A View of the Past – June 14, 2017

This week’s view is of the Richland Mills which was located at 320 W. State in O’Fallon.  The flour mill was built in 1860-61 by Charles A. Tiedemann and Julius Raith.  At the time of the photo, ca. 1910, the mill was owned by the Charles Tiedemann Milling Company which also owned the Valley Mills in Collinsville.  The O’Fallon mill was sold to Oberbeck Feed Company of Highland in 1942 and was operated as a grain elevator and feed outlet.  On Nov. 11, 1972 a spectacular fire destroyed much of the mill complex.  What was left was torn down.  The property is now Circle K/Phillips 66.  (Contributed by Brian Keller, O’Fallon Historical Society.)

For more, stop by the O’Fallon Historical Museum, located at 101 West State Street. The Museum is open Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. and by appointment.