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Richland County, Illinois

42 topographic sheets cover 21 settlements here, and 4 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

4 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Illinois within the United States
Richland County within Illinois

What the record shows

  • 220 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 4 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 3 buildings and 1 district.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 21 populated places in this county; 21 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

4

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Elliott Street Historic Districtdistrict198080001405
Ambrose Hopkinson Housebuilding200101000083
Larchmoundbuilding198080001406
Olney Carnegie Librarybuilding200202000037

Wildfire, 2010

7 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 7 of them, burning about 11 acres. None started naturally and 1 was recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning4
Missing data/not specified/undetermined2
Arson/incendiarism1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. One of them was set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
23 September 2010Debris and open burning5.0 acresIllinois Division of Forestry ResourcesRUDOLPHI
13 November 2010Arson/incendiarism2.0 acresIllinois Division of Forestry ResourcesHERMAN
9 November 2010Missing data/not specified/undetermined2.0 acresIllinois Division of Forestry ResourcesOLNEY2
11 October 2010Debris and open burning1.5 acresIllinois Division of Forestry ResourcesARCHER
6 April 2010Debris and open burningunder an acreIllinois Division of Forestry ResourcesSLOAN
6 April 2010Debris and open burningunder an acreIllinois Division of Forestry ResourcesBAUMAN
15 October 2010Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreIllinois Division of Forestry ResourcesOLNEY

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1955 to 2026

60 of 212 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 212 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 6 injuries and about $6,745,150 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind110
Hail46
Flash Flood32
Tornado17
Flood5
Lightning1
Funnel Cloud1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
November 1965Tornado (F2)not stated5 hurt, $25,000no account filed
May 2004Thunderstorm WindCountywide1 hurtNumerous trees, tree limbs, power poles and power lines were blown down countywide. Several homes sustained minor to moderate roof damage after trees fell on them. One tree fell on an occupied vehicle trapping the driver for a time. She sustained minor injuries. The roof of a barn was blown off 3 miles west southwest of Olney.
August 1991Tornado (F1)not stated$2,500,000no account filed
February 1956Tornado (F2)not stated$2,500,000no account filed
June 1990Tornado (F4)not stated$250,000no account filed
March 1984Tornado (F0)not stated$250,000no account filed
May 1995Thunderstorm WindCountywide$100,000Numerous trees were blown down across the county.
April 2017Thunderstorm WindNoble$70,000Straight line winds blew numerous trees and power lines down from Noble eastward through Calhoun and Claremont between 4:10 PM CDT and 4:45 PM CDT.
November 2017Tornado (EF1)Pureton$70,000A tornado touched down in an open field about 3.4 miles north of Noble at 5:24 pm CST. The tornado tracked to the east-northeast...damaging the roof of a house, destroying a garage, damaging a truck in the garage, and downing several trees before doing damage to the roof of a barn on Pleasant Ridge Lane at around 5:26 pm. The tornado continued to the east-northeast for another 7 minutes primarily damaging trees. The tornado dissipated at 5:33 pm CST, 3.2 miles north-northwest of Olney about one-half mile northwest of the Richland Country Club.
May 2008LightningOlney$62,000A lightning strike to a 60 foot tall brick chimney in downtown Olney resulted in damage to 16 autos and the roof of the building. Bricks were thrown as far as one block away. Three people were indirectly injured by falling bricks and debris. Ages and genders of the three people were not available. The three injuries were minor, and the people were treated and released at a local hospital.
July 2017Thunderstorm WindOlney$60,000Several trees and power lines were blown down across Olney.
April 2020Thunderstorm WindOlney$50,000A barn was blown over northwest of Olney.
May 2011Thunderstorm WindOlney$50,000Numerous tree limbs and powerlines were blown down across Olney.
July 2011Thunderstorm WindOlney$50,000Numerous tree branches and power lines were blown down in Olney.
June 2010Thunderstorm WindOlney$50,000Roofing material was blown off a garage onto Route 130. In addition, numerous trees, tree limbs and power lines were blown down around. One tree was blown onto a home and another tree was blown onto a garage.
April 1994Thunderstorm WindNoble$50,000A mobile home was overturned. The Noble High School roof was partially peeled off. Trees and branches were blown down on the north side of town.
January 2005Flash FloodCentral Portion$46,000Many roads along the Fox River had water flowing across them. In addition, numerous streets in Olney were flooded.
December 2015Thunderstorm WindParkersburg$35,000Seven trees were uprooted and windows were blown out of a house. Grain bins and a storage shed were also damaged.
March 2009Thunderstorm WindParkersburg$35,000A roof was torn off a trailer in Parkersburg, and a pole barn was destroyed 3 miles east of Claremont.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindOlney$35,000Numerous trees and power lines were blown down.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindOlney$30,000Numerous trees were blown down in Olney.
May 2016Thunderstorm WindCalhoun$25,000Several trees and power poles were blown down in Calhoun.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindOlney$25,000The metal roof was peeled off the grandstand at the Richland County Fairgrounds.
June 2009Thunderstorm WindOlney$25,000Local law enforcement reported several trees blown down across Richland County.
May 1957Tornado (F2)not stated$25,000no account filed
August 1956Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
June 2010Thunderstorm WindOlney$23,000A large oak tree was snapped off at its base and landed on a house on East Street. Roofing from an old garage along Route 130 was blown onto the roadway.
July 2010Thunderstorm WindOlney$22,000A large tree was blown down in a park in Olney. Numerous large trees and power lines were downed just west of town.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindOlney$20,000Several large tree branches were blown down in Olney City Park.
June 2015Tornado (EF0)Olney$20,000A tornado touched down 2.3 miles north-northwest of Olney at 4:50 PM CDT. The tornado uprooted a few trees and knocked numerous 6 to 10-inch diameter tree branches down as it tracked northwestward through a mobile home park and a golf course off Route 130. It dissipated 2.8 miles north-northwest of Olney at 4:53 PM CDT.
April 2011Thunderstorm WindNoble$20,000The steeple of a church was was torn off in West Salem. Numerous large tree limbs were blown down in Olney.
February 2008Thunderstorm WindNoble$20,000Numerous trees and power lines were blown down.
January 2008Thunderstorm WindOlney$20,000Numerous trees and power lines were blown down in the county.
October 2007Thunderstorm WindOlney$20,000Numerous tree limbs and power lines were blown down.
November 2017Thunderstorm WindDundas$15,000Three power poles were leaned over southeast of Dundas.
May 2016Thunderstorm WindGallagher$12,000Trees were blown down in Wynoose.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindCalhoun$12,000Several trees were blown down onto Sunnybrook Road southwest of Olney.
May 2018Thunderstorm WindOlney$10,000A pine tree was blown onto a house and another tree was blown across a driveway in Olney.
November 2017Thunderstorm WindPureton$10,000Metal siding was peeled off a home and a rotten tree was uprooted. This damage occurred south of a tornado track.
June 2015Tornado (EF0)Olney$10,000A tornado briefly touched down 1.4 miles northwest of Olney at 4:45 PM CDT. It caused minor damage to a retail store before dissipating at 4:46 PM CDT.
July 2014Thunderstorm WindAmity$10,000Numerous tree branches were blown down northeast of Claremont.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindCalhoun$10,000Trees were blown down onto Meridian Road southeast of Olney.
May 1999Thunderstorm WindOlney$10,000A severe thunderstorm moved across Richland county. As it moved into Olney winds blew down the roof over a hotel swimming pool and meeting room area. The debris from the roof damaged several vehicles in the hotel parking lot. As the storm moved to the northeast it blew down numerous trees and power lines. One mile south of Stringtown, a barn and a silo were destroyed. No injuries were reported and damage to the hotel was estimated around $10,000.
September 2012Thunderstorm WindOlney$8,000Power lines were blown down in Olney.
May 2018Thunderstorm WindWakefield$6,000A power pole was blown down.
July 2014Thunderstorm WindOlney$5,000A tree was blown down onto power lines causing a power outage across parts of Olney.
July 1994Thunderstorm WindOlney$5,000Several trees were blown down in Olney and the surrounding area.
May 2010Thunderstorm WindClaremont$4,000A few trees were blown down in Claremont.
January 2013Thunderstorm WindOlney$2,000Four power poles were blown down north of Olney. In addition, several small tree branches were knocked down around town.
May 2013Thunderstorm WindClaremont$2,000A tree was blown down 3 miles south of Claremont.
June 2010Thunderstorm WindOlney$2,000A tree was blown down 1 mile south of Olney.
June 2010Thunderstorm WindOlney$2,000A tree was blown down across Silver Street in Olney.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindOlney$2,000A large tree was blown down across Highway 130.
April 1994HailOlney$50no account filed
July 1994HailOlney$50no account filed
October 1993Hailnot stated$50no account filed
March 2026Tornado (EF0)Olney-The tornado began just west of Olney and was sighted at the intersection of west Main Street and west Elms Street. The tornado proceeded through town, causing areas of tree and fencing damage. The tornado dissipated on the east side of town. It was rated EF-0, with a path length of just over two miles and a duration of two minutes.
March 2026Thunderstorm WindDundas-Measured by a personal weather station.
February 2026Funnel CloudStringtown-Storm chaser video showed a well-defined funnel cloud extending at least half way to the ground approximately four miles west of Chauncey. However, no evidence of a tornado was found in this area. This thunderstorm went on to produce a tornado in Crawford County four minutes after this funnel cloud was sighted.
July 2024Thunderstorm WindOlney-Several large tree limbs were blown down.

Mines and quarries

1 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 1 working inside this county. It is closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Clay1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
N.Parkersburg Shale ExposureClayPast Producer

Every populated place in the county

21

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

The vanished settlements of Richland County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.