Local History

Arts & Entertainment

Chaffee, Ada Gilmore

Ada Gilmore Chaffee (Find a Grave) Despite living most of her life outside of Kalamazoo, the Kalamazoo-born artist Ada Gilmore Chaffee was a leading pioneer as a painter and woodblock…

Academy of Music

East side of South Rose Street, across from Academy Street (117-123 South Rose Street). Academy of Music, east side of South Rose Street, c.1882–1885. Kalamazoo Public Library photo file P-179…

Acadia Theatre

Southwest corner of Portage Street and Washington Street (1308 Portage St.). Claimed to seat 280. Designed by Rockwell A. Leroy and built as a standalone movie house in 1913 by grocer Burton R. Barber.

Airdome Theater

North side of West Kalamazoo Avenue, between North Rose Street and North Burdick Street. Outdoor theater claiming to seat 2,000, featuring mostly stock, with occasional film novelties. Downtown outdoor “Airdome”…

Balch, Nelda K.

Kalamazoo is known world-wide for many things, with a focus often upon industry ... but it should be just as imperative to draw light upon those educational institutions that have also widened Kalamazoo’s reputation beyond our borders.

Barn Theatre

The Barn Theatre located on M-96 in Augusta, Michigan is the oldest resident summer stock theater in the state. It was founded in 1946 by Jack and Betty Ebert Ragotzy as the Village Players in Richland, Michigan. Their first play was Charly’s...

Bijou Theatre

East side of South Burdick Street, north of South Street (145 South Burdick Street). Built and run as a vaudeville house from 22 January 1906 to the end of April…

Black Arts Festival

“The Black Arts Festival is founded on the belief that Black Awareness should be an integral part of our society. Through artistic expression we help promote the essence of our…

Black Lives Matter Street Mural

You likely have seen the beautiful Black Lives Matter street mural on Rose Street between South and Lovell. But do you know the amazing story of how this historical work of art came to be?

Capitol Theater

South side of East South Street, east of Burdick Street (138 East South Street). Originally opened as the Majestic Theatre in 1907. Enlarged and reopened as the Capitol Theatre on…

Civic Black Theatre

Founded in 1978, the Civic Black Theatre (CBT) “recognized a need” for “black theater” in Kalamazoo. According to WMU faculty members Leander C. Jones and Thomas Small, two of the…

Civic Theatre

Southeast corner of South Street and Park Street (329 South Park Street). The 537 seat Civic Theatre was built in 1931 as a non-professional community theater employing amateur talent, and…

Colonial Theatre

East side of South Burdick Street, north of South Street (143 South Burdick Street). Opened by W.H. Johnson and operated as a film theater from 24 August 1907 until 2…

Council Hawes Jr. and The Pacific Club

In 1946, after returning from military service in World War II, Council Hawes Jr. (1910-1982) managed The Pacific Club (aka The Pacific Inn), a restaurant, bar, entertainment venue, and residence…

Cummings, Mimi Zoet (1941–2022)

“Spectral Meander,” a two-part handwoven tapestry by Kalamazoo artist and weaver Mimi Cummings, was among several pieces of art that were incorporated into the library building when it was renovated and reopened in 1998.

Douglas Auto Theater

From 1955 until 1985, local movie-goers could watch their favorite films from inside their automobiles at the Douglas Auto Theater, located at 1900 Douglas Avenue. Albert W. Ochs built and…

Downtown Kalamazoo Theaters

These pages are an effort to identify locations and information about the theaters, cinemas, vaudeville houses, nickelodeons, and performance venues in downtown Kalamazoo, from the construction of its first opera…

Early Jazz in Kalamazoo (1917–1925)

Folks weren’t exactly sure what it was or what to call it. At first it was “jass,” a derogatory term that soon came to mean just the opposite. Some called it “wild, weird and woozy.” Others called it “pep,” “ginger,” “snap,” “zippy,” “snappy,”...

Elite Theater

East side of South Burdick Street, south of South Street (207–211 S. Burdick St.). Built and run as a film theater from 19 August 1912 until 16 May 1925. Seating claimed…

Excelsior Roller Rink

East side of Portage Street, north of South Street. Located behind and beside the residence at 131 Portage Street (entrance off South Street). Built by Calvin Forbes and operated as…

First Bandstand in Bronson Park

As the popularity of military band music in America grew after the Civil War, so grew the desire of the general public to attend and enjoy open air concert performances. As a result, there became a strong need for suitable outdoor venues where...