richland was incorporated in 1871, and in 1883 the michigan and ohio railroad built a line through the village. richland then served as a small transportation hub for agricultural products, and slowly grew in size through the latter part of the 19th century. however, the expansion of the village took place almost exclusively along the main roads (32nd street, d avenue, and gull road), maintaining the pattern of streets established in the 1830s. the town center represernted by this district was substantially built out by the 1910s, with little later infill.