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Alamo Township Schools

General Information and Sources


The following sketch is from History of Kalamazoo County, Michigan, by Samuel W. Durant, published in Philadelphia by Everts & Abbott, 1880.

“Numerous schools in the township denote the lively interest manifested by its residents in the cause of education. All of them follow the régime prescribed for the ordinary district school, and a graded school of a higher order is one of the developments of the future. The school buildings are comfortable, but by no means pretentious, the one at Alamo Centre being more spacious than the rest, and from its size and location somewhat imposing in appearance.

The earliest school-house in Alamo was built in the Finch Settlement, on the southeast corner of section 1. It was constructed of logs, on land appropriated for the purpose by William Finch in 1837. Miss Powers first filled the onerous position of teacher of this school. The second school building in the township was constructed of tamarack logs, on section 22. This was discarded for a more imposing brick building, and later a frame structure was used. For some years after, the three buildings were all standing as a monument to the progressive tendencies of the trustees of the district.”

Sources

Manuscripts

List of one-room schools still standing in Kalamazoo County in 1982

Hultmark, Sarah.
Manuscript, Local History Collection, Kalamazoo Public Library

School records from an unknown school, probably in Alamo Township, 1902-1906

Unidentified class photo, probably Alamo Township, roughly 1940s
Unidentified class photo, probably Alamo Township
Unidentified class photo, probably Alamo Township, predates end of World War I


Books

Alamo Township, most northwest corner of Kalamazoo County, Michigan: past and present

Snow, Florence
Published by the Author, 1958
H 977.417 S67

History of Kalamazoo County, Michigan…, 1880

Durant, Samuel W.
Evansville, IN: Unigraphic, 1976
H 977.417 H67u (oversize), page 299


Maps and Atlases

Map of Kalamazoo County, Michigan

Geil & Harley, Philadelphia. 1861
History Room atlas case, left shelf #2

Atlas of Kalamazoo County, Michigan from Recent and Actual Surveys and Records

F. W. Beers & Co., New York. 1873
Library of Congress

Illustrated atlas of Kalamazoo County [Michigan] with early and present history of Kalamazoo County

Sauer, William C.
Wm. C. Sauer, Detroit. 1890
History Room atlas case, left shelf #1

Standard atlas of Kalamazoo County, Michigan

Geo. A. Ogle & Co., 1910
History Room atlas case, left shelf #1

USGS topographic maps for Kalamazoo County

Several editions
History Room map case, left drawer #1


Compiled by Catherine Larson, Local History Specialist, Kalamazoo Public Library, 1999. Last updated 20 August 2020.

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