Research Guides: HIST 391: The Stuff of Everyday Life: Local History

Local History Collections

Many institutions with local history collections are within walking distance of K's campus.
Check the institution's website for types of materials available, hours, and access policies before planning a visit.

Zhang Archives at Western Michigan University
Extensive collection of West Michigan local and regional materials, with broader themes and cultural significance.
Kalamazoo Local History Collections at the Kalamazoo Public Library
Local History Collections in the Kalamazoo Public Library, main location.
Kalamazoo Gazette Index
Indexes the Kalamazoo Gazette, from the Kalamazoo Public Library.
Kalamazoo Valley Museum Local History
Kalamazoo Historical Photos
Local History photographs from the Kalamazoo Public Library.

Everyman's House

Everyman's House Collection, 1924-1928
Everyman's House is the work of Caroline Bartlett Crane, nationally known social activist in the early 1900s.
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The Everyman's House was designed and built in Kalamazoo, Michigan, by Caroline Bartlett Crane, a prominent social activist and minister in Kalamazoo's early history. It was also winner of Herbert Hoover's "Better Homes of America" campaign.
Crane did an efficient home design for the common man (especially the common woman) in the 1920s. The 40-item collection is an interesting mix of letters, photographs, blueprints, and book.