52. New Richmond

Location: Kalamazoo River, Manilus Township

New Richmond was founded in 1871 on the opposite side of Kalamazoo River from the abandoned mill town of Richmond. Seven miles upriver from Saugatuck, both Richmonds were important places for crossing the Kalamazoo River.

Richmond was the crossing point for the Saugatuck to Allegan road, represented locally as Old Allegan Road. New Richmond’s railroad bridge was built in 1879 by the Chicago and Michigan Lakeshore Railroad, later the Pere Marquette Railroad. The 400-foot steel bridge was restored in 2004 and is the centerpiece of the New Richmond Bridge Park. A second railroad bridge, built in 1907, is crossed by 30 to 40 trains per day.