KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The city of Kalamazoo has accepted a gift from former city commissioner Lance Ferraro, four photographs of then-Senator John F. Kennedy, taken on a 1960 presidential campaign swing through Kalamazoo.
His daughter, Sharron Ferraro, made the presentation this week. She said at the time, he had worked for the Upjohn Company and was doing photography on the side.
She says he used one of those cameras with a one-shot slide and had to make sure he had a good picture before clicking the button.
Two of the framed photos will be put on display at City Hall and the other two in the historic train station.
Sharon Ferraro, the city’s former Historic District coordinator, says the only sitting President to visit Kalamazoo was William Howard Taft. Kennedy, Bill Clinton, and Abraham Lincoln were campaigning when they stopped by.
A couple corrections to my quick remarks last night: Sitting presidents that visited Kalamazoo included both William Howard Taft AND Barak Obama (I forgot Obama!). Presidential candidates included John Kennedy in 1960, Bobby Kennedy in 1968, George Bush, Bill Clinton and John Edwards. Abraham Lincoln made his only known visit to Michigan in August 1856 to campaign for candidate John Fremont.