village of Riggs or Riggs Station

PAASCH, RIGGS, GOOD, DRISCOLL, BANOWETZ, MCDONALD, WINEY, CROWLEY, CAMP

Posted By: N.L. (email)
Date: 9/26/2003 at 18:06:00

OLD SCHOOLHOUSE IS ALL THAT REMAINS OF VILLAGE OF RIGGS
BY MARIAN PAASCH
SPECIAL TO THE CLINTON HERALD
1996
WATERFORD TOWNSHIP
It took villages to build a nation and as the nation grew and progressed, the need for small villages lessened to the point many were completely abandoned.
Such is the case of the village of Riggs, also known as Riggs Station, in Waterford Township, Clinton County.
The only standing evidence of this small village is the deteriorating schoolhouse. Melvin Good of Folletts and formerly of Riggs area, remembers the little country school in full operation when his sister Mary was a teacher. He recalled her riding her horse to school and stabling it in the nearby stock yards.
While Good did not attend that particular school, he would visit and attend Christmas programs during his sister's term, and recalls children of the families of Driscoll, Banowetz, McDonald's, Winey's, Crowley's and many others.
Among the good and country fun times, he said he remembers playing Annie Annie Over as they raced around the coal shed.
The village grew as a result of the three rail tracks for the Chicago Milwaukee St. Paul being laid and in it's time the village consisted of a depot, post office and stock yards.
"I can remember the trains coming through and seeing the station agent using the telegraph tapping out a message and really admired him," Good said.
The little schoolhouse sitting upon a knoll of land now owned by the John Camp family is used for storage. The only evidence of abandoned Riggs, is the right of way to the train lines.