About

The Village of Climax is located in the northeast side of Kalamazoo County, between the cities of Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. Climax is a small community that has a rich history.

The village traces its origins to Caleb Eldred who settled in the area in 1834. Eldred built his home in 1835 and where it still stands on the east side of the town. The original name given to the area was Climax Prairie, which was shortened to Climax in 1874. The village was incorporated in 1899.

Historical events from the village include the development of the Harvester Combine by Hiram Moore in 1838. This machine was able to cut a swath of 15 feet wide and needed a team of 20 horses to pull. Although the invention was not a commercial success for Moore, it was the forerunner of today's farming combine. A tablet located north of the village was dedicated to Hiram Moore's invention on October 3, 1931.

Another historical event was the first rural free mail delivery in the state of Michigan in December of 1896. A stone monument, dedicated in 1917, located in the park next to the Lawrence Memorial Public Library contains 300 stones contributed by the 300 recipients of this service to help commemorate the event. The library is also located in the building that served as the post office until 1964 when a new post office was built across the street.