Kalamazoo MI Moving Companies

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Kalamazoo is a large city located in southwest Michigan with a population of about 79,000 people. It is divided into 22 different neighborhoods, and anyone moving there will find it to be a lovely and well-organized college town. Many areas of the city have designated as historical. Those moving to Kalamazoo will also discover a fairly temperate winter, with an annual snowfall of about 69 inches.

Economy:
Kalamazoo is a city with good economic ideas. They have industry; businesses building car parts for Detroit and plastics companies are leading employers in the area. Pfizer has its corporate offices, manufacturing and research facilities here, and this has kept the economy stable. Western Michigan University is a major employer as well, and the local farms are going strong.

History:
The name Kalamazoo is from the Potawatomi Indians and means ‘boiling water.’ There are conflicting reports on why the term boiling water came to mean a place. It was originally one site of the Hopewell Indians, who established a mound nearby. It was first inhabited by fur traders, and a trading post was erected there in the 1820s. The British built a smithy and a prison there during the War of 1812. A fellow named Titus Bronson built a cabin there and named the area Bronson in his own honor. He was later run out of town for being ‘eccentric’ and possibly a thief. The town was then named Kalamazoo. It was incorporated as a city in 1883.

Tourism:
Kalamazoo has many theater and arts companies and ballet companies. Covering more than 90 acres, The Gilmore Car Museum is filled with all types of motor vehicles and over three miles of roads. In June, you would not want to miss the 16th annual Island Fest, which draws over 15,000 reggae fans to it each year. In August, there is the Kalamazoo County Fair, with auto shows, gem shows and everything you would want in a county fair. Every August there is the Kalamazoo Scottish Festival. Also in July, the Taste of Kalamazoo gives you a taste of what the city is really like. Kalamazoo has wineries, an air museum, a Russian festival; if you can think of it, you can probably see it or do it in Kalamazoo.

Colleges/Universities:

• Kalamazoo College
• Western Michigan University

Interesting Facts:

• Kalamazoo is the site of the nation’s first pedestrian shopping mall, built in 1959.
• Kalamazoo was the original home of the Gibson Guitar Co.
• Kalamazoo has three local breweries.
• There is an annual ‘eccentric day’ held to celebrate the end of finals at Western Michigan University.
• Kalamazoo has sister cities in Jamaica, Japan and Russia.