During the summer of 1834, a group of eastern land investors set its sights on newly platted land at the "great bend" in the Kalamazoo River, now known as Allegan. This former site of a Pottawatomi village was blessed with both beauty and bounty. Surrounded by woods and with a river racing through it, a busy community of commerce and recreation was envisioned. It was a perfect combination for enjoyable and productive lives for those who would purchase parcels of land. They could never imagine the many changes their riverside village would see--the part it would play in the rebuilding of Chicago after the Great Fire of 1871; Allegan's own devastating fire in 1884, which destroyed the downtown area; the arrival and departure of various businesses; and the phenomenon of countless local families who have had a continuous presence in Allegan for many generations. It is the stories behind these photographs of people, businesses, and events that bring Allegan's past to light in such a marvelous way.
