Red Bud in Randolph County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
1860 Building
102 South Main Street
Photographed by Thomas Smith, August 7, 2026
1. !860 Building Marker
In 1925, Chester opened a car dealership on the site before selling it to Emmett Cowell, who transformed it into a drive-through service station. The Cowell brothers also ran Cowell Clothing Store here from 1934 until 1938, when the business moved to 116 South Main Street. The gas station came to be known as Davis Garage & Service Station, Sometime later, the E.E. Brand family took over the property and operated at 24-hour Texaco station until it closed in the mid-1970s. The building then housed Horn's TV. The Red Bud Battery Store operated by Rich Dillow, followed. The building was sold in 1993 to Ken and Jean Voges and underwent major renovations. Since restoration, the space has welcomed
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An adjacent part of the building is 108 South Main Street. The known businesses here include, a General Merchandise Store: Ace Hardware; Kroger Store, owned by Paul Krause (1937); Ben Franklin 5&10, owned by Lee Robert; Moore's Dry Cleaning; Bud's Tavern, owned by Elroy Braun; Dave's Place; Ken's Place, owned by Ken Wild; Red Bud Chiropractic, owned by Dr. Chris Murray from 1999-2001, and a purse store owned by Robin Goetting. The three restaurants and the Red Bud Area Museum have all used this space.
Special thanks to the Voges family, who restored the building to its original beauty, preserving a treasured piece of local history and making our town square one of the best in Illinois.
Erected 2025.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical year for this entry is 1860.
Location. 38° 12.686′ N, 89° 59.63′ W. Marker is in Red Bud, Illinois, in Randolph County. It is at the intersection of S. Main Street and East Market Street, on the
Photographed by Thomas Smith, August 7, 2026
2. 1860 Building Marker
Regionally, this marker is in Southern Illinois — Little Egypt. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Corn Belt, and in the Great River Road Region. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: 1860 Building & 112 East Market (a few steps from this marker); Cowell Building (a few steps from this marker); The North County News Building (a few steps from this marker); Ziebold Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Brumleve Building (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Ziebold Building (within shouting distance of this marker); YMCA Building (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Ziebold Building (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Red Bud.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 13, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 9, 2026, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. This page has been viewed 18 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 9, 2026, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
