John Gibbs House 2.12

The John Gibbs House was built in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1853. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. It serves as an avenue towards environmental stewardship and sustainability that is rarely accessed in formal education or community engagement.
The Gibbs House is located on the south side of Parkview Avenue next to Western Michigan University's Business Technology and Research Park in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was purchased from the United States federal government by John Gibbs, a craftsman from New York. Gibbs constructed the Italianate house which still stands on the property. The Gibbs family originated in England and descends from some of the American settlers from the country. The farm and house were transferred to the university in 1959. In 1991 the development of WMU's Business Technology and Research Park was approved, which now encompasses the majority of the property. The Gibbs House is currently used for environmental research purposes by university students.