You Are Here
Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport by
ENCORE STAFF
The Space Needle. The Golden Gate Bridge. The Arch in St. Louis. You see these iconic landmarks in a selfie and you know right where the person is. (Seattle, San Francisco and St. Louis, just in case you had a geographic memory lapse). The greater Kalamazoo area has its own iconic landmarks to pose in front of that will announce to all your social media buddies that you are HERE. Here are five of our favorite spots to snap yourself:
Located in the gate area of the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport is a 3D reproduction of artist and former Kalamazoo resident Stephen Hansen’s original print You Are Here, with its helpful Kalamazooan employing the native habit of using the right hand as a map of Michigan to show his spot in the state. The sculpture is an iconic way to tell those coming and returning to the area that they have arrived at their destination.
Kalamazoo sign Kalamazoo Transportation Center, 459 N. Burdick St.
Bates Alley Between Portage and Edwards streets
Colorful during the day, magical at night, Bates Alley is the newest pedestrian promenade in downtown Kalamazoo. The pavement is an abstract river of blues and greens, with outdoor seating for the restaurants along the strip. At night, the alley’s long rows of bistro lighting offer the perfect twinkly, festive backdrop.
16 | ENCORE JUNE 2019
Just in case you didn’t know that Kalamazoo is almost smack at the halfway point between Chicago and Detroit, this sign at the Kalamazoo Transportation Center is a handy reminder that Kalamazoo really isn’t in the middle of nowhere. The beautiful, historic architecture of the center, built in 1887, makes a snazzy background to boot.
