NEW RICHMOND AREA

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RICHMOND

.....By 1835 the lands of the area had been surveyed, the county of Allegan officially organized and it was obviously just a matter of time until the Michigan Territory could settle its boundary  dispute with the state of Ohio and itself be elevated to statehood.

.....In 1836, John Allen, a Virginian by birth, purchased 2240 acres in Allegan County on the north side of the Kalamazoo River just west of its confluence with the Rabbit River in Manlius Township, planned saw mills and platted a village.

.....The land was surveyed, platted and an order for 600 impressions of a map on paper and four on silk map paper.  This 1836 map designed to lure prospective investors and settlers shows 13 east-west streets through 23 streets running north-south.  Five mills are ranged across the mill race and a short canal to provide docking facilities for industry.

.....Ralph R. Mann of Marshall made a contract with John Allen November 8, 1836 to build a saw mill at Richmond. Mann left Marshall on a scow with a dozen laborers and a full cargo of supplies
and  headed down the Kalamazoo River.  It took days just to reach Kalamazoo.  After nearly sinking twice by hitting rocks along the way, the scow reached  Richmond after a three weeks journey.  On December 15, 1837 it was reported that the appearance of the site was cleared off beyond expectations. the ground were very handsome for a town where there were then about 10 houses.  The race was grubbed a mile and 30 rods wide, this race being the very first section of canal dream being called the Clinton-Kalamazoo canal. The timber for the large mill was mostly framed but for the lack of funds, the contractors had abandoned the job.  The dam for the small mill was made and the frame up except for the roof. $150 was needed to put the mill in operation. 

.....In 1842, Ralph Mann wrote to John Allen, who's finances were in great trouble and the project was failing. He said that he could not find any one who would take over the place but there were a number of families moving in on the south side of the river. Ralph then in that time build the first bridge across the river.  Allen died in California in 1851, his village abandoned.

From books by Kit Lane       -       Go To: Allegan County History Maps