MIGenWeb Project  USGenWeb Project

KALAMAZOO  COUNTY, MI

GENEALOGY & LOCAL HISTORY

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Brady Township Hall 2002

Chronology of Township, Village and City Formation PAGE 1

The photo links will be changed to pictures in the near furture

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Township, Village and City Formation
Township Stories

TOWNSHIPS

ALAMO COOPER RICHLAND ROSS
OSHTEMO KALAMAZOO COMSTOCK CHARLESTON
TEXAS PORTAGE PAVILION CLIMAX
PRAIRIE RONDE SCHOOLCRAFT BRADY WAKESHMA
Townships in Kalamazoo County (except Portage which is an incorporated city encompassing the entire former township).

CHRONOLOGY

 Note: Graphics below showing the development of local governments in Kalamazoo County are courtesy of the KALAMAZOO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Click on links to see photos
15 Nov 1829 -  The Michigan Territorial Legislative Council created Brady Township that included all of what is now Kalamazoo and Barry counties and other area to the north.  The first township meeting was held at the house of Abraham J. Shaver in what is now Prairie Ronde Township.  - <---- Click on link to see Photo !
7 May 1830-  The Michigan Territorial Legislative Council created Kalamazoo County.   <---- Click on link to see Photo !
12 May 1831-  The county was divided into two townships: ARCADIA (northern half) and BRADY (southern half) <---- Click on link to see Photo ! 
1832 -  RICHLAND township was set off from the eastern half of Arcadia, comprising the current townships of Ross, Richland, Comstock and Charleston.
7 March 1834 -  COMSTOCK township was organized, consisting of the present townships of Comstock, Charleston and Climax.   <---- Click on link to see Photo !
3 March 1836 -  The names of Arcadia township and the village of Bronson were changed to KALAMAZOO.   <---- Click on link to see Photo !
23 March 1836 -  PAVILION township was set off from Brady; this included the area of the current township (now City) of Portage. On this date also, PRAIRIE RONDE township was set off from BradyOffice Sign
Pavilion Township Hall  Pavilion Township Office  ----  Pavilion Township
26 January 1837 -  Michigan admitted to the union as the 26th state.  <---- Click on link to see Photo !
11 March 1837 -  COOPER township, which included the current Alamo township was set off from Kalamazoo and 30 Dec 1837 -  CLIMAX township set off from Comstock.
6 March 1838 -  ALAMO township set off from Cooper,  CHARLESTON township set off from Climax, PORTAGE township set off from Pavilion, TEXAS township set off from Brady.  
And, 21 March 1839 -  ROSS township set off from Richland and 22 March 1839 -  OSHTEMO township set off from Kalamazoo.
16 February 1842 -  The name of Brady township changed to SCHOOLCRAFT; townships of BRADY and WAKESHMA were organized from the remainder of the former township called Brady.
1866 -  SCHOOLCRAFT village incorporated.
Village of Schoolcraft Hall  <----- Click on link to see photo !
1861 -  The village of GALESBURG incorporated in Comstock/Charleston township - became a city in 1931
1869 - The village of AUGUSTA incorporated in Ross/Charleston township.
1883 - The village of KALAMAZOO became a city.
Kalamazoo City Hall, rear view  <----- Click on link to see photo !
1871 - RICHLAND incorporated as a village. <----- Click on link to see photo !
1871 - VICKSBURG in Schoolcraft/Brady township incorporated as a village.
1931 - PARCHMENT in Kalamazoo township incorporated as  a village and became a city in 1938. <----- Click on link to see photo !
 31 December 1963 - The city of PORTAGE incorporated from Portage Township.
Kalamazoo Township, Cooper Township, Oshtemo Township, and Comstock Township become Charter Townships.
School Districts <----- Click on link to see photo !

 Kalamazoo County Property Tax Entities 2003

County

Four Cities

Five Villages

Fifteen Townships

Twelve Library Districts

Fifteen Primary School Districts

Five Intermediate School Districts

Three Community College Districts

Three Downtown Development Authorities

Four TIFA and two LDFA Districts

Tax Increment Finance Authorities (TIFA). The purpose of these authorities is to initiate projects and programs to halt property value deterioration and increase property tax valuation in designated districts.

Local Development Finance Authorities (LDFA) allow local units of government in Michigan to establish a development authority for the purpose of targeted development by industry type.

Kalamazoo County Municipal Governments <----- Click on link to see photo !
JURISDICTION
Kalamazoo County Parchment City
Alamo Township Pavilion Township
Augusta Village Portage City
Brady Township Prairie Rhonde Township
Charleston Township Richland Township
Climax Township Richland Village
Climax Village Ross Township
Comstock Charter Township Schoolcraft Township
Cooper Charter Township Schoolcraft Village
Galesburg City Texas Charter Township
Kalamazoo City Vicksburg Village
Kalamazoo Charter Township Wakeshma Township
Oshtemo Charter Township  

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TOWNSHIP HISTORIES
The Kalamazoo Valley Museum has  published a series of township histories in its Museography online magazine.  Here are links to what has been published as of May, 2006:

 

Links
1846 County History Kalamazoo Mall
1876 County History Kalamazoo Theater Views
 1980 Tornado Kalamzoo Views
 Chronology of Township, Village and City Formation Obituaries from the Pioneer Society Reports
Centennial History and Pageant Program Railroads, Interubans, and Transit History
Historical Markers Index Reminiscences of Kalamazoo, 1832 -1833 by Jesse Turner
History Pages Index Schoolcraft History
Indians in Kalamazoo - Early Letters Vicksburg History Site

Return to Kalamazoo Co. Michigan USGenWeb page

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