The city of Kalamazoo began as a gift to the United States. The land, which today is Kalamazoo, served as a fur trading post in the late 1700s. The area was deeded to the U.S. by the Potawatomi Indians in 1827, and in 1829 permanent settlers began arriving. The name is derived from a Potawatomi Indian expression, "Kikalamazoo," meaning "the
rapids at the river crossing," or "boiling water."
The fertile soil on which Kalamazoo is built has led the area to most recently be called the "Bedding Plant Capital of the World," as the county is home to the largest bedding plant cooperative in the U.S.