Businesses in
Alma, Marion Co., Illinois
(Note: Since there are so many images, these have been divided up into several books for the website.
Remember that you can also use CTRL-F to find a particular surname within these pictures when you are on the page.)
We are looking for photos of people and/or places from around Kinmundy & Alma. Can you help?
Or maybe you have stories or memories from the "Good Old Days"? What do YOU remember?
The Kinmundy Historical Society would be honored to preserve your memories and stories. We also have the
equipment to scan (or copy) your photos so that they may be enjoyed now as well as for generations yet to come!
We would love to hear from you! For more information, please contact:
Dolores (Ford) Mobley – Dolores@ford-mobley.com
208 Joan Dr.; Divernon, IL 62530; (217) 625-7527
or
Gladys (Corrie) See – gsee49@yahoo.com
408 S. Washington St.; Kinmundy, IL 62854; (618) 547-7731
Click to return to 
(B-1) Alma Depot
(BA-2b) C.M. See Block in Alma, Illinois
(BA-3a) Alma Main Street - This scene was described as the J.R. Clow Block in Alma on the imprinted postcard. In the background on the left side, was the
W.S. Shrigley company, canner and packer of fruits and vegetables. On the far right side was the J.F. Boring Livery (with the horse drawn above the doors.)
(BA-6a) W.S. Shrigley, Canner & Packer of Fruits and Vegetables
The old Alma canning factory burned down on July 4, 1908 and was never rebuilt.
Pictured are " Ras" Wright, _________, W.S. Shrigley who owned the company, ____ Freeman Eagan, and _______________
(BA-17a) J.F. Boring Livery in
(This is the building across the tracks and south of the canning factory.)
(BA-5g) Business Section of Alma, Illinois
(BA-7a) Public School in Alma, Illinois. This was the former Alma Christian College building, and burned down.
(BA-8b) Rhodes Hotel in Alma
(BA-9) Ernest “Hump” Harris (father of Ruth Harris Brimberry) and 1910 Ford
(BA-10a) Alma Basket Factory
( BA-11a) Alma Basket Factory – Close-up (Part A)
(BA-12a0 Alma Basket Factory – Close-up (Part B)
(BA-13f) Wagons lined up to unload Alma Gems
1898 Melon Harvest - In the
days when the Alma Gem melon was in its glory, farm wagons like these hauled
the crop to the
From left to right in the foreground are a Mr. Wyatt, Tom Campbell, MV. Hefton, H.P. (Hillary) Smith, Billy Caldwell, Charles Wyatt, driver, Roy Wyatt,
C.M. See -
station agent, and J.W. Ross. This picture was taken in 1898 by a
(BA-13e) Wagons lined up to unload Alma Gems before 1909 (Close-up, Part A)
(BA-15a) Wagons lined up to unload Alma Gems before 1909 (Close-up, Part B)
(BA-16a) Loading the
(BA-19b) Alma
Gems going to
(BA-55) Dan Purcell coming to town with a wagon load of fruit
(BA-57a) Pickle Factory in Alma - "Midwest Products Co."
(BA-20a) Tubby’s Place
(Possibly in
(B-77) W.S. Shrigley's Cannery in ruins after the 1908 fire. The Alma Depot is standing in the background.
(BA-23d) Mazanek Store on the southwest corner of 7th and Illinois. Laura Mazanek is standing in the foreground in about 1914.
(BA-25a) Alma Post
Office and employees - From Left to Right: Charlie and May Pollock, and
possibly “Hap”
(B-71) Doc Laswell's Office
(BA-34) R. F. Wyatt, Mail Carrier, (Belicks Bottoms)
(BA-26a) William Hester Pear Shed – the woman on the far left is Nora Clow. This
picture was taken behind the Hester house in
The barn and shed are still there.
(B-59a) Gillium Wilson and Mattie Purcell in Alma
(BA-27a) J.W. Broom Store “The Square Deal” in
(BA-54b) Main Street in Alma - 1933
(BA-31a) Jabe
Johnson on
(B-58a) Along the
main street in Alma - Relza Sullens and Dwight Day
(BA-35a) I.C. Freight at Alma, Illinois
(BA-37a) Alma Post Office
(BA-38d) Postmaster Frances Parker in front of “Doc” Slagley at the Alma Post Office
Alma Cider Factory falling down
"A reminder of bustling days in Alma collapsed Friday morning. It was the old cider factory building. Unused except for storage for many years,
the building gradually got decrepit. During the last several days - maybe it was all the rain - the old structure developed a sway that was more
noticeable day by day. Thursday night's rain must have finished it off. About 9:45 the next morning, the old building shuddered and fell. The
pictures above were taken about 15 minutes later. Alma was a busy fruit center from the earliest days after the railroad opened up southern
Illinois. According to Joe Mazanek, who used to own it, the factory was built in 1912, as a branch of Midwest Products Co. of Milwaukee.
There were three buildings, the cider factory, a pickle factory behind it, and then the engine building, still standing (background of bottom photo),
which produced power for the other two. A railroad siding still runs up to the door of the now-shattered building, though it is almost covered.
According to John Broom, who now owns it, or what's left of it, the factory had huge vats and condensers to make cider sirup which was shipped
by tank car to vinegar factories. The waste products were dried and sold to make cattle feed. For some years after the cessation of cider-making,
a St. Louis company made baskets there. At one time, M.J. Laux owned the factory and made pickles in the center building, now gone. Broom
bought the property about 20 years ago and used it to store orchard equipment. It also for a time had bunks for the transient workers who came
to pick fruit.
(BA-39)
(BA-41)
(BA-42)
(BA-43)
(BA-45a) Emma and Dutch Rainey in front of Rainey Merchandise - 1944
(BA-46a) The Rainey family in front of the Rainey Store in Alma
(BA-47a) The Rainey family in front of the Rainey Store in Alma
(B-70) Gas
Station in
(BA-74) Allis Chambler station in Alma owned by Vernon Gragg - 1949
(BA-73B) Vernon Gragg with two others at Allis Chalmers store
(BA-77) Tom Garrett on Main Street in Alma
(B-628) Pat’s Beauty Shop
(AB-63) Alma Main Street - circa 1972
(AB-64) Alma Main Street - circa 1972
(AB-65) Alma Main Street - circa 1972
(BA-51a) Wilson Bros.General Store plate from Alma, IL
(BA-35a) Cider
Ola from