Marker with history of WMU's East Hall is stolen

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) — Police at Western Michigan University are looking for a large metal historical marker that was stolen from outside the birthplace of the Kalamazoo school.

The marker was discovered missing Thursday at East Hall. Size would make it difficult to hide: Like other state markers, it’s 54 inches tall and 42 inches wide.

As a precaution, police have told area scrap dealers to keep an eye out for it.

“I doubt that it would be a scrapper because I don’t think any legitimate recycler would take it,” Deputy Public Safety Chief Blaine Kalafut told MLive.com. “I think it may be related to the possible demolition of the building, a souvenir or something”

“We’ve checked eBay and Craigslist, though someone would have to be pretty dumb” to list it for sale there, Kalafut said. “We have put an alert out” to scrap metal dealers “to let them know to be on the lookout.”
“Anything’s possible. We don’t have lot to go on,” Kalafut said. He said a replacement could cost about $4,000 or more.

East Hall is 108 years old. It houses campus archives and regional history, but is being turned into an alumni center. Over the years, the building has served as Western Michigan’s administrative offices.
Friends of Historic East Campus nominated the buildings of East Campus for America’s Most Endangered Places, and had campaigned to find new uses for the buildings.