After farm equipment and pianos, one of the other industries that has defined Richmond is the production of the lawn mower. Around the turn of the twentieth century, Richmond was unofficially known as the “Lawn Mower Capital of the World,” because…

Manufacturing was not the only type of business that took advantage of Richmond’s rail facilities. Wholesale houses sprang up in the vicinity of the Union Depot, and the largest ones even had their own rail spurs to offload material into their…

Hoosier Drill Company, 1858-1903 Hoosier Drill company began manufacturing agricultural equipment in Milton, Indiana in 1858.  In the 1870s, the bustling city of Richmond enticed the company to move by offering rail facilities that were much better…

Richmond, Indiana became a railroad hub in the Pennsylvania Railroad system with major arteries leading toward Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Chicago, Dayton, and Cincinnati. This meant that companies could use the railroads to easily ship goods produced…

Gaar, Scott & Co. 1836-1911 Most of the mills in Wayne County were powered by streams, but some took advantage of the many springs available locally. Gaar, Scott & Co. was Richmond’s first major manufacturer with a national reach. It began…

White colonizers traveled to what would become Wayne County, Indiana after being enticed by the US government with promises of land to settle and abundant natural resources. They encountered fertile farmland, easily available building material -…

Located near the northern edge of Wayne County, enthusiasts who call themselves Highpointers (highpointers.org) can drive directly to the highest point in Indiana, 1,257 feet above sea level and only steps away from a county road. From there,…