Editor, I will always refer to my beautiful neighborhood as “The Bottom.”  I have lived in Richmond Hill for all of my 49 years and was raised/lived in “The Bottom” and still have family and friends who live there. We love and are very proud of the history of Richmond Hill and strive to keep what little there is left of it. 

Yes, we are all well aware that on our deed, it is The Richmond Hill Village.  Having said that, it has and always will be commonly referred to as “The Bottom,” and that suits us just fine. 

“The Bottom” is not a slang term used to be cute, funny, disrespectful, degrading or a place riddled with criminal and drug activity and should not be addressed as such.  I take great offense to anyone that feels that way. Anyone with that opinion should not be living in “The Bottom.” The fact that the meaning of the bottom was looked up in the Urban Dictionary speaks volumes in and of itself.

The name originated before Mr. Henry Ford had anything to do with it. The land simply was known as a swamp or bottom area.

We — along with the city, county and historical society — will not change or erect new signs or markers.  We are quite proud and pleased with the ones we have now.  Also, the Richmond Hill Recreation Department in “The Bottom” is just that — it is not a complex.  Shame on anyone who lives in “The Bottom” and feels that the common name is an insult, slang term or is degrading to them. 

I, my family and friends, newcomers, visitors and acquaintances have never thought this way about the word “bottom.”  You always have the choice of moving because “The Bottom” is here to stay.  The new and older generations of families need to learn and to accept our proud history and not try to change it. 

My father, Douglas T. Ellis, always referred to his place of residence as “The Bottom” and was proud to do so. I never heard him refer to it as “The Richmond Hill Village.” It may not be the “politically correct” name that is on the deed, but it is “politically correct” to us. 

As far as our family is concerned, we are proud to be from “The Bottom” and that will never change —j ust like the name of our neighborhood will never change. 

— Kathy D. Ellis, Richmond Hill