Kalamazoo, Florida Explained

Official Name:Kalamazoo
Settlement Type:Unincorporated community
Image Alt:Kalamazoo, Florida
Pushpin Map:Volusia
Coordinates:28.8461°N -81.11°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Type2:County
Established Title:Settled
Unit Pref:Imperial
Elevation M:6
Elevation Ft:20
Timezone:Eastern (EST)
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Postal Code Type:enter ZIP code
Postal Code:32764
Area Code:386
Blank Name Sec1:GNIS feature ID
Blank Info Sec1:294821[1]

Kalamazoo is an unincorporated community located in southwest Volusia County, Florida. As of 2011, Kalamazoo is private property.

History

According to longtime area residents, Kalamazoo was named for the many people who moved there from Michigan.[2]

The name may also allude to celery farming in Kalamazoo, Michigan, for which that city was noted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.[3] In 1908, a company was capitalized with $25,000 to develop a celery farm on 10,000 acres in Kalamazoo, Florida, following on the success of celery farming in nearby Sanford. Its president was C. F. Walker of Savannah, Georgia.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: US Board on Geographic Names. 2008-01-31. United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25.
  2. News: Williamson. Ronald. Echoes of the Past - A lonely highway Offers Few Clues to Communities' Former Importance. Daytona Beach News-Journal. 11 May 2008.
  3. Web site: Peppel. Fred. Stalking the Celery City. Kalamazoo Public Library. 17 May 2012. Feb 2005.
  4. New Celery Growing Colony Established. The Florida East Coast Homeseeker. January 1908. 10. 87.