More historic than 25% of U.S. towns · #602 of 701 in Michigan. What drives it
Most of Richmond Township was built recently: 7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1979. Below: maps from 1914 on and the census since 1880.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Richmond Township is more historic than 25% of U.S. towns, #602 of 701 in Michigan. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
C
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Richmond Township’s overall grade.
Few Michigan towns list much on the Register (a typical Michigan town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Richmond Township’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (32% of Michigan towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1878.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to C. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.2 points).
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Richmond Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Richmond Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1914Armada sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Richmond Township.
In 1835, Erastus Beebe set out with two brothers and several other people to create a new city out of a wilderness area in Michigan. He founded Beebe's Corners, which in 1878 agreed to join with the two nearest neighboring communities of Ridgeway and Cooper Town to form the village of Richmond. In 1879, the Michigan Legislature officially created the village charter. In 1989, the city annexed the Muttonville area of Lenox Township, parts of Richmond Township in Macomb County, and part of Casco and Columbus Townships in St. Clair County.
Passages that mention Richmond Township, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Macomb County, Michigan, containing ... biographical sketches, portraits of prominent men and early settlers1882Read the page →
Read the text
what is known as the Canada Southern. The Michigan Central, which aided in building so much of this line as lies between Jackson and Niles, and furnished almost the entire capital with which it was built, finally made it a feeder for Detroit and the Central. This road enters Macomb County in the southeast corner of Richmond Township, then traverses the townships of Armada aud Washington. There are stations on this line within Macomb County, called Ridgeway, Armada. Romeo and Washington. This branch line is twenty-six miles in length. It cost the people of the townships through which it runs a snug sum of money, butjthe benefits which will be derived from the road ultimately will
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
In 1878, according to Wikidata. the census of 1880 counted 750 people here.
How does Richmond Township rank for history?
Richmond Township is more historic than 25% of U.S. towns, #602 of 701 in Michigan. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
How old are the homes in Richmond Township?
7% of Richmond Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.2 points), against a typical 12% for a Michigan town; the median home was built in 1979.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (2), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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