New Richland owes it origins to the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad which reached the area in 1877, and the Norwegian settlers who were attracted to the rich farmland of Waseca County. From its very beginnings, the founding fathers of New Richland worked toward the betterment of the community with an eye on progress and the promise of a bright future for all citizens. Merchants opened their doors and sold dry goods, medicine and drugs, furniture, coal, hardware, lumber, harness and leather goods, and more. The village supported a depot, two banks, two blacksmiths, three hotels, a school, a jeweler, a flour mill, a newspaper, several meat markets and grocery stores, a creamery, cheese factory, farm implements, Ford automobile dealership, cafes, poultry and egg factory, a movie theater and many other businesses. New Richland remains a vibrant community to this day and proudly preserves its history with the help of the New Richland Area Historical Society.