Hoosier Drill, American Seeding Company, & International Harvester
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 for a factory that produced large machinery. The firm continued to grow until 1899 when it could boast that it was the largest factory in the world devoted entirely to the manufacture of seeding machines.
American Seeding Machine Co. and International Harvester 1903-1957
In 1903, Hoosier Drill merged with the American Seeding Company of Springfield, Ohio. American Seeding was in turn bought by International Harvester in 1920. Harvester thrived in Richmond for many years. The company reluctantly decided to close this plant in 1957, citing the changing nature of the farm implement business and the fact that the buildings were no longer adapted to current trends. Since then, this building has been occupied off and on by smaller businesses over the years.
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