This is a little known pull off on the east bound side of I-94. It has no facilities. It is…read moremerely a parking area that trucks use to complete mandatory rest breaks. For what it does (provides additional parking for trucks), it serves the public well.

Even with all of the downsizing that the usps has had to do throughout the years, The Augusta post…read moreoffice has always been able to maintain friendly faces and great service! It's great to be able to go in, get the personal service that I enjoy and be in and out with no problems.

This older marker is neatly placed in the I-94 rest area as you approach Kalamazoo from the east…read more There are three similar markers at other rest areas. It reads... "Kalamazoo is an Indian word said to mean 'boiling water.' Originally it was applied to the river that flows north-westerly to Lake Michigan. A trickle of settlers in the late 1820's became a torrent in the 1830's as the region's fertile prairies, oak openings, bottom lands and ample sources of water power became known. The village of Bronson, founded in 1829 by Titus Bronson, is now the city of Kalamazoo. Here Lincoln made his only Michigan speech. J. Fenimore Cooper wrote about the area in 'Oak Openings.' Kalamazoo College, founded in 1833, Nazareth College (1897) and Western Michigan University (1903) are here. Once famous for celery and its stoves, Kalamazoo is now know for many products including paper and drugs. The nation's first permanent pedestrian mall was opened in the downtown section in 1959. Erected byt he Kiwanis Club of Kalamazoo, 1962." Interesting history to me and I'm glad they have these markers! [Review 11066 overall, 839 of 2019.]

Easy to miss this marker that recalls the history of one of Kalamazoo's residents who went on to do…read moregreat things. The marker has gotten a little overgrown since it's installation over 30 years ago, so you might not notice that it has a back to it. Located in downtown Kalamazoo, the marker reads: "The only resident of Kalamazoo to be elected governor of Michigan during its first 150 years, Epaphroditus Ransom lived and farmed on this site. Born in Massachusetts in 1796, Ransom came to Michigan in 1834. An attorney, he soon became the area's first circuit court judge, riding horseback through the wilderness to hear cases. In 1836 he was appointed associate justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, and in 1843 he became the court's chief justice. A declaration he issued in 1840 prevented the removal of the Catholic Potawatomi from their southwestern Michigan lands. In 1848 Ransom was the first governor to be inaugurated in Lansing, which had just become the state capital." "During Epaphroditus Ransom's gubernatorial term (1848-1850), the Kalamazoo Regional Psychiatric Hospital was established. Following his term as governor, Ransom became the first president of the Michigan Agricultural Society, which was instrumental in the creation of both the Michigan State Fair and Michigan State University. He was also a regent of the University of Michigan (1850-1852), a founder of the village of Augusta, and a state representative (1853-1854). In 1857 President James Buchanan appointed Ransom receiver of the Kansas Osage Land Office in Fort Scott, Kansas. He died in Kansas in 1859. His body was returned to Kalamazoo, where it was interred in Mountain Home Cemetery." [Review 11248 overall, 1024 of 2019.]

Rather than mounted on a pole like most, Mister Miner's marker is on the building at the corner of…read moreEagle Street and Michigan Avenue in downtown Marshall. A local boy done good, as the saying goes. The marker reads: "James A. Miner, born in Marshall in 1842, began studying law in Clinton, Iowa, in 1860. Completing his studies in Marshall, he was admitted to the Calhoun County bar in 1863. There he was circuit court commissioner (1866-1870) and prosecuting attorney (1870-1874). His office was in this building from 1869 to 1873. His 1876 partnership with Francis A. Stace created one of the county's largest law firms. President Benjamin Harrison appointed him a Utah territorial justice in 1890, and he was elected the state's first chief justice (1896-1903). He died in 1907." [Review 11094 overall, 867 of 2019.]

This historic marker is mounted in front of the Grand Army of the Republic Hall along the main…read morestreet of downtown Marshall. On one side, "In 1866 northern Civil War veterans organized the Grand Army of the Republic to fight for veterans' pensions and other benefits. Michigan's first chapter was formed the next year. National membership peaked in 1890 with 409,489 men, while Michigan's rolls crested in 1889 with more than 21,000 members. In its heyday, the G.A.R. was a powerful political pressure group. The society also provided food and clothing for indigent widows and orphans. The last state encampment was held in 1948." On the other side: "Marshall's Civil War veterans organized a Grand Army of the Republic chapter in 1883. They built this handsome red brick structure as their headquarters in 1902. It was named for Marshall's Corporal Calvin Colegrove, color-bearer for the Michigan First Infantry, who was killed at the first Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861. The memorial hall, built at a cost of three thousand dollars, served C. Colegrove Post No. 166 until the late 1930s. In 1977 the Marshall Historical Society purchased it for one dollar to house its archives." [Review 11174 overall, 949 of 2019.]

I love this gem of a used bookstore, tucked into the lower level of the main Kalamazoo Public…read moreLibrary building downtown. There is both an elevator and stairs to get downstairs to it (also housed on the lower level: YA, music, videos, and more). The shop is only open a few hours a week, so be sure to check the times before you head there (unless you are already picking up your books, in which case, you will have built a stop here into your KPL journey). It is entirely staffed by volunteers (THANK YOU!). There is usually a cart of books on sale near the front, as well as DVDs for a dollar or two. You'll find just about EVERY genre here, even if it is only a book or two. There are always a lot of cookbooks (YAHOO!), YA, kids, fiction, poetry, music, etc. There's a Michigan section (always good for finding gifts), as well as plenty of NF offerings. Some coffee table books are more expensive, but generally a book won't run you more than a dollar or two. The prices are clearly marked on the back. If you are kicking it old school, they have both cassette and cds for sale. If you are musician, you're probably already in the know to check the small section that has sheet music and piano music books. A few times a year they have a big outdoor sale under tents in the back parking lot. The price to fill a bag is really inexpensive. We love this little bookstore, and the kind people that run it. It's a gem in our community. Re: Disability parking: There is ONE spot right out in front of the library. It is often taken by someone without a plate or placard. The library is not in charge of this situation, nor can they call ticketing to help (I asked). I have asked the city many times for more handicap parking spaces downtown, as of yet to no avail.

The Friends of the Library is a great little bookstore in the basement of the central branch of the…read moreKalamazoo Public Library. Most people don't know it exists unless they are regulars at the library, but it deserves its' own recognition. The store is stocked with public donations and overflow books from the library's shelves, so the selection will vary wildly all the time. They recently had a huge portion of their shelf space devoted to books about trains that were given by a donor's estate. Virtually no new releases, obviously, but there is almost some gem on the shelves and at a fantastic price. Twice a year they run a sale that overflows either onto the sidewalk or onto the library rotunda. This is usually a madhouse because of the pricing - 10 cents per book or $2.00 for a bag full of books. Well worth checking out. This place is also a great volunteer opportunity for book lovers!

In front of this beautiful and large building that is obviously government related, this worn…read morehistorical marker lets us know what it's all about. Located in downtown Battle Creek near the Underground Railroad Sculpture and the Kellogg House, it reads: "The second Battle Creek Post Office, one of Albert Kahn's earliest commissions, opened in 1907. He designed the structure with reinforced concrete supports, an innovation he later used in his internationally renowned factory designs. The building's stone trim and repeating arches exemplify Second Renaissance Revival architecture. The post office became the Calhoun County Hall of Justice in 1978. The structure was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972." [Review 11055 overall, 828 of 2019.]