Happy Birthday, Clay County Native Orville Redenbacher

During a recent stop in Clay County, Senator Mike Braun visited the Clay County Historical Society Museum and learned about its rich history and famous natives. During his visit, he learned Orville Redenbacher and Jimmie Hoffa were from the area, expressing, “That’s notoriety there.” For years, the community celebrated the life of Orville Redenbacher during the annual Popcorn Festival of Clay County.

Orville Clarence Redenbacher was born to Will and Julie Redenbacher in Clay County on Tuesday, July 16, 1921.

At a young age, Redenbacher began his entrepreneurship by raising popping corn and selling it on the cob in fifty-pound sacks to local stores. At first, the business wasn’t too lucrative. However, his determination never faltered, and sales eventually picked up, and Redenbacher could start saving for college.

In high school, Redenbacher found one of the most impactful figures in his life: Horace Abbott, Clay County’s first agricultural extension agent for the Purdue Extension Service. Abbott supervised 4-H activities in the county and encouraged students’ agrarian futures. Abbott’s influence aided Redenbacher’s future of becoming a Purdue graduate and county agent.

Orville was a 4-H veteran and a member of multiple clubs, including corn, poultry, and garden clubs. He eventually made the state championship team, earning him the right to compete nationally, where he placed second on the 4-H dairy judging team.

At 17, Redenbacher went to study at Purdue University. While at university, Redenbacher was the editor of multiple publications, including the Debris yearbook, the Purdue Agriculturist magazine, and the Purdue Exponent student newspaper. He also ran track and played tuba in the “All-American” Marching Band. In 1928, Redenbacher earned his Bachelor’s in Agronomy from Purdue.

After graduation, Redenbacher took a vocational agriculture teaching job in Fontanet, Indiana. The only issue was no vocational agriculture program or industrial arts teacher. He was tasked with teaching vocational agriculture, classes in biology and industrial arts, and seventh—and eighth-grade agriculture. Somehow, he still found time to organize the first 4-H clubs in Fontanet. In 1928, he married Corinne Rosemond Strate.

Nearing the end of his first year of teaching, Redenbacher’s former mentor, Horace Abbott, approached him about becoming Vigo County’s 4-H club agent. In 1932, he became the county agent and led a robust effort to revive the country fair. Until 1939, Redenbacher served as the Purdue Extension county educator.

After proving himself both innovative and diligent, the Smith brothers offered Redenbacher management of their company and land. The Redenbachers moved south and quickly renamed the site Princeton Farms. Under Redenbacher, Princeton Farms began planting hybrid popcorn seeds. The farm excelled, increasing acreage and selling popcorn seeds nationally and overseas.

Purdue graduate and friend Charles Fredrick Bowman approached Redenbacher about managing Indiana’s oldest seed corn business. In 1952, he and his business partner Bowman moved to Valparaiso, Indiana, to organize and manage Chester Hybrids. The two rebranded the company as RedBow Popcorn Hybrids and later Redenbacher’s name. This is the time Redenbacher began wearing his signature bow tie and thick-rimmed glasses.

Eventually, the business was sold to ConAgra, and Redenbacher moved to California. At age 88, he passed away on September 19, 1995.

The Clay County Historical Society Museum currently has a collection dedicated to Redenbacher. The collection includes items from his family, from the Popcorn Festival, a scrapbook about his life, and different promotional items.