Campbell Hill Progressive Mercantie,  aka theFarmer's Store, Campbell Hill, Illinois
l to r:  Ray Gerberding, Norman Svanda, Bob Russell	I took this photo of the exterior on Sept. 5th, 2010
In November 1919 a group of farmers from the area met with the State President of the Farmer's Union to see about getting a store in Campbell Hill.  A second meeting took place in 1920 and the proposal was passed.   The store opened or business in January 1921 and 224 shares of stock were issued with no one person allowed to own more than 5 shares.  The store is located in the August Dudenbostel building and was rented from his widow from 1921 until 1926 when the board of directors voted to purchase the buiding.  Money for the purchase was borrowed from a few individuals and the Bank of Campbell Hill, these debts were paid off in July 1933.  Water was installed in 1948 and a year later a concrete floor replaced the worn wooden floor in the "cream room".* My Dad ran the store when he and my Mom got married in 1947 and they lived there for about 2 years. The section on the left was divided into four 2 room aparments and they lived in one of the downstairs apartments. * Do You Remember Campbell Hill, 1978, by Geneveve Dudenbostel Ruerke, pp. 57-59
From my private collection.....Joel S. Russell