The original name for Richland was Landisville. It was named after a few Landis families that settled there originally . Later, the name had to be changed because there was a Landisville in Lancaster County. They renamed the town Richland because of the rich fertile soil in the area. The railroad was built through Richland in 1854-1857.

According to Ripley's believe it or not, Richland is the only town in the United States in which the railroad bisects a crossroads in the center of town. Besides being a fertile area Richland was also an industrial area. Richland had all types of industries, such as a shoe factory, a cigar factory, a canning factory, and a watch repair company.