A one-stop collection of historical photos appearing in thePost-Bulletin. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by LeeHilgendorf and Cindy Scott, volunteers at the HistoryCenter of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center andArchive for sharing the photos.
The Town House at 17 Second Street SE in 1952.
Knowlton's Department store, at the corner of South Broadway and Second Street.
Knowlton's Department Store on Aug. 13, 1952, during its closeout sale. The store was at the corner of South Broadway and Second Street.
Kennedy Cabins in June 1953 at the edge of Highway 52. The new Miracle Mile Shopping Center is in the background.
Tauer's Super Valu on the corner of Fourth St. and Fourth Ave SE in June 1954. (HCOC Research Center and Archive)
A view of the intersection of Highway 52 and Second Street Southwest in 1961. The underpass was dug at the spot where the cars are in the lower right hand corner. (HCOC Research Center and Archive)
Bemel's Auto Parts along 16th St. SE late 1950s
Nelson’s Dam in July 1948.
In April 1990, the Army Corps of Engineers removed Nelson’s Dam as part of Rochester’s flood control project.
Nelson's dam.
S.L. Davis would not be the first new car dealer to move out of downtown Rochester, but when he purchased the Oldsmobile franchise from Mike Stone in 1963, he was not going to be the last. In September of 1965, Davis opened his new dealership at 2911 South Broadway, quite certain that he was setting the pace for other dealers to create a new "Automobile Row" along Highway 63 South. Davis Oldsmobile may have advertised that they were "where the action is" but in reality when the other dealers began to leave downtown, they were headed the opposite direction. In 1968, Mike Stone bought the Oldsmobile dealership back from Davis and as was the custom of the day, he added a foreign car to the lineup. In 1973, under the name Viking Oldsmobile and Datsun, the dealership moved to Highway 52 North becoming a member of "New Car Row."
Crowds fill the new WPA built grandstand to watch auto clowns at the 1938 Olmsted County Fair. (HCOC Research Center and Archive)
The Continental Room at the Hotel Carlton.
The Continental Room at the Hotel Carlton.
Lottie Schermerhorn after a jump in 1920.
Wing-walker Lottie Schermerhorn.
The corner of 2nd Avenue and 3rd Street SW Rochester looking north in 1934.
Covered Wagon Trailer Sales at 1805 12th Street SE, Rochester.
Huey’s Drive-in Liquors opened in December 1954 and would operate on a southwest street corner for the next 30 years.
Morey’s Bar and Cafe on South Broadway.
Bud’s Gun and Tackle Shop on Second Avenue Southeast.
4th St. SE looking north across the Zumbro River railroad bridge in 1948.
Located at 2205 Second St. SW, the Rochester Golf Range was built by Albert Toddie in 1948.
O-So Grape plane.
O-So Grape billboard above the corner of South Broadway and Third Street.
609 North Broadway in Rochester, 1940.
Lawler’s Cleaners, at 3 S. Broadway, in 1955.
Brick makers in the 1860s in Rochester.
The Federal Bakery at 206 S. Broadway.
Fourth Street Southeast in 1948.
The Northwestern National Bank on First Avenue opened in 1964.
HCOC Archives
This is the new Northwestern Bank at 15 Second Street SW in 1957.
Empress Billiards and Bowling in 1921.
The Lawler Theatre at 221 S. Main St., originally known as the B. B. Theatre, opened in 1916 and closed in 1985. It was torn down in 1988.
407 N. Broadway in 1955.
Old Main Street, now known at First Avenue Southwest.
Rochester Laboratories.
Co-operative Oil company on the 1930s.
The American Legion and GEM Restaurant on North Broadway in the early 1950s.
In 1951, the Fitting brothers moved their offices to 15 N Broadway. Along with the move came a new name, American Premier Insurance.
The 100 block of North Broadway in 1954 when a minor fire struck Pioneer Insurance Company owned by Fredrick and Walter Fitting.
Hi-Fi Sound Studio, at 115 Fourth St. SE, in 1955.
Third Avenue SE and the Civic Center in 1951.
Paul Hemp in his 1908 Model T Ford.
The museum on the Paul Hemp farm.
History Center of Olmsted County archives
The Co-operative Oil Company of Olmsted County
Howard and Carolina Naves boarding house.
Town Taxi Company and Yellow Cab in 1931 on Second Street SE.
History Center of Olmsted County archives
On September 25, 1955, more than 3,000 spectators lined Fourth Street SW, between Eighth and Fourth Avenues, to watch as 48 Cub Scouts raced in theannual Cub Scout Pushmobile Derby
The Campbell Hotel stood at the corner of Second Avenue and Third Street SW.
100 First Avenue building in 1940.
Photo from the 1954 Rochester High School yearbook.
At 405 First Avenue SW, Rochester’s original Standard Oil filling station was built on the corner of what was then called West College and Main Street. In 1929 it was expanded to 5 bays.
Clement's Chevrolet in 1954.
Lawler Cleaners and Hotel Francis.
The Brown Derby, located at 323 First Ave. SW in Rochester, opened in 1939.
Dairy Freeze on 7th Street NW in 1982.
National American Legion Vice-Commander Richard A. Paul speaks at an event. The bronze statue, Carried to Safety, at right.
The Olmsted County Fair in 1948.
The Rocket Auto display at the 1948 Olmsted County Fair with WPA grandstands in background.
Dieter’s Cigar Store and Newsstand.
Nearly 7 inches of rain fell in six hours on July 5, 1978.
Dennis Wagner of the Parks and Recreation Department shows the depth of the flood.
The Darst Modern Grill in the 1950s.
Coles Mill.
Huey’s building on East Fourth Street in 1949.
The Kahler Hotel, the 1914 Building, the 1928 Building and Damon Hotel along Second Avenue Southwest in spring 1953.
The Chicago Great Western steaming toward Fourth Street Southeast in 1923.
The Olds & Fishback Mill built in 1857 and the Chicago Great Western Railroad’s iron bridge over the Zumbro River in Rochester in this 1921 photograph.
The 1951 flood along Fourth Street Southeast in Rochester.
HCOC Research Center and Archive
Mayor Claude McQuillan at the Olmsted County Fair in 1954 when businessman Joe Adamson challenged McQuillan to an ostrich race.
Old Rochester Airport terminal in 1957, located north of 16th Street Southeast between Fourth and Fifth avenues.
Roth’s Foodtown at the site of the current Silver Lake Foods.
212 East Center Street in Rochester is the former site of Thiem Signs, where for 23 years they created and repaired the thousands of neon signs that lit up southeast Minnesota.
HCOC Research Center and Archive
The Zumbro River in downtown Rochester in 1973. Photo by Benny Helgeson.
A guiding light.
Mayo Civic Auditorium, now the Mayo Civic Center Auditorium, opened in March 1939. Lines like these are what local sports fans are hoping to avoid this weekend.
Bud & Wayne’s House of Sparton Television and Radio repair in 1955. Business on 528 South Broadway.
Sans Souci Flats at the corner of First Avenue and Fourth Street Southwest.
Hotel Northern
HCOC Research Center and Archive
In July 1951, a flooding Zumbro River forced families from the 25 quonset buildings that were erected on the north end of the Olmsted County fairgrounds.
The mansion known as the Graham Estate
The mansion known as the Graham Estate.
luger buur furniture Lens on History
In 1929, Arthur Osman teamed up with local lumber magnate Walter Dodge and opened the first Home Oil Company filling station. In 1935, Osman had something different in mind at 1408 Second Street SW, a filling station and barbecue restaurant in one. They tapped Rochester’s master architect, Harold Crawford, for something distinctive. With large arched windows and second floor balcony complete with a starburst design, the station was of a whimsical design. At the other end was Rochester’s first rib joint, the 19th Hole Bar-B-Q. In between, there were two automobile service bays; definitely distinctive. On warm summer nights, the 19th Hole offered curb service for their Bar-B-Q customers. Around 1960, Doris and Richard Blondell, who owned the A&W root beer stand on Fourth Street SE, bought the property. They razed part of it to create the Heidi House and brought that creamy A&W root beer back to southwest Rochester.
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The Five and Dime
the Five and Dime
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Army Air School Glides into Rochester
Lynn's Diner
Left to right, railway express messenger L.J. Kirkwood, conductor L.J. Smalley and ticket agent Sam Schlappl, of the Chicago Great Western Railway.
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Photographed in 1918 on Center Street just west of Broadway, Earl demonstrates the first Scripps-Booth four-door touring.
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Rochester Auto Merchants auto show Lens on History
From left, Marie Hermanson, Mildred Veale, Shirley Walters and Lynn Mueller say farewell to the men of Company C. It was shortly after 5 p.m. on January 22, 1951, when Captain Elmo Holets called his troops to attention. The sound of boot heels snapping together echoed in the Rochester armory. Then, silence. About 100 men of Company C, 135th infantry regiment of the 47th division were ready to leave. As the men left the armory, family and well-wishers blocked the west lanes of Broadway, giving the soldiers a clear path. Two blocks away, at the Chicago North Western depot, guardsmen from St. Peter and Zumbrota had already arrived by bus to board the train headed for Fort Rucker, Alabama. Last stop, Korea. This would be the fifth time in 58 years that the CNW depot witnessed men going off to war. At 6 p.m., as the moist-eyed crowd watched the last car disappear into the darkness, a light snow began falling on the track where the troop train had taken on the men. Pictured are, from left to right,
Rural Fire department on Second Street SW
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The Hottest Brand Going E.F. Shannon sat in his corner office on the top floor of the Continental Oil Company building in Chicago, staring at a photograph of some land for sale. "So this is what downtown Rochester, Minnesota looks like," he said to himself. "That old building looks more like a haunted house than an art center," he mused. If he turned the photo just right and squinted, he could imagine his gleaming new Conoco filling station on the corner of First Avenue and Second Street SW. In 1940, a filling station in the middle of downtown seemed completely logical; after all, there were already nine stations within a two-block radius of this corner. Shannon was so confident that Continental Oil’s bid for the corner would be accepted that he enclosed a check for $4,800, which was 10% of the purchase price, along with their site plans. The check was returned.
Bear Creek
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The old Olmsted County fairgrounds, now covered with houses.
Gas rationing in Rochester
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Silver Lake, Zumbro River
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In the early days of the automobile, the only place you could buy gasoline to operate your machine was from an agency that sold automobiles. The first dedicated filling station opened in 1913. In the mid-1920s, Rochester had several curbside gas pumps that were placed on the sidewalks in front of agencies, making it easier to fill your tank.By the time Z.D. Dunlop bought Motor Sales and Service Co. from Jason Nelson in 1935, curbside gas pumps had been outlawed. His solution was to build a full-service filling station on the corner of First Avenue and Fourth Street SW.Opening in May of 1937, the station was connected to the dealership by a large, glass-enclosed showroom. Years later, during World War II and with no new cars to sell, Dunlop remodeled the showroom and reopened it as the First Avenue Bowling Lanes.
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Garage at Olmsted fairgrounds
Lens on History
Red Owl
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Lens on History - First National bank, 201 building.
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Lens on History
Allen & Skelly Welding
Allen & Skelly Welding
Rochester Art Center
A Church with a Long History In 1914, the Panama Canal opened; Babe Ruth first played for the Boston Red Sox; and the Doctors Mayo, along with their extended family of doctors, moved into their new clinic building, creating medicine’s first group practice. In that same year, on the corner of West Center Street and Second Avenue NW, the Methodist Episcopal Church dedicated the latest in a series of buildings. The congregation could trace its history back to a time when Rochester was a collection of cabins on the Minnesota prairie. Their first church, built in 1864, had been destroyed in the 1883 cyclone, two weeks after the building’s debt had been retired. That building was restored and enlarged in 1884 and served its congregation until it was replaced with this edifice (photo). Toward the close of the 1950s, the corner of West Center Street and Second Avenue NW disappeared to make way for Rochester Methodist Hospital.
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Edith Mayo
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Former Ace Hardware on S Broadway
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Nixon in Rochester
Nixon in Rochester
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Coming to America The young man stood on the docks of Galveston Bay and looked out over the Gulf of Mexico, reflecting on what had happened to him. Born in Russia in 1890, the20 year-old Nathan Bemel had escaped the Czarist army, made his way across Europe and landed here in America, the land of opportunity. First, Nathan moved to Oklahoma City, operating an ice cream push cart. Moving farther north to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Bemel became a scrap peddler. Then, in 1917, Nathan and his new bride Mae settled in Rochester and opened a scrap yard at 9th Street NE. Later he opened the auto parts shop pictured above at 23 North Broadway. In the early 1930s, Bemel moved what would become the largest used parts and scrap operation in southern Minnesota to what is today the southeast corner of South Broadway and 16th Street SE.
The intersection of South Main and West Zumbro streets had always been one of early Rochester’s busiest street corners. When the library committee chose that corner, they knew that their first library would be the center of Rochester, literally and figuratively. Designed by C.S. Sedgewick of Minneapolis and built at a cost of $18,000, the library was dedicated March 3, 1898. Looking like a Victorian mansion, it was constructed of Menomonee pressed brick and trimmed with Lake Superior sandstone. The second floor featured 17-foot high ceilings. Gas chandeliers were used throughout. By 1937, the building was obsolete and books were moved to the new library two blocks away. In 1938, the Continental Oil Company sent Mayor W.A. Moore a check for $4,100; a 10 percent down payment for the "old library" corner of First Avenue and Second Street Southwest. They wanted to build a Conoco gas station. The mayor returned the check.
Dancing in the Street Sherman, set the Wayback machine for 1965, we’re going to the R-Tic Drive-In, aka Bennies, at the corner of First Avenue and Sixth Street SW to listen to The Mustangs. The world may have been in the middle of a British invasion with The Beatles and Rolling Stones, but Rochester had its own music scene. With no American Idol, bands had to send records to top DJs in hopes of being heard. Thanks in part to Welhaven Recording Studio, bands like The Rouges, The Intruders and The Stingrays had that chance. While they never would become Prince, Dylan, or The Trashmen, on that summer night, four John Marshall juniors owned Bennies. Of course, there is no Wayback machine, but today we do have the Internet. Today, The Mustangs’ classic surf rock cover, "Jack the Ripper" can be heard around the world. "Rock ‘n Roll will always be; it’ll go down in history."
Old matchbook covers can be used to tell the history of a business. When Oliver Schaefer advertised in 1951, his covers would have Truck Service Co. on the front along with the GMC logo, Rochester, Minn., and "one mile south on 63." On the back, there was a Pegasus logo for Mobilgas along with Oliver tractor and National Automotive Parts Association advertising. The 1956 covers had one change; the address was now 1915 S. Broadway. In 1961, that would become 1941 S. Broadway. Why change? In 1951, South Broadway ended at 12th Street, the city limits. Anything beyond that was Highway 63. In 1956, Highway 63 was expanded to four lanes, and Broadway was extended with new cross streets. Truck Service Co. was alone on the 1900 block. In 1961, they were renumbered as the block filled in. Today, Kwik Trip is 1941 S. Broadway. Please, close cover before striking.
Mayo Civic Auditorium in June 1969.
Mayo Civic Center ribbon-cutting in April 1997.
Mayo Civic Center ribbon cutting in April 1997.
Mayo Civic Auditorium opens, March 1939.
In 1986, the Mayo Civic Center added the 5,500-seat Taylor Arena and a new lobby. Construction of the arena is shown here in this aerial shot from the summer of 1985.
Sept. 27, 1952: The descendants of the Doctors Mayo had every right to be proud. This was a day that many people had been working toward. The Mayo Memorial committee, formed the day after Dr. Charlie’s death, had raised $275,000 in private donations for the park. Sculptor James Earle Fraser envisioned the two men in their "working clothes" standing together, overlooking an amphitheater symbolizing an operating theater, always teaching. At the other end of a 700-foot, tree-lined pedestrian mall stood their proud father, Dr. W.W. Mayo. Mayor Glenn Amundsen proclaimed: "Because the memory of these men will be cherished as long as there is a Rochester, and as long as medicine triumphs over dread illness and disease, it is fitting that a permanent memorial be erected so the world can pause to pay homage at their shrine." Today, Mayo Civic Center covers most of this "permanent" memorial.
The Gift of Music In 1904, the Mayo family gave Rochester more than 20 acres of land north and west of the Zumbro River, where it meets Bear Creek, for the purpose of a park. Soon after, a small hexagonal bandstand was built and so began the tradition of music in Mayo Park. In 1912, Dr. William J. Mayo gave the city $35,000 to build a permanent band shell to be located in the southeast corner of the park. The 2,000 seats were often filled to capacity to hear an orchestra that included professional musicians from Minneapolis, Chicago and Kansas City who considered it a privilege to play at Mayo Park. After World War II, the concerts were still popular, but the crowds began to shrink, and the band shell was razed in 1951. Next time you’re down by the riverside, look to the east and imagine your great-great grandparents in their Sunday best, listening to Mozart.
If You Build It They Will Fly It In the fall of 1928, Universal Airways inaugurated Rochester’s first passenger air service, being on the Twin Cities-Chicago route. In the spring of 1929, newly formed Northwest Airlines took over the passenger service while Universal maintained a flying school. If they were going to teach someone how to fly, they would need an airplane. That became the first order of business for Universal Aviation School. Students would learn how to maintain a plane, and what better way to learn the inner workings than by building an airplane from scratch? In May of 1929, work began on two bi-planes and by summer, students were learning to fly in airplanes they had built themselves. Can you imagine being the first to roll out onto the grass runway, putting the nose into the wind, pushing the throttle up and pulling back on the stick, hoping everybody got an "A" on their project?
If You Build It They Will Fly It In the fall of 1928, Universal Airways inaugurated Rochester’s first passenger air service, being on the Twin Cities-Chicago route. In the spring of 1929, newly formed Northwest Airlines took over the passenger service while Universal maintained a flying school. If they were going to teach someone how to fly, they would need an airplane. That became the first order of business for Universal Aviation School. Students would learn how to maintain a plane, and what better way to learn the inner workings than by building an airplane from scratch? In May of 1929, work began on two bi-planes and by summer, students were learning to fly in airplanes they had built themselves. Can you imagine being the first to roll out onto the grass runway, putting the nose into the wind, pushing the throttle up and pulling back on the stick, hoping everybody got an "A" on their project?
Watch That Last Step! At first glance, this bridge looks like it came from a Road Runner cartoon. You know the one where Wile E. Coyote drops an Acme anvil from a balloon trying to stop the Road Runner? Moving around a city in cold climates has always been a challenge. Not so in Rochester. Whether below ground or above, enclosed pedestrian walkways have been part of our history for more than 90 years. In the 1990s, when a combined city and county government center was planned for the southeast side of the Zumbro River, HGA’s engineers were tasked with connecting it to the rest of downtown. Their skyway design covered a total of 450 feet with 155 feet over sometimes open, sometimes frozen water and includes a 14-foot elevation change. Today, it provides a secure and climate-controlled walkway for those with government business and also recreational walkers. Beep-beep.
A Hotel on the Cutting Edge John Kahler was a visionary and innovator. When his built his new hotel in 1921, it wasn’t just a hotel, it was also a hospital. There were surgical suites on the top floor and recovery rooms below. Add those to comfortable guest rooms, the finest restaurants and shopping and you had a hotel that towered above the rest, literally. Then, in 1929 when Northwest Airlines began to offer regularly scheduled flights at the new Rochester Airport, Kahler management saw another opportunity. Soon Northwest opened their City Office in the Kalher Hotel. Anyone could come in buy a ticket, but only Kahler guests could have their bags picked up at their room and delivered straight to the airport. Guest could then check in at the office, hail a McGoons taxi and, after a short trip walk through the passenger depot and right to their waiting flight.
It’s March 1938 and Morton Emmons is moving into his new bottling plant at 25 Ninth Place SE. Last year he bottled 70,000 cases, almost 1.7 million carbonated beverages. This year, with new and bigger machines and a staff of 17, he anticipates beating that number. From the time a bottle enters the washer until sealed with a crown proudly proclaiming it was filled in Rochester, Minn., the process takes only 19 minutes. Rochester Bottling has a complete line of nationally advertised flavors: Dr. Pepper, Orange Crush, Hires root beer, and of course, Mort’s favorite, Seven-Up. He is known for asking for the Seven-Up bottle to be brought to the table so he can tell his dinner guests, "This is my bread and butter." With a fleet of seven trucks, covering nine counties, Mort is making sure that everyone can enjoy the taste of the Un-Cola.
It’s March 1938 and Morton Emmons is moving into his new bottling plant at 25 Ninth Place SE. Last year he bottled 70,000 cases, almost 1.7 million carbonated beverages. This year, with new and bigger machines and a staff of 17, he anticipates beating that number. From the time a bottle enters the washer until sealed with a crown proudly proclaiming it was filled in Rochester, Minn., the process takes only 19 minutes. Rochester Bottling has a complete line of nationally advertised flavors: Dr. Pepper, Orange Crush, Hires root beer, and of course, Mort’s favorite, Seven-Up. He is known for asking for the Seven-Up bottle to be brought to the table so he can tell his dinner guests, "This is my bread and butter." With a fleet of seven trucks, covering nine counties, Mort is making sure that everyone can enjoy the taste of the Un-Cola.
During the Great War, in 1917, Rochester witnessed the founding of a little church with a hopeful name, Church of Peace. A white clapboard building was erected on the corner of Winona Avenue and North Broadway in a neighborhood that older Rochesterites of the day still called "Low Town." This was an area that had been home to flour mills and packing plants and the people who worked in them. But a church is more than a building; it’s the people who use that building. From worship services and Sunday school to community meetings, the Church of Peace was the center of activity. The church moved and changed its name in 1956, but today there are some Rochesterites who can still hear the choir practicing and the laughter of ice cream socials. These are just a few of the memories in the hearts of the neighbors of 701 N. Broadway.
The Best Laid Plans The speeches were done, the band was playing the "Star Spangled Banner," and that's when the blood drained from Gregory Gentling's face in front of over 75,000 people. It could have been the 97-degree August heat but, no, it was Dr. Charlie. President Roosevelt had come to Rochester to present Drs. William and Charles Mayo with humanitarian citations, and as committee chairman for the American Legion, Gentling had made all of the arrangements. From the parade routes to lunch at Mayowood to the Mississippi River sightseeing tour ending in Winona where F.D.R's special train, a 1934 version of Air Force One, was waiting, everything was planned. Then Dr. Charlie said, "I want to show the president the Institute of Experimental Medicine." As Roosevelt and the brothers climbed into the waiting Packard phaeton, Mr. Gentling reminded Dr. Mayo of "arrangements." The following day, the newspaper reported the President enjoyed his rearranged trip to the experimental institute.
The Best Laid Plans The speeches were done, the band was playing the "Star Spangled Banner", and that's when the blood drained from Gregory Gentling's face in front of over 75,000 people. It could have been the 97-degree August heat but, no, it was Dr. Charlie. President Roosevelt had come to Rochester to present Drs. William and Charles Mayo with humanitarian citations, and as committee chairman for the American Legion, Gentling had made all of the arrangements. From the parade routes to lunch at Mayowood to the Mississippi River sightseeing tour ending in Winona where F.D.R/s special train, a 1934 version of Air Force One, was waiting, everything was planned. Then Dr. Charlie said, "I want to show the president the Institute of Experimental Medicine." As Roosevelt and the brothers climbed into the waiting Packard phaeton, Mr. Gentling reminded Dr. Mayo of "arrangements." The following day, the newspaper reported the President enjoyed his rearranged trip to the experimental institute.
Imagine Radio with Pictures July 16, 1953.That was the day southeast Minnesota had been waiting for. Calls came from La Crosse, Eau Claire and Mankato from the few people who had televisions, reporting they had seen KROC-TV's test pattern. People were ready. Don Redeling, owner of Nelson Tire and Appliance, invited people to come down and see for themselves on a "new for 1954 Philco TV." Don was ready. The first 80-foot $40,000antenna was destroyed in an accident. But a replacement had been found, KROC-TV's owners and crew were ready. At 5:30 p.m., the test pattern blinked off and Flash Gordon flew across the screen. Thirty minutes later, Mayor McQuillan and local officials welcomed KROC-TV to the air. Then at 8 p.m., the screen fell silent. After 45 minutes, Channel 10 was back and city linemen Lester Ducanson and George Hentges explained how a fallen limb had killed the power to Hennessy Hill. Don sold 18 TVs that Thursday night.
In 1938, Elmer Halling decided to build a state-of-the-art Coca-Cola plant on the corner of First Avenue and Sixth Street Southwest. Coke bottles with the words "Rochester Minnesota" were filled there until 1957. In 1966, 601 First Avenue SW became home to KROC-TV and Radio.
The many faces of St. Mary's Hall The Benevolent Society of Saint John’s Parish built a hall in 1876. Two years later, with the number of boarding students on the increase, the Sisters of Saint Francis bought the hall and used it as a school, teaching all classes except music and art. In 1882, the building was moved to the northwest corner of what is now Sixth Avenue and First Street Northwest. A south wing, known as Saint Mary’s Hall Conservatory, was added in 1900, bringing music and art to the first Saint John’s Parish School. The building was moved again in 1921, this time across the street to 604 First St. NW. A brick veneer was added and the building had a new purpose, as the Alfred Convalescent Hospital. When the hospital closed in 1927, music returned and the School of Musical Art flourished until 1955, when the sisters assigned to Lourdes High School used the hall for their convent.
A XXX Theater in Rochester Really? As the Great Depression grew so did the movie industry. What better "escape" than going to the movies? The Time Theater building opened in 1936 sharing its space with the Red Owl food store. Red Owl, a Minnesota based company, had chosen Rochester to open its first store in 1922. With this new location at 11 Fourth Street SE, Red Owl could now offer free parking. When the new Miracle Mile shopping center called in 1952, Red Owl answered, leaving space for stores like Pittsburg Glass and Gold Bond Stamps. The late 1960s saw the Time Theater showing more "racy" movies, and the 1970s brought films that were much less than wholesome family entertainment. After 45 years, the curtain fell on the Time Theater in 1981. Five years later, the Zumbro Market reopened as Esteban's Mexican Restaurant and Coffee & Tea Ltd. and today is home to Legends Sports Bar.
Rochester 1920 football team.
Dr. Charles Horace Mayo (Dr. Charlie) in working clothes c.1930
Not exactly the Shady Rest It had to be unnerving at the time to be driving on North Broadway and seeing a train 30 feet from the street. It was then that you realized the train looked like the Hooterville Cannonball. In 1966, investors from St. Paul purchased the abandoned Chicago and Northwestern passenger depot on North Broadway. Closed since 1959, the depot would receive a major remodel that included an actual train that served as part of the dining area. When the Depot House opened in February of 1967, it was one of the most unique restaurants in the country and was enjoyed by guests from around the world. In 1990, instead of observing the 100th anniversary of the Victorian Era depot, the city of Rochester demolished it so Fifth Street NW could be extended to Broadway. Still, to this day, you have to wonder if Billie Jo, Bobby Jo and Betty Jo were skinny dippin� in that water tower.
Mayowood circa 1930. Mayowood built in 1910 was the home of Cr. CHarles Mayo. The 40 room home geatured extensive gardens and a private lake.
Mayo Mitchell Student Center, which was one of the early locations of the History Center of Olmsted County.
Construction of the Rochester Public Library September, 1994.
THE FRESHEST GAS IN TOWN South Broadway was extended from Fourth Street to the new Highway 14/55 beltline in 1931. Soon after, businesses started to spring up along the route. Located directly across from the new fire station on Broadway, Johnny’s Bonded Gas became one of three gas stations in the two blocks from Fourth Street to the Zumbro River. Bonded Gas not only had a reputation for the lowest priced gas in town, they were also a full-service station. You would have your windshield washed and oil checked with every fill-up. While your car was being serviced, you could walk next door and get an ice cream cone at the Dairy Treet, another one of those mysterious drive-ins. The final result of the flood project twenty five years ago makes it hard to imagine that today’s Gateway Park was once the home of the freshest gas in town.
It was Saturday night in Stewartville in 1943. The chores were done early, and the stores were open late. There would be adequate time for Mom and Dad to pick up supplies in town while the kids went to a movie. And the best part for everybody? The movie was free! As part of a wartime scrap metal drive, former mayor, Lynn Mulhern made a deal with the Pleasant Grove, Stewartville, Racine and High Forest students; if they brought scrap copper or brass to their teachers, the kids could trade it for a ticket at the Lake movie theater (photo above)in Stewartville. The Lake, at 207 North Main, was originally the Pastime, a silent movie house that opened long before these members of the Greatest Generation were born. What was the reward for doing their patriotic chore? The Sherlock Holmes thriller, The Spider Woman. Today, DCI Dahl Copiers is in the Lake.
Post-Bulletin Building, Rochester, 1956. The building consists of two boxes, one inserted into the other at the corner. Photograph by the Minneapolis Star Journal Tribune; courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society.
Ski jump in Red Wing circa 1936.
There was a time when Third Street Southeast was more than an entrance to a parking lot. In 1946, when this photo was taken, businesses like Huey’s Cigar Store, Rochester Radio Service and the Rochester Bread Co. lined the street. Joseph Blake’s beer hall stood next to Hubert Rose’s barber shop, and the Co-op Oil Co. filling station was on the corner of Third and Broadway. At the east end of the street, on the riverfront, stood the oldest building in Rochester, the Olds-Fishback Mill. Built in 1857, the mill survived floods and the cyclone of 1883 but fell to the wrecking ball, a victim of progress, in 1953. When the Sheraton Hotel was built in the mid-1960s, the transformation of Third Street Southeast was complete. While Third Street Southwest is celebrated today as "historic," Third Street Southeast has become a footnote in Rochester’s history.
Ski jump stairs
Charlson Hill, in Red Wing, was the site of two National Ski Jumping tournaments, the first in 1928 and the second in 1936.
Checked your softener salt lately? Soft water is free; it falls from the sky. Our grandparents would catch rainwater in cisterns in the cellar. Just carry it up the stairs, heat it on the stove, and you were ready for laundry or your Saturday bath. Inventors in the early 20th century found ways to make soft water more abundant and more convenient. It just wasn’t free anymore. Some of the first water softening systems were used in hospitals. They made it easier for staff to rinse soap from their hands to prevent spreading germs and prevented diaper rash on newborns. Luckily, for Don McPeak, there was no shortage of hospitals in Rochester in 1940. When he opened Rochester Soft Water Service at 619 North Broadway, the thought of a water softener in every home must have seemed like a pipe dream, a pipe with no mineral buildup.
Bricks and Mortar, Diamonds and Watches It was post-war America and the country was starting to feel good about itself again. Soldiers were coming home from "over there" and romance was in the air. What a great time to be in the diamond business! Max and Albert Goodman had been in the diamond business since 1907 when they opened their first jewelry store in St. Paul. By the time they arrived in Rochester, they had become an upper Midwest success story and had expanded into the camera business. They remodeled the former drugstore on the first floor of the Central Hotel in a modern architectural style. Looking at the photo above, you can almost hear the buzzing of neon. Goodman’s Jewelers opened in October of 1947 on the southeast corner of Broadway and Second Street SE. Surrounded by stores like Knowltons, Woolworths, and Sears, Goodman’s was truly in the heart of Rochester’s downtown shopping center.
The Rochester Public Library was in the former JC Penney's building downtown, circa 1985. As you can see, the library floors were not exactly bathed in natural light. After the new library building opened in 1995, this one was demolished and the corner of First Street Southeast and South Broadway is now the site of the Broadway Plaza tower.
From Healthy Citizens to Healthy Food When it opened in 1950, the Public Health Center was the only one of its kind in the Midwest and one of only a handful across the country. For the first time, all aspects of public health and welfare were under one roof. Located at 415 Fourth Street SE and built at a cost of $270,000, it was a symbol of cooperation among the people, the government, voluntary agencies and the medical profession dedicated to the well-being of Rochester and Olmsted County. Rochester‘s first medical health officer was Dr. W.W. Mayo, appointed in 1865. This building, however, was dedicated to the memory of his son, Dr. Charles Horace Mayo, health officer from 1912 to 1937. His concern for the promotion of physical and mental well-being for all citizens served as an inspiration to this community and the world. These days, on summer Saturday mornings, this area is home to the farmers market.
Ku Klux Klan members participate in the 1926 Fourth of July parade on South Broadway in Rochester. The building at left is the Metropolitan Theatre, which was on the southeast corner of South Broadway and First Street. "Birth of a Nation," the silent film that celebrated the KKK, was screened there in 1915 and is said to have been the first movie presented in Rochester.
A Ku Klux Klan chapter was organized in Rochester in 1926, and the Klan participated in that year's Fourth of July parade. This photo was taken near Central Park that day.
Rochester was a center of Ku Klux Klan activity in southern Minnesota in the 1920s. This photo, believed to be from July 4, 1926, shows Klan members near Central Park. In the background is the Rochester Power & Oil Co. plant, which was on the 200 block of North Broadway, where Dison's dry cleaners and other businesses are now located.
Oh (expletive deleted)! It was business as usual at Salets ready-to-wear on the morning of December 5th 1952, but that would soon change. Next door, Larson & McLaren’s construction crew had been working for the past month razing the old Knowlton department store building on the corner of South Broadway and Second Street. The site was being prepped for the new Dayton’s six-story department store. Until that day, everything had been going off without a hitch. Whither it was a demolition accident or just bad karma, Knowlton’s was not going to go gently into the good night. A crane operator swinging a concrete beam misjudged the distance between the beam and the south wall of Salets. On the other side of that 11-inch thick wall, Salets’ sales manager, Robert Friedman, would be sent running for cover and then for a scoop shovel.
Oh (expletive deleted)! It was business as usual at Salets ready-to-wear on the morning of December 5th 1952, but that would soon change. Next door, Larson & McLaren’s construction crew had been working for the past month razing the old Knowlton department store building on the corner of South Broadway and Second Street. The site was being prepped for the new Dayton’s six-story department store. Until that day, everything had been going off without a hitch. Whither it was a demolition accident or just bad karma, Knowlton’s was not going to go gently into the good night. A crane operator swinging a concrete beam misjudged the distance between the beam and the south wall of Salets. On the other side of that 11-inch thick wall, Salets’ sales manager, Robert Friedman, would be sent running for cover and then for a scoop shovel.
Tomorrow's Car is Here Today In 1946, it was not unusual to see gas pumps in front of a car dealer. From the earliest days of the horseless carriage, it was a fact that if you sold the automobile, you had to sell the gasoline to operate it. Ernest Green had just purchased the Studebaker agency from Merrill Baker and opened Superior Sales and Service at 24 First Avenue NW where you could not only buy Texaco gasoline, but you could also Marfak your car. Early October was the time for the introduction of the new car models, a tradition that dated back to 1911 when Main Street was dubbed Automobile Row. By 1946, Automobile Row's brick-paved street may have stretched to seven blocks and included six new car dealers, but on the far north end, Ernest Green wanted to show you tomorrow and it looked like a 1947 Studebaker.
The former Lourdes High School on West Center Street at Seventh Avenue.
Where were you in '62? Finally, the last napkin in the homecoming float is in place. It looks like the John Marshall seniors have a winner this year. Someone says, "Hey, let's go to Leo's for a milkshake". You check your pockets-35 cents-you can get a shake and a hamburger. Everybody piles into your old Hudson as the Beach Boys are singing about a Surfin' Safari. Whatever that is. Something is said about rock 'n roll since Buddy Holly died. You pull into 516 North Broadway and eleven kids bail out. You think you hear the Hudson sigh. Leon calls out from the kitchen, something about working tonight. Leon Latz opened King Leo's two years ago and you were one of his first employees. "Not tonight," you yell back. As you jump up onto the fender to drink your shake, a cool breeze blows down Broadway. "Next year," you think, "I'm going to California for a surfin' safari. Whatever that is".
A fish-eye lens produces a distorted skyward view of the skyway over First Avenue Southwest in December 1988 in downtown Rochester. It was the fourth erected as part of the downtown redevelopment project.
The frame for the first major bridge in Rochester's downtown skyway stretches across South Broadway Avenue after installation in November 1988.
Sending away for an Alligator The new post office on the corner of First Street and First Avenue SE was finished in 1912, just in time for a new service, Parcel Post. Now larger packages could be delivered by the post office which was great for farmers and a boon to mail order houses like Sears and Montgomery Wards. With an envelope and a two-cent stamp, you could send away for almost anything, such as live bees or a baby alligator, and have it delivered to your home. With the FBI�s top-10 most-wanted posters on display, you could see what John Dillinger looked like in case you bumped into him on the street. During the Depression, it also served as the National Reemployment Office and as the Works Project Administration (WPA) office. Mayo Properties bought the building in 1939 and razed it to build the 100 First Avenue Building. Murph�s Hot Dogs has replaced Bud�s Popcorn at this location during warm summer months.
Cargill feeds Here's photographic proof that it can snow in Rochester; of course, this is late December 1945. It's also evidence that this truck is going to commit a traffic violation as it leaves. Farmers Feed and Seed Supply Company was located at 18 East Center Street. Along with implement dealers and grain mills, it was just one of several farming businesses in the core of downtown Rochester. Also, identified in the photo, on the left, is Clinton Marti, who was the Cargill Feeds territory manager. Within a couple of years, Farmers Supply would become Skarstad Farm Supply and Clinton Marti would go on to become a prominent Rochester automobile dealer. After a run as the home to Squire Electric, the building was demolished and the space still serves as a parking lot as it waits to be transformed into a parking ramp and transportation hub for a high-end hotel.
Constant as the North (ern) Star Not many small businesses have the good fortune to last more than 75 years. That kind of longevity tends to be reserved for banks or plumbers, certainly not for a bar. Shortly after Prohibition's repeal, Ernest Schacht opened the North Star Bar at 313 First Avenue NW. He even had a great advertising slogan, "easy to find but hard to leave." Located just steps away from the Chicago Northwestern passenger train depot, it makes you wonder if it was so hard to leave that someone may have missed their train. At about the same time, Schacht opened Schacht's Dine and Dance one block to the north, but it closed after two years. In 1969, there was a universal shift that saw the North Star move to a new location on North Broadway where it continues its tradition as Rochester's guiding light. Today, the First Avenue location is filled by American Legion Post 92.
Queen City Cameras are Supreme Conley Camera of Spring Valley moved their fledgling business to Rochester in 1904. The Rochester City fathers enticed Conley by selling them an abandoned factory building on West College Street for half its value, paying for the move, and providing Spring Valley with a monetary settlement for "stealing" its business and six employees. Three years later, plans were made for a new, larger factory, and by 1909 the new home of the Conley Camera Company was ready. The 60 x 352 foot building was located on the west side of North Main, between Tenth and Division Streets. Conley's 144 employees built 48 distinct sizes and styles of Queen City cameras, most of which were sold through mail-order giant Sears and Roebuck. Today, a Mayo Clinic warehouse sits at the First Avenue site between Fifth and Sixth Streets NW.
Bob's bakery In the past, some Rochester neighborhoods were more than just houses; some were home to unique businesses. They were served by a small grocery store or other shop not found anywhere else in the city. People were content where they were and didn't stray too far from "home". Robert Merz immigrated to America in 1924 and settled on the west bank of the Zumbro River five years later with his new bride Marie. Together, they established Bob's Bakery at 206 East Center Street while Marie ran the East Side Food Store next door. They would live above the bakery for most of the next twenty years. But change is inevitable. Behind them, the Mayo Civic expansion had demolished the zoo. Supermarkets had more choices. Bob and Marie moved on to other things. The new Rochester Civic Theater building would provide the final death knell to these neighborhood stores.
A gift for the City of Rochester The middle of the Great Depression may have seemed an unlikely time to open a new business, but Montgomery Ward was about to give Rochester a gift that would keep on giving. Gifts like dozens of construction jobs. The $130,000 project would include four floors of shopping space with the top floor for inventory, all protected by automatic sprinklers. The entire building was heated and air conditioned. Gifts like more than 200 sales and stockroom jobs. To get the store ready for its debut, the employees worked Thanksgiving Day. After going home to a late meal with their families, they would return Friday to finish the job. Saturday, November 27, 1937, saw the grand opening of the largest shopping center in Rochester, humbling downtown rivals Sears and Penney�s. The final gift�a quality building at the corner of First Street Southeast and Broadway offering a unique view into Rochester�s past.
National Bushing and Parts Co. First Avenue SW had been known as Automobile Row since 1911. Originally called Main Street, First Avenue was home to various car dealers, filling stations, and repair shops over its first fifty years, but there was only one parts store. The photo above, from 1949, shows the newly remodeled store front for National Bushing & Parts Co. But this wasn't the first time that National Bushing occupied the building at 318 First Avenue SW. Marice Hall opened National Bushing in this spot 25 years earlier. The parts store was later moved across the street to 321 First Avenue SW and then around the corner to 12 Fourth Street SW. During this time, National Bushing was a "wholesale only" parts store. They sold parts and equipment only to repair shops and dealers, not to the general public, unless you knew a guy.
Portable Music Systems? Say hello to the state of the art in portable music systems for 1958! You know it's portable; there's a handle on the side! Built by Telex right here in Rochester, this model has all the latest features. Using 45 rpm records with the automatic record changer, you can make stacks of wax that will keep the music going for at least 15 minutes. A stack of LP records provides music for almost an hour. Of course, dirty dancing might cause the record to skip. You didn't lug a 25-pound box of records to the party? Not a problem. With the built-in AM/FM radio, you can listen to KLEE or KROC until they sign off at midnight. Then, with the help of the powerful antenna, you can tune into "Wee-Gee" in the Cities, or on a "good" night, listen to 89 WLS Chicago.
HCOC Research Center and Archive
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Woolworth Co.
A corner grocery store once more In the first half of the last century, neighborhood grocery stores were as common as neighborhood grocery stores. No matter where you lived in Rochester, you were within walking distance of stores like Hasvold's Coffee Co., Ollies Food Center, or Tauers Super Market, to name a few. In the spring of 1943, Chicago-based National Tea Company demolished the A&W Root Beer on the northwest corner of first Avenue and Sixth Street. SW and added a National Food store to the mix. It opened just in time for the Food Dealers Annual Outing on August 11 when all the food stores in town closed so their employees could enjoy a picnic at Mayo Park. Today, this corner is home to People's Food Coop. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to Lee Hilgendorf for sharing this page of Rochester history.
Best thing since sliced bread In 1928, Howard Sanborn built Rochester Bread Company, the most modern baking plant in the Midwest at 5 St. and 11 Ave NW. It operated 24-7 and produced 12,000 pounds of "Star" bread daily. The aroma made for happy neighbors. From 1959 to 1986, the property was leased to Continental Bakery Co. which produced Bunny Bread and Wonder Bread. In 1990, Jack and Jerry Prow decided this well-positioned landmark, designed by Harold Crawford, had a future. After extensive renovation, they opened Civic Drive Plaza at 300 11 Ave NW in 1994 when 5 Street NW became Civic Center Drive. The Prows could not bring the aroma of baking bread back, but they did our community a real service in preserving this landmark. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Fill the tank, unlock the door In the 1930s, 13th Street NW intersected Broadway at the edge of town, but Arthur Osman decided the location on the city's main thoroughfare was a good spot for a Home Oil service station. Osman came to Rochester in 1919 after graduating from Syracuse and serving in the Army during WWI. After starting a Knight-Overland auto dealership, he became a wholesaler for Pure Oil Company and organized Home Oil Co. Paul's Lock & Key Shop now occupies this site. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
The first Kahler Hotel The Kahler name has been associated with hospitality in Rochester since John Kahler, son of a German saddle maker, came here in 1887 to manage the struggling Cook Hotel. He turned the property into a profitable enterprise and prospered in hotels for the remainder of his career. The first to bear his name is pictured here about 1907. Built as a spacious residence in 1875 for J.D. Blake, it housed several families, then became a sanitarium, then Kahler Hotel from 1913 until 1921, when the new Kahler Grand was completed. .This structure was then renamed Damon Hotel to honor Hattie [nee Damon] Mayo, wife of Dr. Will and was demolished in 1960. Damon Parking Ramp now occupies this space. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to Alan Calavano for sharing this excerpt from his book, "Rochester", a Postcard History Series.
No new cars Max Shapiro's Auto Market at 324 1 Ave SW was a typical dealership of the 1940s, a unique decade in auto history. If you bought a car then, it cost about $800, got 15-20 mpg, and was probably used. Two months after Pearl Harbor, the last civilian cars rolled off the assembly lines and the Detroit auto industry, far from the range of enemy bombers, was transformed into producing arms, munitions, trucks, jeeps, tanks, and planes. Gas and rubber were rationed as was the sale of new cars completed before total mobilization took effect, to civilians other than doctors, police and fire departments, critical war workers and traveling salesmen. Auto production resumed July 1, 1945 but it took a while to meet pent up demand. New cars were 'warmed over 1942 models' until 1948. The Salon occupies this space today. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Time moves on Central Fire Station was built in 1898 in the middle of south Broadway, then was relocated and replaced in 1930 and again in 1995. The Seth Thomas clock, purchased from the 1898 station for $3500.00, now stands in the Mayo Civic Center clock tower. It will soon need to be relocated once more due to pending construction. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to Alan Calavano for sharing this excerpt from his book, 'Rochester', a Postcard History Series.
What a difference Speculation abounds about what downtown Rochester will look like twenty years from now. While we can't see into the future, we can look back. This photo postcard from the 1930s shows an aerial view of several blocks which have already changed dramatically. Find a friend or family member who has been around long enough to identify these landmark structures. Some still stand. What a difference 80 years has made. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCO Research Center and Archive for this photo.
On Center Not everyone had a car in the 1930s, and the expansion of the highway system in the 1950s was yet to come. Two musical legends had not yet sung to us about boarding a Greyhound to look for America, If you lived in Rochester and had someplace to go, chances are you went by bus. The journey would have begun with buying a ticket in the depot on Center Street. Had you allowed extra time, maybe you grabbed a cup of coffee in the Carlton Hotel’s coffee shop next door. Today, you could add a Pannekoeken to your order. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Photo courtesy of Alan Calavano
On Center Not everyone had a car in the 1930s, and the expansion of the highway system in the 1950s was yet to come. Two musical legends had not yet sung to us about boarding a Greyhound to look for America, If you lived in Rochester and had someplace to go, chances are you went by bus. The journey would have begun with buying a ticket in the depot on Center Street. Had you allowed extra time, maybe you grabbed a cup of coffee in the Carlton Hotel's coffee shop next door. Today, you could add a Pannekoeken to your order. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to Alan Calavano for this photo.
Thinking small in a good way Homes like this 1968 residence at 209 1st St. NE may have helped plant the seed for today's architectural and social tiny house movement, advocates of financial freedom, simple living, and limiting one's environmental footprint. Today the entrance to River Suites Apartments sits in the approximate location of this tiny Rochester home of the past. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Family home to funeral home In 1878, local businessman, George Stocking, built a gracious home at what is now 225 5 Ave. SW. It evolved over the years, including housing a business owned by another noteworthy family, the Toweys. John Towey was born in 1878 in Orion Township. and became a pioneer businessman in Stewartville when as one of Minnesota's earliest licensed embalmers, he established a mortuary and furniture business there in 1896. He moved the mortuary to Rochester in 1925 to be joined by his sons in Towey Funeral Home. This photo was taken in 1941. Today, POBLO International Ministries Ethnic Friendship Center is located at this historic address. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
A bridge builder of Olmsted County In the 1800s, civil engineering was not yet a profession and engineering schools almost unknown. Yet, in 1867, at age 23, Horace Ebenezer Horton, son of a Rochester carpenter and builder, designed and built a 186 foot span timber bridge 60 feet above the water at Oronoco, MN. He went on to become a nationally recognized highway bridge and water tower civil engineer. In 1873, Horton built this home at 627 4 St. SW for his bride, Emma. selling it to CF Massey in 1890 when he moved to Chicago. The home was sold to the Archibald Bamber family in 1907, then to Mayo Properties in 1942. Today, visitors to the Foundation House park here. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Great food then and now In 1930, Newton Holland moved the grocery business established by his father to 216 First Avenue SW. In 1944, he converted it to a cafeteria, a city landmark eatery. Over time, a second story was added and other owners stepped into Holland's shoes naming their dining establishments The Bank, Henry Wellington's, and City Cafe. Current owners doffed their hats to Newt, naming today's popular upper level eatery after him and adding two more in the city. Seekers of a great burger leave Newt's with a smile. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
On the street where you live - 7 Avenue SE Before 1918, the greenhouses for John Peterson's Floral business were located at 24 South Oakwood in Rochester. Residents of homes and apartments at this locale today call Seventh Avenue SE home. They may take the paved streets and sidewalks for granted, but those with green thumbs might want to give a nod to Mr. Peterson every now and then. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Dashing through the snow Could we step into this photo, we would emerge in about 1898. The cutter (one horse open sleigh) gliding quietly down Rochester's Main Street might jingle with bells as it glides atop a fresh snowfall. Dodge Lumber provides the backdrop, its offices in the wood frame building. Returning to 2014, we would find vehicles with considerably more than one horsepower proceeding down First Avenue SW. Little snow remains from a recent fall. Chateau Theater replaced the lumberyard and Wells Fargo Bank the clapboard office. Strains of "Jingle Bells" just might be heard over the plaza"s sound system. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Fill 'er up For nearly two decades, Ben Rehling operated this Shell Service Station at 1330 2nd Street SW. This photo takes us back to the 1940s. Second Street was still paved with bricks.
Nostalgia times two Not so long ago, small neighborhood food markets dotted every community. A Rochester favorite was Ollie's Food Center at 620 1st St. SW. The Alvin Marquardt family operated the store from 1940 to 1974. Note also the telephone booth, another nostalgic remnant of the past. Today, a Mayo Clinic parking lot occupies this site. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
A holiday tradition shared In 1983, when Charter House was still under construction, Jay Mildenberger, Marketing Director, told colleagues about a holiday tradition his father had started in Fort Morgan Colorado. Every year he hung a huge star of lights on the silo of the town's Great Western Sugar Company. Charter House staff liked the idea. Mildenberger and retired electrician, Robert Sill built a 24-foot star with 100 lights, had it hoisted to the top by crane, and lit it up. Charter House has continued to do so the day after Thanksgiving every year since. It is now hard to imagine Rochester's holiday night sky without the star marking the "official" beginning of the yuletide season. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to Charter House for these photos.
Plummer rising This great old real-photo postcard of Center Street near Broadway looking southwest is not dated, but judging by the Plummer Building's state of construction, it is likely 1927. Kahler Hotel is upper right; Hotel Zumbro and the 1914 Mayo Clinic Building are center. The Skelly station, destroyed by fire in 1948, was the second to occupy this location; the first being Home Oil Company. This site is currently occupied by Michaels Restaurant parking and Center Street Parking Ramp. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to Alan Calavano for sharing this excerpt from his book, "Rochester", a Postcard History Series.
Doing well and doing good Carl and Ihla Petersen, were eager to begin their post-war lives. Moving to Rochester from Lake City in 1945, Carl launched several business ventures including Petersen Bus Company and Vets Taxi based at 923 6 St. SW. They prospered and retired to a quiet, modest life when Carl was only 46. Upon his death in 2002, Olmsted Medical Group, Salvation Army, Channel One and Meals on Wheels received funds from his trust. People in need continue to receive food, shelter, and health care thanks to Carl and Ihla who not only did well, but also a great deal of good. Today, Joe's Auto Care operates at 923 6 St. SW. . Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Music to furniture and back to music Ask long time Rochester residents where Orlen Ross furniture store was located and the answer will come easily; the Riverside Building. Correct. It was there for many years starting in 1947 and was there when it closed decades later. But it may come as a surprise that for a brief interval beginning in 1958, the enterprise moved to a location north of the city on Hwy 52; an extensively remodeled former Valencia Ballroom. Today, Schmitt Music at 1765 Hwy 52 N sits on the site of two local legends. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Fancy Goods and Yankee Notions Little is known about the New York Bazar. A handwritten notation tells us "Mrs. W.S. Elkins store, Rochester, Minn. Sept. 1890 13 W Zumbro." So, we know the business owner was a woman. We know from the wagon that her merchandise included fancy goods, tea, coffee, tobacco tin ware, and Yankee Notions (household goods made in New England.) We know that Zumbro became 2nd St. SW, placing the enterprise a bit east of today's Erbert & Gerbert's. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
East is east The mid-1800s brought many Norwegian immigrants to the Rock Dell area. So many, that when plans were made to build a church, they decided two were needed; one in the east, one in the west of the congregation settlement. East St. Olaf Lutheran Church at 6200 County Rd 3 SW was completed in 1875. After all these years, local residents still eagerly await their annual pilgrimage to the East St. Olaf Lutefisk Supper held the first Friday of every November. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Quite a showplace, literally The Empress was quite a showplace, quite literally. Built by J.E. Reid in 1914 on a site formerly occupied by a livery stable and warehouse for R.C. Drips Grocery, the ornate structure was known as "The Theater Beautiful." The Empress entertained area residents with both vaudeville and movies until it was razed in 1956. Michaels Restaurant now stands at 15 South Broadway. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Got ice cream? The early days of Kemps Dairy at 406 N Broadway began with Rochester's W.L. Parkin ice cream plant. Marigold Dairies (above) purchased the business in 1928, and proceeded to expand its product line, and add numerous locations and distribution points in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and South Dakota. On August 25, 1961, Marigold joined forces with Kemps Ice Cream Co. of Minneapolis and Crescent Creamery Co. of St. Paul, merging three of the Midwest's leading dairy firms. Today, Kemps North Broadway facility churns millions of gallons of ice cream and frozen yogurt a year. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
1930s Spin John Miner Jr. was Rochester's Maytag dealer in the 1930s. His booth at either a home show or the Olmsted County Fair shows homemakers the latest technology to make laundry chores easier. Although the term "multi-tasking" had not yet been coined, his display included a tempting add-on; an attachment accessory kit that churned butter while the machine washed clothes. Spin was a good thing. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Keeping us warm In the early decades of the twentieth century, Midland Lumber and Coal at 112 -114 5th Street SW supplied local residents with material needed to build homes and businesses, and with the coal to heat them. A July 9, 1930 estimate for the Rectory and Calvary Episcopal Church quoted 30 to 40 tons of various types and grades of coal "delivered in bin" (some readers will remember coal deliveries) as ranging from 6 x 3 Harrisburg coal at $7.85 per ton to $10.25 per ton for 4 x 2 Magnolia, a high grade of Eastern Kentucky coal. Today, A Mayo Clinic warehouse and employee parking lot occupy this site. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Automobile Row Local newspapers began referring to South Main Street as "Automobile Row" in 1911. Three of the city's four auto dealers were located in the 300 block of what is today First Avenue SW. From 1908 to 1980, this avenue would be home to no less than 44 different dealers selling 57 brands of automobiles from Ford and Chevrolet to Pierce-Arrow and Cord. One of the first to move south of 4th Street was Henry Postier. Building next door to Joy Bros. Packard in 1926, Henry had several partners Carl West, Henry Kitzman, Elmer, Kruger and Harrell Egger. But only the Postier name would be synonymous with Buick for 75 years. When Postier and Eggers moved in 1980, the lights went out on Automobile Row. Today, a Premier Bank occupies this block. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to Lee Hilgendorf for sharing this page of Rochester history.
An old, familiar, much loved friend Built in 1918 at the busy intersection of Broadway and Fourth Street SE, what we now call the Riverside Building has long been an integral part of Rochester commerce. It is difficult to imagine Broadway without it. A millrace ran beneath the building until 1978. In 1945, Nelson Goodyear Tire, S & R Band Box Cleaners, Rochester PCA, Lynn Exterminating, Kelly's Exchange and D.L Chamberlain Bicycle Repair operated within these walls. Today their signs have been replaced with new ones for Cambria, Limb Lab, Rochester Area Foundation, Hanson Law Firm, Weinrich Law Firm and Rochester Framing & Fine Art Printing. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Double take You are not seeing double. You are seeing "then and now" the cottage Francis Underwood designed and lived in until his death in 1974. One of the most recognized residences in the city, it is one of several attributed to Underwood who transformed a love of New England houses fostered during school years at Hanover and Princeton, into a thriving lumber company and business designing and building homes in Rochester from the 1940s through '60s. Many, if not most, look the same today as when they were built; a tribute to him and to the owners who have purchased and cared for his homes in subsequent decades. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County.
Sharing a joyous day Few dates in American history have been as joyous as August 14, 1945, the day President Truman announced Japan's surrender. Victor Jorgensen took his iconic "kiss photo" in Times Square. The next day, a photographer closer to home captured Stewartville, Minnesota celebrating. The Sullivans had four sons in uniform, three overseas, one in New Jersey; and Mrs. Sullivan was very ill and unable to attend. So, following a parade, peace service, and community-sing in the park, fire trucks transported the Stewartville High School Band and American Legion color guard to the Sullivan home on 6th Street to bring the celebration to them. The backdrop for the sailor kissing the nurse has changed much. The backdrop of the Sullivan delegation has changed little. Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Phaetons past and future If you needed transportation in 1906, you arranged it with one of the Halloway brothers, Friend or Charles, who first worked for Alvin Van Campen's hack line, then operated their own. They met all the trains arriving in Rochester. They drove a horse-drawn bus for patrons of the Cook Hotel. Here, Friend holds his son Earl, age 3, while driving members of the Van Campen family. Rochester's Cook Hotel and passenger trains are no more. Today's city "hack" drivers meet planes not trains, and transport residents and visitors in phaetons far different from the Halloways. Next week: Center Street and Second Avenue SE 54 years later Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Harnesses to cash machines It would have been hard for Andrew Kingsley to believe what the future held for the Main and Zumbro Streets corner location of his harness shop. What if we could tell him that 120 years hence, a bank, ATM, credit union, shoe store, bagel shop, sandwich shop and espresso bar accessed via escalator would occupy the space he conducted business in 1894? After explaining cash machines, bagels, espresso, and escalators, we time travelers could show Mr. Kingsley a photo of his storefront today, U.S. Bank Building at 155 First Ave. SW. Next week: Phaetons of the past and future Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Tracking clues When this 1928 photo was taken, Dodge Lumber and Fuel Co. had several locations. Where was this one? The notation doesn't say. The sign states, the office was at Main and 4th Street, but where was this building? A history mystery. Key clues are the tracks and the distant brick building. Drive-bys of Avalon Music and the Drips Building rule them out. Time to call Alan Calavano, Historian Extraordinaire. Visiting track locations, looking for a brick building with a chimney on the left eventually pays off. The brick building is the back of Center Street Hotel. This Dodge building sat approximately where the red Salvation Army Adult Day Program building now sits. Mystery solved. Next week: A silent film star's namesake Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo
Center Street & Second Avenue SE 54 years later Rochester residents from 1960 will remember when the intersection of East Center Street and 2nd Avenue SE looked like this. East Center Street Market, Jahns Auto Repair, Derby Auto Electric, and E. J. Klampe Company occupied this busy corner. The building in the background was then called Rochester Civic Auditorium. The streets were brick-paved. Today, Center Street is still Center Street, but 2nd Ave SE is now Civic Center Drive. Rochester Civic Theatre now dominates this familiar intersection. Next week: Tracking clues Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
A landmark that really got around In 1899, Winona & Southwestern Railroad constructed a wood-frame depot and freight house at the intersection of [now] 1st Ave. and 2nd St. SE. Two years later the line was sold to Chicago Great Western RR who moved the building north across the river in 1903 by cutting it in two, placing each half on a flat rail car, and reassembling it at 19 2nd St. SE. In 1949, the structure was remodeled to serve as a terminal for Jefferson Bus Lines as well. The last passengers train left the depot in 1950 but Jefferson remained until 1987 (above). It was then sold to the city and slated for demolition until a Save the Depot citizens group moved it to temporary storage near the power plant at 533 1st Ave. NE, then moved it across the street a year later to allow Marigold Foods expansion. In 1997 it was sold to a commercial enterprise, moved back to its original 1899 location, renovated, and transformed into a restaurant. Today, El Loro occupies this much traveled landmark. Next week: He didn�t take �no� for an answer Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
On the street where you live; 7th Avenue SW Few properties in Rochester look as much like when built as this apartment building at 716 7 Avenue SW. It first appears under the name Reid Apartments in the 1939 city directory, with no information about who Reid was. For a lady celebrating 75 years, she is still the beauty she was in her youth. Hats off to owners who have taken such good care of her over the years. Next week: A landmark that really got around Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Home to an amazing woman A building housing apartments on Third Street SW today is what remains of a home built in 1919 for an amazing woman. Georgine Luden, M.D., Ph.D. was born in Amsterdam and received her elementary education from a governess and boarding schools in the Netherlands and England. Dr. Luden studied medicine at the University of Munich in Bavaria after learning German so she could take the entrance exam. She came to Mayo Clinic as a physician visiting major U.S. medical centers in 1912 and 1913 and joined Mayo�s staff in 1914 when few women were on staff. She engaged in cancer research there until leaving in 1929. Her home (no longer standing) and carriage house were designed by noted Rochester architect Harold Crawford. Next week: Not just chicken feed Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
He didn't take "no" for an answer "No" was a word Henry Kruse didn't hear often. The Iowa lumber and coal dealer and his wife, Evalena, had been doctoring with the Mayo brothers and they grew to like the city. On one trip, he stopped by a local lumber business and was told in no uncertain terms that Rochester already had too many lumberyards. Despite that, or maybe because of it, the Kruses moved to Rochester, bought some land on East Winona Avenue (7th Street NE) and opened Kruse Lumber and Coal Company in 1915. This workshop (upper) on the north side of the street was used to build fine cabinetry and doctor's exam tables for Mayo Clinic, as well, holding the "finest selection of hardwood lumber in the city." In the mid-1930s, Kruse sold the business, and the new owners used the workshop to construct small outbuildings for local farmers. Next year will mark Kruse Lumber's centennial. Today we know this structure as the 109 Building. Next week: Home to an amazing woman Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to Lee Hilgendorf for sharing this page of Rochester history.
From horses and wagons to a fleet of semis In 1915, Erwin Stoppel began making deliveries for area merchants using horses and wagons. Rochester City Delivery prospered along with the city. Twenty years later, Roy Kothenbeutel realized the fast-growing community could use another delivery service and started his own. Both served Rochester until Stoppel sold Rochester City Delivery to Kothenbeutel in 1952. Roy's son, Luverne "Codey", joined the business and purchased it ten years later when his father retired. The Kothenbeutel family has expanded the company to a fleet of trucks which serves not only the Rochester area but travels nationwide from their headquarters at 3101 40 Avenue NW. Next week: He didn't take "no" for an answer Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Five cents worth of national recognition In 1964, September 11 was a day much anticipated by Rochester residents, especially stamp collectors. That day, a Doctors Mayo postage stamp was first offered for sale at the Rochester post office. The profile image special issue commemorating William J. and Charles H. Mayo was inspired by statues by sculptor James Earle Fraser. The color green recognized the association of that color with medicine. Some remember when surgical scrubs were always green for example. A symbol of healing, the staff of Aesculapius appears in the lower left corner. Next week: From horses and wagons to a fleet of semis Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for these stamps..
What's a "five and dime"? Local "historian extraordirnaire" Alan Calavano recently presented one of his popular virtual historical walking tours of Rochester. At one point he referenced some former "five and dimes" along Broadway. A hand shot up and Alan invited the question. "What's a "five and dime? asked the young audience member. With a smile, Alan explained they were kind of like a dollar store but with even lower prices. Many readers will remember F.W. Woolworth at the intersection of Broadway and Second Street SW. Operating from 1950 to 1994, it not only offered low price merchandise; but also a lunch counter and soda fountain many remember with nostalgia. Much altered, this building houses Lanmark Center today. Next week: Five cents worth of national recognition Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
The Town House Bar and Restaurant at 17 2nd St. SE was destroyed by fire the winter of 1953-54. The historic wood frame building had housed the Burton Livery Stable for many years and was a local landmark. Firefighters braved sub-zero temperatures, leaving the ruins of the restaurant, and adjacent liquor store, and barber shop coated with ice. The Post Bulletin now occupies this site. Next week: Dancing in the parking lot, root beer, mexi-burgers, chips (no fries) Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Eating local Before refrigerated railroad cars, everybody "ate local" without realizing they were doing so. The beef, pork and poultry Rochesterites purchased one day, may have resided on the farm just down the road the day before. George Baihly established a prosperous meat market here in 1858. It continued to thrive under his son, Ralph, until his death in 1943. The market was on Broadway but the Baihly's supplier was their own slaughterhouse located far outside of town, on the property we now know as Apache Mall. Next week: Fire and ice Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Hidden in plain sight Recent construction on Second Street SW provided an unexpected glimpse back in time. That's a house behind Carousel Floral's storefront! The 1960s photo reminds us Second Street was once home for many people; some permanently so, some temporarily in rooming houses along the way. A local resident remembers the house behind Carousel as once being the Rainbow Hotel. Interesting how something this big could hide so well all this time Next week: City sidewalks, city sidewalks, 1904 Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Next year's model Fall of 1937 brought eager auto enthusiasts to dealer showrooms for the unveiling of next year's model. This 1938 Chevrolet went on display at Clements Chevrolet. The day began quite sedately as viewers gave it a careful once over. Later opening day events included balloons, refreshments, and distribution of toy replicas to delighted children. Next week: Making music for generations Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Before superstores In the late 1800s, George Alderson moved from nearby Oronoco to Rochester and became a successful grocer until retiring in 1930. He had different partners over the years including his brother, Fred, and Jake Schiltz. This photo depicts Alderson & Schiltz Grocer at 220 South Broadway. Alderson conducted business from this address for 42 years. Today, Smith Schafer & Associates, Ltd occupies this approximate location. Next week: Next year's model Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Labs with a view The Campbell Hotel (upper) opened at the intersection of Second Avenue and Third Street SW in 1920 and welcomed city visitors until 1999. It was razed to make way for clinical laboratories in Mayo Clinic's 10-story Stabile Biotechnology Building (right) completed in 2000. Three floors were added in 2006 to house a genomics research partnership with the University of Minnesota. Few laboratories share such a panoramic view. Next week: Before superstores Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
A mill on the Zumbro In the late 1800s, C.T. Booth established a woolen mill in Chatfield, Minnesota. Unfortunately, it burned down and he was unable to obtain financial assistance to rebuild, so he moved to Rochester and established Rochester Woolen Mills in 1897. Located in north Rochester, it used water power from the Zumbro River to power the machinery. The business was successful, producing at one time one hundred blankets per day, a considerable number for the times. Perhaps Booth tired of the Minnesota winters as he relocated to Georgia in 1899. H.K. Terry from Connecticut assumed management of the business but produced clothing rather than blankets. He too succeeded until closing the business in 1903. The mill was located about 100 yards from Cole's grain mill, approximately where the Silver Lake Fire Station is today. Next week: Labs with a view Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Lumber to linguine; coal to cannoli Why the business was named Botsford Lumber and Coal Company is a mystery. It was first listed in the 1913 city directory with a 1 South Main (today's 1st Ave SW) address. The manager was Fred Gilbert. No Botsfords were listed as city residents. The business remained in this location under additional managers until 1953 when it moved to southeast Rochester. This photo was taken in 1952. Colonial Hospital stands in the background and a glimpse of the Methodist Church which preceded Rochester Methodist Hospital can be seen behind the Coloniall. The Botsford structure was razed in 1953 to add space for Kahler parking. Today the Kahler Parking Ramp occupies this location was well as Victoria's Ristorante & Wine Bar. Next week: A mill on the Zumbro Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Pleasing the senses In 1975, the Gingerbread House bakery at the intersection of 1st Avenue and 4th Street SW pleased our senses of smell and taste. Today, the location appeals more to senses of sight and sound. July, 2012, C4 (non-profit Concerned Citizens For Creative Communities) founded the Creative Salon, to provide a venue and opportunities to bring visual and performing artists, the community, and its culture together. It's hard not to smile when The Salon comes into view. Local artists have painted an eye-catching mural, using the building's exterior as their canvas. The Gingerbread House continues bringing smiles at 1104 North Broadway. Next week: Dedicated to fallen comrades and soldiers of all wars Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
A dining room fit for royalty The Elizabethan Room in the Kahler Hotel first opened its doors to elegant dining in 1921. Operating European-style, with a stately fireplace, cane chairs, Irish linen napkins, silver, and fine china, the menu offered international items, so guests could enjoy familiar foods. English ale offered on tap, was imported directly from the Samuel Whitbread Brewery in London to complement a menu including Beefeater Sirloin Steak and Milady Filet Mignon. From Valentine's Day, 1972, until March, 1998, the Elizabethan Strings serenaded diners with light classics. In 1998 the restaurant was converted to today's banquet room (right) for meetings, weddings and other special events. Next week: A church with ecumenical origins Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
I'm the plane they called the City of Rochester Seven years before the Illinois Central Railroad introduced the City of New Orleans between Chicago and New Orleans, Rochester had a plane named for it. Edith [Graham] Mayo christened the craft Northwest Airlines had named in Rochester's honor at the dedication of Lobb Field on August 4, 1940. 15,000 attended the dedication in scorching heat. The Rochester High School band gave a concert that featured their interpretation of the flight of the City of Rochester. Spinning batons represented spinning propellers and flag swingers gave their interpretation of the plane in flight, showing the plane making perfect loops then gliding smoothly to a perfect landing. As a grand finale, the drum major twirled two batons to represent the twin motors of the craft. The band members sweltered in their uniforms but gamely performed under the scorching sun. Thirty one years later, Steve Goodman wrote a song as a tribute to the City of New Orleans, now operated by Amtrak. Northwest Airlines has passed into transportation history. Next week: A dining room fit for royalty Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
An historic building with a variety of occupants As plans for the 25-story Broadway at Center project unfold, some long-familiar buildings may disappear, including Ginny�s Fine Fabrics at 12 South Broadway (right). An wide array of businesses has operated at this location over the years. The first record (1904) lists Roth and Freeman, an agricultural implement dealer. Future years show Rochester Fur Company, Rochester Light & Power Utility, Southern Minnesota Gas and Electric, Interstate Power, Modern Broadway Market, Harold Golod Liquors, Broadway Bar, Jensen Realty, Broadway Circus Bar (upper far left, 1954), J.C Penny (temporarily, due to fire), Singer Sewing Machine, Sundance Outfitters, and Country Bridal. Ginny�s opened here in 1991. Next week: Sodas, phosphates, and such Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Yes, this photo (upper) will make you look twice. No, Rochester never had twin towers. The illusion was captured by an an observant photographer in the late 1960s when floors were added to the 10-story Mayo Building. The perceived empty space in the middle is actually the light colored facade of the structure. The building in front was the Olmsted County Court House, now Mayo's Ozmun Building (right). Photo courtesy of HCOC Research Center and Archive.
Speeding down 4th Street SW The Pushmobile Derby (upper) was a function of the Cub Scouts of America. Fathers of the scouts pushed the cars and the race course was down the 4th Street SW hill (right.) Speeds reached 30 to 40 mph and stopping could be a problem. In the late 1950s, the program affiliated with the Soap Box Derby, sponsored by the Junior Chamber of Commerce. Rochester�s 1969 winner placed in the top ten at the Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio; the highest a local scout ever finished. Next week: Rochester�s Twin Towers Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
The place to go before hitting the slopes In 1965, Jerry Schliep opened the doors to Tyrol Ski (upper) on 3rd St. SW. Besides selling ski gear, he opened a ski school with busses to transport eager area residents to nearby slopes. In 1969, the business outgrew this location and moved to today's site (right) at 1923 2nd St. SW. Schleip's daughter Kristin, and husband Robb Welch now own the business which carries a broad range of sporting goods for all seasons, as well as outdoor furniture. Generations of skiers, hikers, campers, canoers, kayakers and patio lovers have benefitted from Tyrol's presence in our community. Next week: Speeding down 4th Street SW Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
A sobering letter to the editor Parts of our history are hard to square with the community we know today. This photo from the early �20�s depicts a Klu Klux Klan entry in Rochester�s 4th of July parade. The following letter is in a scrapbook belonging to J. Ted Beatty, City Editor for the Rochester Daily Bulletin in 1923. It is hand written in dark blue ink on a piece of bed sheet. 1923 Dear Editor: The time has arrived when the newspapers of Rochester must stop writing slanderous articles against the Ku Klux Klan. We have been silent because our numbers have been few and we have not been rightfully organized. There are two men who have the sheets of the daily open to them to write any rot they wish to, and they are seen putting their heads together to direct some new article against a wholly authentic Christian American organization. Neither of these men are Christians but in foolish pride consider themselves intellectuals � free thinkers! Together with you Mr. Owner of the papers they have succeeded in bringing the Klan into disrepute. We warn you for the last time. The sarcastic pen has too long besmirched the the [sic] fair name of our American organization. If either one of these men write another defaming article against the clan [sic] they will receive a notice to leave the city. If they do not leave, God help them for we will take justice into our own hands. Also Mr. Owner your paper will suffer. Ku Klux Klan Next week: And now we go to a Commercial Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
A bird's-eye view from the forties As we anticipate the growth and changes Destination Medical Center will bring to our city, we are reminded that the Rochester we know today is greatly altered from the one many still remember. This picture postcard from the 1940s illustrates how much so. The Plummer Building and Kahler Hotel remain to give us our bearings as we look eastward in this bird's-eye view of the city as it looked at that time. Next week: Water water everywhere Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo postcard.
An ice cream emporium Rochester ice cream lovers were all smiles when Schwen's Ice Cream Emporium (upper) opened its doors the summer of 1953 at 116 South Broadway, formerly Daly Liquor store. Clarence Akermant managed the store for company headquarters in Blue Earth, MN. Schwen's serviced about 300 stores in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa. The entrance to Doubletree Hotel by Hilton now occupies this site (right.) Next week: A bird's-eye view from the forties Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
The place for a royal sweet tooth In 1910, two teenage brothers, Harry and Christ Margellos, emigrated to the U.S. from Greece. After, working in Duluth steel mills, they came to Rochester and began shining shoes and selling candy in the lobby of the Garden Theater. They lived frugally, saving enough to buy a dilapidated furniture store at 14 South Broadway, raze it, and built a candy store (upper). They named it Princess Confectionery because it was stylish at the time to give businesses names reminiscent of royalty. Their marketing savvy and tasty confections brought so many customers that they added a lunch counter when a third brother, John joined them; and Harry�s son, George, began working in the family business. World War II sugar rationing prompted them to stop candy-making and focus on the restaurant, renamed the Princess Caf�. It was a community icon until George and his mother, Anastasia, closed the caf� in 1976. It stood at what is now the space between Ginny�s Fine Fabrics & Support Group and Oakwood Broadway Plaza (right.) Next week: An ice cream emporium Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
A pathway older than Broadway Long before the first white settlers stepped foot in what is now Rochester, Minnesota, there was already a well-established footpath from what came to be called the Zumbro River, leading up a nearby hill. Early residents named, the rise College Hill for a planned theological institute and seminary that were never built where St, Marys Park now sits. Pioneers widened the path into a road they named College Street; today's 4th Street SW (upper.) Next time you walk or drive today's historic route (right), or enjoy the view from the hill, be mindful that we are only the most recent of peoples who have done so for centuries. Next week: The place for a royal sweet tooth Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo. For more information, see Ken Allsen's latest book, Old College Street, available at HCOC.
When Rochester took to the skies The skies first opened to Rochester residents in the 1920s at a pasture west of town. A group of businessmen rented land off 2nd St. SW (no one seems to know the precise location) to accommodate the �Flying Jennies� of the day; barnstormers, crop dusters, and chartered aircraft. Graham Field next opened on the fairground. In 1928, Mayo-owned Rochester Airport Co. opened a new field generally located between 13th and 20th Streets SE and 3rd and 13th Avenues SE. Named Lobb Field (upper) in honor of Albert J Lobb, the airport director, it was operational until the current airport opened in 1960. The Meadow Park neighborhood and Mayo High School (right) now occupy this space. Next week: Our first fire house Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
A local �Lady of the Lake� Charles Stewart bought the mill at High Forest, Minnesota in 1858 and moved the equipment down the ice on the Root River to the village that became his namesake, Stewartville. There, he built a dam for his mill, and named the lake it created after his daughter-in-law, Florence. Lake Florence (upper) was a popular recreation spot for Olmsted County residents until high water washed the dam out in 1993, destroying the lake. Today, the park continues to provide entertainment and beauty in a setting which may look much like it did in Stewart�s time (right). Fans of Arthurian legends might draw comparisons between Lake Florence and Avalon, both lost in the mists of time. Next week: A poor house with a fair view Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Links from the past Thanks to a late spring this year, local golfers had a long wait before teeing up this season. June 5, 1954, Soldiers Memorial Field hosted a Minnesota State Links Championship for Minnesota members of the Elks. This photo illustrates the value of looking at the background when going through those old boxes of family photos. The setting might be as interesting as the subject. The buildings behind these golfers are the former swimming pool bath houses. Next week: A local �Lady of the Lake� Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
The castle on Broadway Built to house the Minnesota National Guard in 1915, the brick, Romanesque Revival, Rochester Armory (upper) at 121 North Broadway has become one of our best loved community landmarks. The exterior has changed little. A well-executed 1978-79 adaptive re-use project transformed this structure into The Rochester Senior Center (right) which will continue here until it moves to the Rec Center property. We have come to refer to this building fondly as �The Castle.� Next week: When Rochester took to the skies Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Not just a �run of the mill� merchant George Washington Van Dusen (1826�1915) was a grain merchant who became wealthy during Minnesota�s milling boom. From a New York family, he followed the trade westward to Rochester in 1864 where he built grain elevators and warehouses along expanding railroad lines. His home (upper) was at 429 3 St. SW, now the south side of the Baldwin Building (right). When the Twin Cities became the hub of the milling industry, he relocated there and built a flamboyant Gilded Age mansion in Minneapolis. Next week: The castle on Broadway Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Play ball! It was a big day when Dr. Charlie Mayo threw the first pitch (upper) to open Mayo Field in 1928. He and his brother, Will, donated the land that brought the national pastime to Rochester. When we think of the ballpark today (right), the Honkers come to mind. They are only the most recent of many who have used this venue; Chautauquas, zoo animals, former football and baseball teams, and concerts to name a few. Next week: Not just a run of the mill merchant Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Rochester had a king Many Rochesterites who were here in the 1960s fondly remember proprietor Leon Latzs King Leos Drive-In (upper) located at 516 N Broadway. The address has been home to other good eats favorites since, including Zapatas Mexican Drive-In, Zantigos Mexcian Drive-In and most recently Taco Bell (right). Next week: At a crossroads Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive.
in the 1940s, much of Rochester�s news was distributed via the Rochester News Agency (upper) at 117 4 St. SW (adjacent to First Christian Church in the background.) In 1947, the business was purchased by brothers Ben, Hyman and Milton Kaplan. The Kaplan family expanded the business in many locations over the years including news stands at Mayo Clinic from 1955 to 2012. Today, Newbridge Apartments (right) occupy this site. Next week: Rochester had a king Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo. And to Ben Kaplan for historical and identification information
A devastating day in our history On August 21, 1883, a series of tornadoes hit southeastern Minnesota. The second touched down at 5:30 PM near Hayfield and traveled 25 miles before lifting after a direct hit on Rochester. It killed 37 residents and injured over 200. Forty farms were hit and the northern third of the city was devastated with 135 homes destroyed and 200 damaged. The home of Horace and Anna Cook at 25 West Winona (now 7th Street NW) (upper) was among them. Today, Samaritan Bethany Home (right) occupies this site. This devastating tragedy was the impetus for the establishment of Saint Marys Hospital. Next week: A blast from the past Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
A devastating day in our history On August 21, 1883, a series of tornadoes hit southeastern Minnesota. The second touched down at 5:30 PM near Hayfield and traveled 25 miles before lifting after a direct hit on Rochester. It killed 37 residents and injured over 200. Forty farms were hit and the northern third of the city was devastated with 135 homes destroyed and 200 damaged. The home of Horace and Anna Cook at 25 West Winona (now 7th Street NW) (upper) was among them. Today, Samaritan Bethany Home (right) occupies this site. This devastating tragedy was the impetus for the establishment of Saint Marys Hospital. Next week: A blast from the past Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
The case of the mysterious photo What can we learn from this unlabeled, undated photo? Let us think like Sherlock Holmes. The seasonal decor and snowy sidewalk tell us its December. Well need that Inverness coat and deerstalker hat. A poster on the door tells us Rio Rita was playing at the Chateau Theatre. A little research tells us the film was released in 1929. The name Elmer Hagen is painted on the window. Old city directories indicate Elmer and Clarence Hagen were brothers, grocers, and meat cutters. The location of this market is unclear, possibly 3rd Street SW. Questions persist but fewer than before. Let us return to our flat, enjoy a pipe of tobacco, and tell Watson what we have learned. Next week: It was all happening at the zoo Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
Showing the sights day and night Howard A. McGoon operated McGoon Sight-Seeing (upper) from the late twenties into the forties. For a 50 cent fare, his easy-riding, seven passenger Packard sight-seeing bus took patrons on a �15 mile tour including Mayo Park, the State Hospital, the Air Port, College Hill Park, Mayowood Farms, St. Marys Hospital, and all points of interest.� Mayowood is the backdrop for this photo. McGoon kept busy. Two touring cars ran all day and two trips were offered after 6 PM. Gooney�s Comedy Club is named after McGoon. Today, Dan Butterfass follows in his footsteps with Rochester Trolley and Tours (right) showing the sights day and night. Next week: Really cool fun Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archive for this photo.
A re-tired treasure As automobiles became affordable for the average American, more roads and highways were built and service stations proliferated the landscape. Several Rochester intersections housed one on each corner. Not only did an attendant fill your gas tank, he (few were women) checked your oil and washed the windshield as well all done with a smile and a friendly chat. The 1931 Olmsted County Oil Company at 102 North Broadway (upper) was designed by local architect, Harold Crawford. Colorful terra cotta art deco reliefs are reminders of the detail and craftsmanship devoted to industrial buildings of the era. Now known as the B.F. Goodrich Building it has housed Chucks Tire and Auto (right) since 1971. Next week: Hitting the road for hunger Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archives for this photo. HCOC invites you to visit the history center and learn more about our local history.
Phelps School Education has long been the focus of a locale in Southwest Rochester. In 1875, Phelps School (upper) was built to serve as an elementary school for Rochesters fast-growing population. It was named for prominent educator William F. Phelps, one-time president of Winona Normal School, and was located on High Street between Genessee and Glencoe Avenues, now Seventh Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues S.W. In 1915, the wooden structure was destroyed by fire, the origins of which were suspect at the time, but never determined. Edison Elementary School replaced Phelps. We know it today as the Edison Building, administrative offices for Rochester Public Schools Independent School District # 535 (right). Next week: One of our earliest landmarks Lens on History is a weekly photo feature by Cindy Scott, a volunteer at the History Center of Olmsted County. Thanks to the HCOC Research Center and Archives for sharing this photos. HCOC invites you to visit and learn more about our local history.