The Kalamazoo River is a sixth order stream in southwest Michigan that drains to lake Michigan. With a complex history including one of the largest inland oil spills in U.S. history, pollution resulting in several Superfund sites, and socially and economically enforced segregation, the Kalamazoo River has been at the center of several statewide issues in Michigan. In Albion, Michigan, this importance increases tenfold. The north and south branches of the headwaters meet in Albion, and recreation, drinking water quality, and research have all stemmed from its presence in the city’s landscape. However, without a career dedicated to the history, science or maintenance of the Kalamazoo River, understanding something everyone in the Albion community seems to have a relationship with becomes a relatively intimidating task. In a series of written features centering the stories of the Kalamazoo River’s greatest advocates and Albion’s most dedicated citizens, I have captured an inter-generational, intersectional and deeply human-centered snapshot of the river’s history. Accompanying these in-depth pieces, I have created a large-scale watercolor illustration of the stories I’ve heard across the landscape they center, culminating in a unique piece of artwork to display the relationship between the Kalamazoo River and Albion’s community. Each character, represented as a creature native to the river’s local ecosystem, inspires curiosity leading the viewer to interact with the digitally published written work documenting their stories.