KALAMAZOO, a city of south-western Michigan, U.S.A., between Detroit and Chicago, on the Kalamazoo river ; the county seat of Kalamazoo county. It is on federal highways 12 and 131; has a municipal airport ; and is served by the Chicago, Kalamazoo and Saginaw, the Grank Trunk, the Michigan Central, the New York Central, and the Pennsylvania railways, and by electric interurban railways, motor coach and motor truck lines in every direction. The population was 48,487 in 1920 (83.5% native white) and was 54,786 in 1930 by the Federal census, besides a large number in the contiguous suburbs. Beautiful wooded hills encircle the city, and there are many lakes in the vicinity. The region is famous for its celery, peppermint and fruits, especially grapes. Kalamazoo has a large wholesale and retail trade, and a large number of diversified and exceptionally stable manufactur ing industries. Paper of many kinds is the outstanding product, ten large plants making 3,000,000 lb. daily. The total factory
output in 1927 was valued at $56,306,407. Bank debits in 1927 amounted to The assessed valuation of property was $78,115,900. Since 1918 the city has operated under a com mission-manager form of government. Under the "pay-as-you-go" policy the bonded indebtedness was reduced in nine years to $101,250. Kalamazoo is the seat of Kalamazoo college (Bap tist), established in 1833 as a "literary institute"; the West ern State Teachers college (1903) ; a State hospital for the insane (1859) ; and a private home for the feeble-minded. The city was founded in 1829 by Titus Bronson, and was called Bronson until 1836. It was incorporated as a village in 1838 and chartered as a city in 1883. The site was an Indian rendezvous and trading post, and the name is said to mean "a pot of boiling water."