Kalamazoo... might be a strange sounding name to a lot of you, but I think anyone from Southern Michigan might think it instantly reminds them of a cool hometown city that doesn't have the bad reputation of Detroit, or the political stink of Lansing. Ka-zoo means cereal to most, but it once boasted the largest sled company in the world

 

The Kalamazoo Sled Company has its earliest roots in the 1870s. From its headquarters on the corner of Third and Sheldon near the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad, the Page Manufacturing Company made wooden components for buggies until 1894.

It reorganized under the name of the Kalamazoo Sled Company and by 1905 the company had absorbed a smaller competitor, the Columbia Sled Company, employed over 100 people, and was the largest manufacturer of children’s sleds in the world.

and they made those damn snow sledding flying saucer discs

during World War II they made a arctic sleds for use by military troops.

https://www.kpl.gov/local-history/kalamazoo-history/business/kalamazoo-sled-company/

https://www.forgottenbookmarks.com/2009/11/superior-quality.html

Kalamazoo was also home to Checker Cabs, and Gibson guitars - as well as the cereal companies.