1981 Map of Hamilton West

About this map

Kalamazoo River bottomlands and the rolling agricultural terrain of northern Allegan County dominate this 1981 survey. The landscape is defined by the sharp contrast between the expansive Allegan State Game Area to the south and the meticulously partitioned sections of Fillmore and Overisel townships. The Chesapeake and Ohio railroad corridor provides a north-south spine for the region, connecting small hubs like Hamilton and East Saugatuck. The prevalence of family-named cemeteries, including the Old Overisel Cem and New Overisel Cem, reflects the deep Dutch-American heritage of this farming community. Waterways like the Rabbit River and Macatawa River wind through the township grids, while the industrial and transport infrastructure near the Tulip City Airport and the New Richmond river crossing indicates the region's evolving economy at the start of the 1980s.