RIDOTT

Ridott Township is the largest township of Stephenson County. It is oblong in shape and contains an area of fifty four square miles, just six more than Rock Run, which is second in size. Likewise the township contains more villages than any other in the county. Several of these are no longer postoffices, since the coming of the rural free delivery system, and one of them, Nevada, is practically deserted, with nothing except a group of houses to mark the place where a flourishing village once stood.

The village of Ridott was founded in 1860. Nevada, a short distance west of the village site, and now known to the inhabitants of Ridott as the “old town,” was the fore runner of Ridott. When the Chicago and Galena Union Railroad was completed through the township, a station was established at Nevada and a town surveyed and platted. This remained in existence for three years. at the end of which time J. S. Cochran and brother of Freeport purchased sixty acres of land, upon a part of which the present village of Ridott stands. Through some previous transaction, the details of which were always shrouded in mystery, the Cochran Brothers had concluded a contract with the railroad company, agreeing to grade the side tracks, plat, and lay out the town, providing the railroad station was transferred from Nevada to the new place. On the loth day of July, 1860, the station was moved to “Cochranville” as the place was then christened, and soon after G. W. Loveland, the Nevada postmaster, in obedience to instructions from the department. moved the postoffice to Cochranville, and built the postoffice. the first building erected in the village. The first store was soon after built by the Cochran Brothers, and named the “Farmer’s Store.” About the same time, Oscar H. Osborn built a house near the track which he adapted to residence and saloon purposes. Ridott has never been a “dry town” since that date. In 1861, Samuel Irvin built his shoe shop on Adams street, James Clark his residence. on the same street. W. E. Moorhouse a house on Jefferson street, and these constituted the village until the close of the Civil war. A few buildings were erected in the vicinity, but the period was not distinguished by phenomenal growth or enterprise.

In the fall of 1861, the name of the village was changed to “Ridott” through the agency of a petition prepared by the residents and addressed to the Department at Washington. The name was taken from the township, and that, in turn, is said to have been named after a clerk in the postoffice department at Washington.