09/02/2026
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In this 1974 letter to the Richmond Gazette, a community member describes Richmond, Illinois, around 1900. Read alongside the 1912 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, a clear picture of a vibrant and bustling frontier town emerges.
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Dear Sir:
About 75 to 80 years ago Richmond was a thrifty little town with a population of about 350. She continued to thrive and grow. She supported two doctors, had two drug stores.
The vacant lot on the square where the building burned, stood a drug store owned by A. R. Alexander. He had a son Ray and two daughters Irma and Mabel.
Also Richmond always had two barber shops. The building now called the Candy Cone was a tailor shop where Thomas Bambas made many fine men’s suits.
The building occupied by Jeanne’s Beauty Chest was built by Bill Foley for his new meat market. At times there were a couple of other meat markets.
The place now called the Village Inn was once a grocery store owned by George Osmond.
Richmond also had three hardware stores, namely Julius Randall, Charlie Kruse and Horace Boutelle. Boutelle’s son George (“Ike”) ran the store after his father’s death. Often there were three grocery stores.
The building occupied by Flynn was, for many years, a grocery and dry goods store owned by T. C. Schroeder.
The Corner Store was a grocery owned and operated by J. N. Burton. After his death his son Louis still ran it.
The store on the corner recently vacated by our druggist Fred Schroeder, was a grocery and dry goods, owned by John Meissner.
The original part of the Richmond Foundry was a pickle factory operated by the late Pete Christenson. Also Pete and his wife Mary at one time operated the Richmond Hotel, which usually has done alright for itself.
For many years T. H. Speaker did a thriving business operating the old mill which burned down about 1893.
Richmond also had a milk factory. Barker Lumber Co. was operated here for many years.
Before the dam went out west of the R.R. tracks, we had a large pond where many went skating. Also T. H. Speaker at one time had a small ice house on the south shore of the pond.
At times there were two blacksmith shops, also harness makers, and our own bakeries, millinery shops. B. H. Tabor sold farm machinery in a shop where Charlie Schultz now lives.
Tom Williams had a livery stable where Bergsma’s garage now stands. One could hire a horse and buggy and take his “best gal” for a ride. We also had a good newspaper, the Richmond Gazette. Richmond also had three churches, namely, the Methodist, Baptist and Congregational where Mr. Derdyn now occupies as his home. The churches were adequate for the times. Also the school was adequate for the time.
I believe the first high school graduation class was 1892. Cora Stewart was a graduate.
Now what have we at present? One can’t buy clothing for men, women or children. Have to go out of town. Also we have no doctor — have to go out of town.
Our town is only a bunch of antique stores. No one can prove Richmond was ever RAGS.
A Resident
📷 Richmond Gazette 1974 https://newspapers.mchenrycountyhistory.org:8443/ResCarta-Web/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=d0163c82-0283-4f73-8f98-f10b1f16f929/nmt00725/20170502/00000082
📷 https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4104rm.g021171912?r=-0.069,0.307,1.261,0.659,0
