WHERE VICKS STARTED

In 1880 Mr. Lunsford Richardson II, after graduating from Davidson College and teaching for four r years, came to Selma to visit his sister, Mrs. Joshua W. Vick, and her husband Dr. Vick. The visitor, who had been interested in chemistry during his college days, found here a small drugstore owned by two physicians, Dr. Vick and Dr. Noble. These doctors wanted to sell their business; therefore Richardson purchased the firm for $450.00. It was here that he concocted a salve, which was used to rub on persons with heavy chest colds or pneumonia, and he sold it in jars in his pharmacy. In 1891 Mr. and Mrs. Richardson moved to Greensboro purchasing the drugstore of S. W. Porter. As time went on he prepared different combinations until there were 13 medicines known as the Vick Family Remedies. In 1911 the name was changed to Vick Chemical Company. The name "Vick" trademarked by Mr. Richardson for his products was adapted because it was shorter than Richardson and also as a compliment to his brother in law, Dr. Joshua Vick. The trademark featured a triangle, in each corner of which appeared a picture of one of the Vick children (George, Ed, and Dora). The trademark still shows the triangle but the pictures have been removed. Today the firm is the Vick Chemical Company, a division of the Richardson-Merrill Company.
From the History of Selma - Centennial Program.
Note - Today 2010, Vicks is a brand of Procter & Gamble.