Kalamazoo County

US States / M / Michigan / Kalamazoo County
Kalamazoo

Kalamazoo County is named for the Indian word “kikalamazoo” meaning “the mirage” or “reflecting river”, or meaning “the boiling pot”.

 

Surrounding County Courthouses: 

N – Allegan County and Barry County

E – Calhoun County

S – St. Joseph County

W – Van Buren County

 

Created:  October 29, 1829                    Map of Michigan highlighting Kalamazoo County

County Seat:

Kalamazoo  1830 – present

 

County Courthouse – Kalamazoo  

 

Location:  227 West Michigan Avenue / Hubbard Street

Built:  1936 – 1937

Style:  Art Deco

Architect:  M J C Billingham of Kalamazoo and Smith, Hickman & Grylis

Contractor:  O F Miller

 

Description:  The building faces north and is a six story buff colored Mankato limestone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Kalamazoo. Constructed with reinforced concrete, the exterior walls are Mankato limestone. The windows on the first three stories are vertical and divided by stone sections. The windows on the fourth story are small. The base of the building is dark granite. Corrado Joseph Parducci carved figures representing Justice, Law and Vigilance and several other reliefs. The roof line is flat. The building has ornate bronze doors and marble paneled lobbies. There are two large courtroom and two additional courtrooms. The building was a Public Works Administration project.

 

History:  Kalamazoo was named as the county seat in 1830. The court met at the log cabin of Titus Bronson at Bronson which became Kalamazoo in 1836. Court met at the home of Abraham I Shave in 1831. The first courthouse was a two story clapboard structure designed by Ammi B Young of Montpelier, Vermont and built by E R Ball in 1836 for cost of $6,000. In 1866, the courthouse was remodeled by Bush and Paterson at a cost of $8,000. The building was razed in 1921 The second courthouse was designed by Edward O Fallis of Toledo, Ohio and constructed in 1884 to 1885 at a cost of $60,000. The building was razed in 1935. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1936 to 1937.

 

County Administration – Kalamazoo  

 

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Location:  201 West Kalamazoo Avenue / Rose Street

Built:  1976 – 1978

Style:  Modern

Architect:  Cain Associate

Contractor:  Whitaker Construction Company

 

Description:  The building faces north and is a four story concrete and glass structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Kalamazoo to the north of the courthouse. The face of the building has a combination of horizontal windows and narrow vertical windows. The fourth story has horizontal windows dived by concrete dividers. The roof line is flat. The cost of construction was $4,180,000.

 

See:  Michigan’s County Courthouses by John Fedynsky

 

 

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County Courthouse – Kalamazoo

 

 

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County Administration – Kalamazoo

 

 

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Photos taken 2008 and 2015