Stretching 33 miles between Kalamazoo and South Haven in southwest Michigan, Kal-Haven Trail State Park rests on an abandoned railroad bed constructed in 1871. The converted rail-trail winds through gorgeous scenery including wooded areas, farmlands, streams and rivers. Now, a new tech tool adds the opportunity to explore the area’s natural and cultural history, too.
The Kal-Haven Heritage Trail mobile app uses geo-location to alert users about nearby heritage sites and provides text and images to share the stories. The app also offers increased accessibility with tags that allow screen readers to provide a description of images to people with impaired vision.
App users can learn about:
The native Potawatomi people who inhabited the area.
History of the Kalamazoo and South Haven Railroad route that existed from 1870 to 1970.
How glaciers sculpted the landscape.
Other heritage stories on topics like the Mentha mint farm, Joe Louis, the Bloomingdale oil boom and Julia Schelske, one of Ford Motor Company’s earliest female car dealers.
The app complements the 31 interpretive signs that were installed along the trail last summer. To get the app, android users can download it on Google Play, and Apple iPhone users can access it through a web browser at IWR.MSU.edu/KWT.
Anyone planning to visit Kal-Haven Trail State Park or any other state parks or trails is reminded to practice proper social distancing and follow other COVID-19 public health and safety guidelines.
Questions about the app? Contact Tobi Voigt at 517-898-6067.
