Albion
The Forks
General Information
Other Name: -, District: Michigan, State: Mid West, United States of America
Area: 4.5 sq mi
Languages Spoken: English
Long Distance Code: +1(517)
Importance: --
Best Time to Visit: - to - and -
International Access: -Description
Albion is a city in Calhoun County in the south central region of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan.From the time that the earliest English-speaking settlers arrived, the area has also been known as The Forks, because it is situated at the confluence of the north and south branches of the Kalamazoo River. The Festival of the Forks has been celebrated annually since 1967, celebrating Albion''s ethnic heritage.The presence of several major manufacturers through its history has given Albion the reputation of a factory town.Location
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Binder Park Zoo is 3 mi. s. of I-94 exit 100 at 7400 Division Dr. Exotic animals live in a natural park setting. Visitors can board a train to tour the safari-style habitat of Wild Africa. Among the species represented in the zoo are the African wild dog, bald eagle, green iguana, Mexican wolf, Mongolian wild horse, red kangaroo and red panda. The zoo has wooden boardwalks and a conservation discovery center with hands-on activities. The wooden Binda Conservation Carousel also is featured. Zookeepers give talks twice daily at various animal exhibits.
Ella Sharp Museum of Art and History is within Ella Sharp Park at 3225 4th St. The museum provides a look at 19th-century farmstead life. It includes tours of a Victorian house; a pioneer log house; a barn with 1800s carriages, sleighs and farm implements; a woodshop; an 1885 one-room schoolhouse; and a country store complex featuring a print shop and doctor''s office. The museum also features art and history in several exhibition galleries.
The home was built in 1860 by a chief justice of the Michigan Supreme Court who later became U.S. Consul to Hawaii. A blend of Victorian and island living styles, the house was influenced by his Hawaiian house. A raised veranda, pagoda-capped tower and rooms with elaborate 15-foot ceilings hand-painted in high Victorian style are highlights.
Whitehouse Nature Center is .25 mi. s.e. of the Albion College campus, just off Hannah St. The 135-acre outdoor education facility offers five self-guiding nature trails through a variety of natural and man-made habitats. The interpretive building houses a small observation room and exhibits; trail brochures are available.