Allen is located about three miles from the western border of
Hillsdale County,
at the intersection of M-49 and US-12.
It was named after Captain Moses Allen, a veteran of the War of 1812 who
settled here in 1827. A small museum and plaque in his honor is found on
the west end of town. The town was officially platted in 1868 when the
Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad came through the area and built
a station here. It eventually was incorporated as a village in 1950.
Allen has survived the years through support from local agriculture and
its functional location as a highway junction: this has helped to make
it an ideal place for several antique shops, for which it has become
locally known in recent years.
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Photos courtesy of: Ken Huisjen
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