Richland’s Old Stagecoach Site May Become New Ice Cream Spot

Richland residents could soon welcome a new ice cream shop. Rumors surrounding the sale of the former Stagecoach Inn property at the busy corner of M-89 and M-43 have the community buzzing about the sweet possibility.

Here's What We Know So Far:

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Given the brutal winter we've had in Southwest Michigan, we're all looking for our first signs of spring. The opening of our local drive-in diners and ice cream stands are usually the first indication things are looking up; usually The Root Beer Stand in Kalamazoo is the first to open in mid-February.

According to the local Facebook group, Gull Lake Area Discussion, exciting things seem to be in store for Richland area residents this summer. Rumor has it the old Stagecoach Inn property, most recently home to the Bell Tower Lake House Living Co., has been sold to a beloved Michigan-made ice cream company.

The only problem is that residents can't quite figure out which company bought it: Moomers or MOO-ville.

Plenty of locals claim they have "confirmed" inside information, but as of this writing there has been no official announcement made. Moomers is a popular ice cream shop based in the Traverse City area, and MOO-ville is a local creamery based out of nearby Nashville, Michigan.

If I had to fathom a guess, I'd say it's more likely MOO-ville is taking over the property because they're closer. Unless Moomers is really looking to widen their footprint. Either way, we all scream for ice cream!

As for that odd mound structure that's roped off in the parking lot, is it actually a legitimate Native American burial mound?

• "Are the new owners aware that the mound in middle of parking lot is an Indian Burial Mound? They should be informed so they don't ruin it like the larger one was......" - Kasey J. 
• "exactly. I remember when they had the native group make sure it was certified and a chain was put around it to protect it years ago." - Susan T. 

According to a 1983 archaeological report from Western Michigan University, there is not enough information to substantiate that claim:

we are of the opinion that the small mound now preserved in the parking lot behind the inn...is not authentic but rather has been erected in recent years to provide an item of conversation!

Historical records reference Native American dwellings and possible mounds near the property in the 1800s, but later archaeological surveys found no confirmed evidence of an intact burial mound at the site.