KALAMAZOO

city, seat (1830) of Kalamazoo county, southwestern Michigan, U.S. It lies along the Kalamazoo River, 50 miles (80 km) south of Grand Rapids. A fur-trading post, known as Kee-Kalamazoo (Indian: Mirage, or Reflecting River), was already established at the site where Titus Bronson built a cabin in 1829. The settlement, first known as Bronson, was renamed in 1836. The presence of a government land office and the arrival of the Michigan Central Railroad (1846) encouraged growth. In the 1850s Dutch farmers made the locality famous for celery. The city's paper industry, dominant since 1874, has been augmented by diversified manufactures, including pharmaceuticals, transportation equipment, and metal products. Kalamazoo College (1833), Western Michigan University (1903), and Kalamazoo Valley Community College (1966) are located there. Kalamazoo Nature Center includes nature trails, a barnyard, and a restored pioneer homestead. Inc. village, 1843; city, 1883. Pop. (1992 est.) city, 81,253; KalamazooBattle Creek MSA, 435,967.