1902 - In 1855, David Hoerner opened a bakery in Richmond Indiana. By 1881, Hoerner had taken on a partner named Knopf and was operating in this brick building at 13-15 South Fifth Street. In 1902, a small group of local investors purchased the Hoerner-Knopf bakery, renaming it the Richmond Baking Company. One of those investors, William H. Quigg, became the new bakery's general manager and ran the firm until his death in 1918.
1921 - In early November 1921 - three years after company founder William H. Quigg died and was succeeded as general manager by his son, Eugene K. Quigg - the company moved to a larger facility at 520 North Sixth Street. This move marked the beginning of a period of prosperity for the bakery under the entrepreneurial leadership of E.K. Quigg. More than 80 years later, the firm's offices are still located in the turreted brick building, and its products are still made daily in the adjoining bakery.
1930's - In this photo from the late 1930's, company employees gather near the bakery door. Judging by the worker's flour topped shoes in the lower-right corner, the break for the snapshot was a short one.
1941-1945 - During World War II, The Richmond Baking Company was contracted by the government to bake the biscuits included in the prepackaged "C rations" issued to every serviceman. These "ration biscuits' - healthful, whole-grain crackers - weren't exactly loved by the GI's but they got the job done!
1950's - In 1950, E.K. Quigg died and was succeeded as president by his brother. Robert Quigg.
1970's - In 1969 J.R. Quigg died and was succeeded by his son, James R. Quigg Jr. One of Jim Quigg's first steps was also one of the biggest in the company's history. In his first year as president, he installed six huge tanks for on-site storage of flour and sugar. Before 1969, the flour was purchased in 100-pound bags - bags that had to be unloaded, transported to the bakery's upper floor, opened and sifted individually. For a bakery that used more than 100,000 pounds of flour each day, the bulk bins are a major money saver.
1970's-1980's - During the 1970's and '80's, the company made an important shift: In addition to making and selling its own baked goods such as cracker and cookies, it began to bake items as ingredients for their firms' food products. Breadings for chicken and pork fritters, graham cracker crusts for pies and cheesecakes, cookie crumb concoctions for frozen treats - all are now mainstays of the Richmond Baking Company's business.
2002- As we celebrated our 100th year we share that milestone with another American icon, the teddy bear named in the fall of 1900 to honor Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt. Theo the Super Bear, our teddy bear cookie, is more than a tasty treat; he's a fitting emblem for the Richmond Baking Company, the nation's oldest family-owned cookie and cracker company.
