like the Miami and Mascoutin starting in
the 17th century. In 1654, Medard Chouart Des Groseilliers navigated the
St. Joseph River, noting the Miami presence. Jesuit missionary Claude
Allouez explored in 1666, naming the lake "Lake Saint Joseph."
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, renamed the river "River of the
Miamis" in 1672. A French fort was established near Niles in 1691,
hosting Potawatomi and Miami. Conflicts like the Fox Wars (1701–1730)
involved raids, with the Potawatomi mediating peace. By the mid-18th
century, the Potawatomi had pushed the Miami south.
The Treaty of
1795 opened the Northwest Territory for settlement but reserved a large
portion of what became Kalamazoo County as the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish
Potawatomi reservation. Missionaries like Rev. Leonard Slater arrived in
the 1820s to convert the indigenous people, establishing missions and
schools. Initial interactions with early white settlers were peaceful,
with Potawatomi providing guidance and support.
However, treaties
progressively displaced the Potawatomi. The 1821 Treaty of Chicago ceded
lands south of the Grand River, establishing the
Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish reservation that encompassed much of modern
Kalamazoo city. This was replaced in 1827 by the larger Nottawasepee
Reservation, extending from Austin Lake south into St. Joseph County.
The 1833 treaty exchanged five million acres for minimal compensation
($40,000 in goods), leading to enforced removal in 1840. Colonel Thomas
A. H. Edwards gathered about 3,000 Potawatomi in Kalamazoo, encamping
north of the current transportation center, before relocating them west
of the Mississippi amid reluctance and fears of conflicts with tribes
like the Sioux. By the 2000 census, fewer than 0.5% of Kalamazoo
County's residents identified as American Indian.
European
Exploration and Early Settlement (17th–Early 19th Century)
European
presence began with French explorers in the 1680s, as the first white
men journeyed through southern Michigan. Fur traders arrived by 1795,
with British trader Burrell wintering at a post near modern Riverside
Cemetery during the War of 1812. The British established a smithy on the
site of today's Kalamazoo Airport, which served as a prisoner-of-war
camp and village. The first permanent trading post was built in 1823 by
Frenchman Numaiville on the north side of the Kalamazoo River, later
operated by Rix Robinson until 1837 under the American Fur Company.
Permanent white settlement started in the late 1820s, spurred by the
1825 opening of the Erie Canal and the 1821 treaty opening lands. Bazel
Harrison, a relative of President William Henry Harrison, built the
first home in 1828 on a small lake northwest of Schoolcraft in Prairie
Ronde. Titus Bronson, a Connecticut native, erected the first cabin in
1829 on Arcadia Creek within modern city limits, using tamarack poles
and grass; he replaced it with a permanent structure the next year on
Bronson Park's site. By 1830, over 100 families had settled in Prairie
Ronde, and all eight county prairies were occupied within a year. Lucius
Lyon founded Schoolcraft village in 1830, and John Vickers built the
county's first gristmill there, later establishing Vicksburg.
Kalamazoo County was organized on July 3, 1830, with Bronson designated
the county seat in 1831. The village was platted as Bronson but renamed
Kalamazoo in 1836 due to Titus Bronson's eccentric behavior. Early
infrastructure included waterways and Indian trails, evolving to
primitive roads post-1830, such as the Territorial Road from Detroit to
St. Joseph. Plank roads appeared around 1845, including one to Grand
Rapids.
Education began early: Legislation in 1833 chartered the
Michigan and Huron Institute, which became Kalamazoo College by 1836,
the oldest private college in Michigan.
19th Century Growth and
Immigration
The mid-19th century saw rapid population growth, from
about 8,000 newcomers between 1845 and 1860, driven by immigration,
improved transportation, and industry diversification. Railroads
transformed the area: The Michigan Central line reached Kalamazoo from
Detroit in 1846 and connected to Chicago in 1852. By 1905, six railroads
linked the city continent-wide.
Immigration waves shaped
demographics. Dutch settlers arrived post-1847, fleeing religious issues
in the Netherlands; a 1850 quarantine led to local settlement, with over
1,000 arriving annually. They focused on northside farming, especially
celery by 1870, and introduced windmills in 1859, establishing the
Christian Reformed Church.
Germans immigrated via railroads,
contributing to commerce, fire companies, and social groups like the
German Workingmen’s Benevolent Association (1866). They influenced
religious diversity, founding the first Jewish congregation (B’nai
Israel) in 1867 and Lutheran church in 1868, and developed the Haymarket
business district.
Irish arrived for jobs, naming Cork Street after
County Cork due to paper mill workers; the first Catholic Mass was in
1832. Tensions with Dutch Puritans over ethics persisted. By 2000, 8.5%
claimed Irish heritage.
African Americans settled early, like Enoch
and Debra Harris farming in 1831, with growth via the Underground
Railroad. An 1835 home in Schoolcraft served as a stop. By 1950,
non-whites were 2% of the population, rising to 10% by 2000,
concentrated on the northside due to segregation.
Industries emerged:
Farming dominated, with an iron furnace by 1850. Post-Civil War, paper
mills lined the Kalamazoo River Valley, earning the nickname "The Paper
City." Celery farming in muck fields led to "The Celery City," and it
became "The Bedding Plant Capital of the World." Stephen Vickery dammed
Portage Creek in 1831 for the first mill.
Notable events include
Abraham Lincoln's only Michigan speech in Kalamazoo and James Fenimore
Cooper's writings about the area in Oak Openings. The first public high
school opened in 1859, and the Kalamazoo Gazette was the earliest
newspaper.
Industrial Era and 20th Century
The late 19th and
early 20th centuries marked industrial booms. In 1885, a physician
invented a pill-making machine, leading William Erastus Upjohn to found
the Upjohn Pill and Granule Company, which became a pharmaceutical giant
(now part of Pfizer). Other manufacturers produced Checker cabs, Gibson
guitars, Kalamazoo stoves, Shakespeare fishing rods, Roamer automobiles,
and parchment paper (naming the city of Parchment).
Population peaked
between 1904 and 1920, reaching 214,000. Higher education expanded with
Nazareth College (1897) and Western Michigan University (1903). Historic
districts preserved styles like Gothic, Italianate, Greek Revival, Queen
Anne, and Art Deco. Frank Lloyd Wright designed Usonian homes in the
late 1940s, including in Parkwyn Village.
Hispanic immigration grew
from the 1940s Bracero Program, with Mexican farmworkers staying
post-WWII; by 2008, over 60,000 lived in the region (3% in Kalamazoo
County). Migrant camps housed 15,000 in 1980, though conditions were
poor. The community evolved to include professionals and businesses.
The Indian (South Asian) community expanded from 25–40 families in the
early 1970s to over 400, driven by doctors and engineers.
Key
innovations included the nation's first outdoor pedestrian mall in 1959
on Burdick Street, modified in 1999 for traffic. A 1980 tornado damaged
Bronson Park, which features a Native American mound, a fountain by
Alfonso Iannelli, and a sculpture by Kirk Newman.
Modern Era
(Post-WWII to Present)
Post-WWII, Kalamazoo diversified as a melting
pot, blending indigenous heritage with European, African American,
Hispanic, and Asian influences. Environmental efforts addressed 1970s
river pollution from industry and sewage, fostering restoration
partnerships.
Today, the city is known for education (Kalamazoo
College, WMU, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Davenport University),
healthcare, and manufacturing. Transportation includes I-94, U.S. 131,
and airlines. Historic sites like the Kalamazoo Regional Psychiatric
Hospital Water Tower, Stuart Avenue and South Street districts, and the
Art Deco City Hall preserve its legacy. The population reflects
diversity, with Spanish and Hindu influences common.
Kalamazoo is a city in southwestern Michigan, serving as the county seat of Kalamazoo County. It is positioned approximately halfway between Detroit and Chicago along Interstate 94, about 140 miles (225 km) from each, 50 miles (80 km) south of Grand Rapids, and 75 miles (121 km) southwest of Lansing. The city's geographic coordinates are 42°17′24″N 85°35′09″W, placing it in the Great Lakes region of the United States. With a total area of around 25.14 square miles (65.12 km²)—comprising 24.70 square miles (63.96 km²) of land and 0.45 square miles (1.16 km²) of water—Kalamazoo is a mid-sized urban center surrounded by suburban and rural areas. Its suburbs extend primarily southward into the city of Portage and westward into Oshtemo and Texas townships.
Kalamazoo's topography is diverse, reflecting its position in a
glaciated landscape shaped by multiple ice ages. The northeastern
portion of the city lies in the broad, flat expanse of the Kalamazoo
Valley, a low-lying area formed by glacial outwash and erosion. This
valley provides relatively level terrain, ideal for urban development
and agriculture. In contrast, the western and southern sections rise
into gentle, low hills, with elevations ranging from approximately 700
to 1,000 feet (213 to 305 meters) above sea level. The city's average
elevation is about 784 feet (239 meters). These hills are remnants of
moraines and other glacial deposits, contributing to a rolling landscape
that transitions into more pronounced elevations outside the city
limits.
Geologically, the area was influenced by at least four major
continental ice sheets during the Pleistocene epoch, which sculpted the
region's main topographic features, including valleys, hills, and
plains. The surface features, such as end moraines and outwash plains,
were formed during and after the last glacial period, leaving behind a
mix of sandy and loamy soils that support fertile farmlands historically
used for crops like celery, corn, and soybeans—though much of this has
been suburbanized in recent decades. Small mounds from earlier Native
American cultures, such as the Hopewell tradition (pre-1000 CE), are
present, including a preserved mound in downtown Bronson Park.
Water plays a central role in Kalamazoo's geography, with the city
largely situated on the southwest bank of a prominent bend in the
Kalamazoo River, a major waterway that flows northwestward through the
city before joining Lake Michigan. A smaller portion of the city, about
2.8 square miles (7.3 km²), extends to the opposite bank. Several
tributaries enhance the hydrological network, including Arcadia Creek
and Portage Creek, which meander through urban and residential areas,
providing drainage and recreational opportunities. Scattered small lakes
dot the landscape, contributing to the region's wetland character.
The city's municipal water supply draws partly from the watershed in the
Al Sabo Preserve, located southwest in Texas Charter Township, which
protects groundwater resources. Kleinstuck Marsh, south of Maple Street
between Oakland Drive and Westnedge Avenue, is a notable wetland area
popular for hiking and birdwatching. The broader Kalamazoo River
watershed encompasses a mix of rivers, lakes, swamps, and wetlands,
reflecting Michigan's abundance of inland water features. Groundwater
hydrology is influenced by glacial deposits, with aquifers underlying
the area supporting both urban and agricultural needs.
Kalamazoo has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa), characterized
by four distinct seasons with significant temperature variations and
moderate to high precipitation. Summers (May to September) are hot and
humid, with average July highs around 72.6–72.9°F (22.6–22.7°C), though
heatwaves can push temperatures higher. Severe weather includes
occasional thunderstorms and rare tornadoes, such as the devastating F3
tornado that hit downtown in 1980.
Winters are cold and snowy, with
January averages around 24.7–24.8°F (-4.0–-4.0°C) and record lows
reaching -22°F (-30°C). Lake-effect snow from Lake Michigan is common,
leading to average annual snowfall of 55–82 inches (140–208 cm),
depending on the data source, with storms possible into early April.
Annual precipitation totals about 33–36.5 inches (838–927 mm), spread
across roughly 140 days, with spring and fall bringing variable weather,
including increased storm intensity in recent years due to climate
change.
Ongoing climate shifts include more extreme heat events,
frequent and intense storms, droughts, and altered precipitation timing,
potentially impacting local agriculture and water resources.
Kalamazoo's natural environment integrates urban spaces with
preserved ecosystems, forming part of a larger living system in the
Kalamazoo River watershed. The area features relatively intact forests,
wetlands, grasslands, and prairies, particularly in rural outskirts, due
to the watershed's overall rural character. Historical oak savannas and
prairies have evolved into oak forests without regular fire regimes,
supporting diverse flora documented in local checklists.
Key natural
sites include the Al Sabo Preserve for watershed protection and trails,
Kleinstuck Marsh for biodiversity, and various parks and waterways that
host pollinators, migratory birds, and wildlife. The city's
neighborhoods and green spaces connect to this network, promoting
sustainability amid development. Environmental efforts focus on
maintaining these features, with the region historically inhabited by
Potawatomi people who utilized its fertile lands.
Traffic
Kalamazoo is located off Interstate 94, the U.S. Highway
131 and Michigan Highways M-43 and M-96.
Kalamazoo has a
long-distance train station. The train company Amtrak connects Kalamazoo
non-stop with Ann Arbor, Chicago, Detroit and Holland, among others.
The city is connected to the national intercity bus system via
Greyhound. There are direct connections to the north of Michigan (Grand
Rapids, Petoskey, Traverse City, St. Ignace).
At the south end of
town is Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport. American Airlines,
Delta and United Airlines fly to Midwest destinations from here,
currently Chicago, Detroit and Minneapolis.
The city has a city
bus network provided by Kalamazoo Metro Transit. 19 routes connect all
of Kalamazoo's neighborhoods and Portage to downtown Kalamazoo.
Kalamazoo is home to Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo
College. The latter is one of Michigan's oldest schools and is
considered a pioneer in the field of co-education. In 2005, it was
ranked number one in Peace Corps recruitment.
There is also
Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Davenport University. Nazareth
College also existed until 1992.
Kalamazoo is the seat of the Diocese of Kalamazoo.
Kalamazoo has long been known as "Paper Town" because papermaking was
Kalamazoo's leading industry from the 1860's through the mid-20th
century. Kalamazoo had access to Michigan's forests, river water,
several paper mills that made the Kalamazoo Valley one of the world's
best-known papermaking centers, and a constant influx of immigrant
workers. Huge companies such as the Kalamazoo Paper Company (1867), the
Bryant Paper Company (1895) and the King Paper Company (1901) emerged.
Numerous paper mills sprang up in the surrounding towns and new places
like Parchment grew up around a paper mill. In 1954 the paper industry
generated a third of the turnover of all companies in Kalamazoo. Since
the 1970s, the paper industry in Kalamazoo has steadily declined. Almost
all paper manufacturers had to close and the factories were demolished.
The only thing left is the world's only paper engineering chair at
Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo.
In the early 1900s,
Kalamazoo had a number of automobile manufacturers, including Barley,
Blood Brothers Auto, Burtt, Handley, Michigan Automobile Company, and
Checker Motors Corporation. Checker made the famous yellow Checker Cabs
(with the black and white checkered stripes), but also produced metal
parts for car manufacturers, most notably General Motors. The company
went bankrupt in 2009.
Today, the largest employers are: Pfizer,
Bronson Hospital, National City Bank, Western Michigan University,
Borgess Health Alliance, Meijer, the public schools of Kalamazoo and
neighboring Portage, Stryker Corporation, and Kalamazoo Valley Community
College.
The company Stryker Corporation has, among other things,
its headquarters in the city.
The pharmaceutical company The
Upjohn Company, which previously existed there, was first merged with
the Swedish Pharmacia in 1985 and finally taken over by Pfizer in 2002.
In 1932 the company became the W. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment
Research, which still exists today.
One of the world's largest
manufacturers of guitars, the Gibson Guitar Corporation, was founded in
Kalamazoo. When the company moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1985, a few
former employees at the old Gibson factory continued the handcrafted
production under the Heritage Guitar name. The products are very popular
among guitarists.
There are around a dozen breweries. By far the largest brewery is
Bell's Brewery, which was founded in 1983 as the "Kalamazoo Brewing
Company" by Larry Bell. Bell's Brewery is the seventh largest craft
brewery in the United States and number 15 overall. Their most famous
brands are Oberon and 2 Hearted. In addition to its original downtown
location, which includes the Eccentric Café, the brewery operates a
large manufacturing facility in nearby Comstock.
Other local
microbreweries include Boatyard Brewing, Bravo! Restaurant, Gonzo's
BigDogg Brewery, Olde Peninsula Brewpub, One Well Brewing, Rupert's
Brewhouse and Tibb's Brewing Company. In 2014, Battle Creek-based
Arcadia Brewing Company opened a new brewhouse and restaurant.
In
recent years, two events have evolved around the growing craft beer
industry, the annual Kalamazoo Beer Week in January and the Kalamazoo On
Tap Craft Beer Festival in May.
In 2015 the Craft Beer Trail was
launched, with a passport to collect stamps. In 2016, a shuttle bus
between some breweries and a distillery (Kalamazoo Brew Bus) and a beer
bike service started.
Arthur Brown (1843–1906), politician
Melville Best Anderson
(1851–1933), Romanist, Italianist and Anglicist
Elia W. Peattie
(1862–1935), author and journalist
Edna Ferber (1885–1968), American
writer of Hungarian descent
William Francis Murphy (1885–1950), Roman
Catholic Bishop of Saginaw
Louis Brock (1892–1971), film producer,
film director and screenwriter
Frederick Weber (1905–1994), Modern
pentathlete and fencer
Stephen Dunwell (1913–1994), computer engineer
Paul H Todd (1921–2008), politician
Norman Shumway (1923–2006),
cardiologist and surgeon, pioneer of modern heart transplantation
John Briley (1925–2019), screenwriter and film producer
Donald J.
Bruggink (born 1929), Reformed theologian
James Stephen Sullivan
(1929–2006), Roman Catholic Bishop of Fargo
James C. Lewis (born
1936), biologist, ecologist and conservationist
Robert Lynn Carroll
(1938–2020), specialist in Paleozoic and Mesozoic amphibians and
reptiles
John Woollam (born 1939), physicist and electrical engineer
Michael C. Reed (born 1942), mathematician
Harold Reitsema (born
1948), astronomer
Allan C. Spradling (born 1949), geneticist
Bill
Hybels (born 1951), founder and pastor of Willow Creek Church in South
Barrington
Narada Michael Walden (born 1952), producer, drummer,
singer and songwriter
Lee Percy (born 1953), film editor
Nisi
Shawl (born 1955), science fiction and fantasy writer
Don Dailey
(1956–2013), computer chess programmer
Polly Horvath (born 1957),
author of children's and young adult books
Sherry Acker (born 1959),
tennis player
Terry Rossio (born 1960), screenwriter
David Means
(born 1961), writer
Eric Fanning (born 1968), US Department of
Defense Chief of Staff
Joseph McGinty McG Nichol (born 1968), film
producer and director
Jeffrey A. Wilson (born 1969), paleontologist
Danny Lewis (born 1970), NBA basketball player
Teju Cole (born 1975),
writer
Katie Schlukebir (born 1975), tennis player
Huma Abedin
(born 1976), political adviser
Anne E. Carpenter (born 1976),
scientist
Kip Carpenter (born 1979), speed skater specializing in
short track
Adam Hall (born 1980), ice hockey player
Alex
Koroknay-Palicz (born 1981), youth rights activist
Greg Jennings
(born 1983), NFL American football player
Scott Parse (born 1984),
ice hockey player
Shannon Kane (born 1986), actress and model
Scott Oudsema (born 1986), tennis player
Seth Troxler (born c. 1986),
techno DJ and producer
Cathy Reed (born 1987), American-Japanese
figure skater
Chris Reed (1989–2020), figure skater
Jordyn Jones
(born 2000), singer and actress
Ozan Baris (born 2004), tennis player