108 East Main - 124 East Main Street (north side)
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108 - 110 East Main Street (Dr. Niels C. Evans Building I)
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108-110 East Main Street
This frame Boomtown Front commercial vernacular building was erected for Dr. Niels C. Evans Building in 1885 to house his pharmacy, office, and residence (Blue Mounds Weekly News, June 10, 1885). It was originally just one storefront (108). Although it has been aluminum-sided and the storefronts altered, the Evans Building retains its bracketed cornice with pedimented false front. An early photo on file in the Mount Horeb Historical Society shows the storefront with a recessed and canted central double-door entrance, a 4-pane display window with a paneled wood kick plate on either side, and a simple classical storefront cornice. The second-story windows were 2/2 double-hung sash. A second storefront was added to the building in 1927 (110). After Dr. Evans death in 1918, his son Milo operated the pharmacy. In 1926, Albert Hrubesky bought the drugstore. Hrubesky died in 1954, and his son, Bert Jr., took over until 1963. The east storefront was added to serve as a salesroom for the Walter Evans Creamery (see 110r, below). The creamery continued until 1954. The building housed the Mount Horeb Public Library from 1955 until 1970 (Mount Horeb Presettlement to 1986, pp. 20, 36). This property was owned by Dr. Evans from at least 1885 until his death in 1918. It was split in two, with Walter Evans owning the east half and the north part of the west half, while Capital Dairy Company owned the south part of the west half, from 1920 until 1926 (see 110r below). Walter Evans owned the whole parcel from 1927 until at least 1935. The Evans Creamery owned it from at least 1940 until at least 1945. Neil Evans owned it from at least 1950 to at least 1980. Alfred and Velma Schurch have owned it since at least 1965. The first Dr. Evans Building is not individually eligible for historic designation, but it is a contributing element in the potential National Register Main Street Historic District, and the potential locally-designated Main Street Historic District. |
110 - rear East Main Street (Capital Dairy Creamery/Walter Evans Creamery)
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110r East Main Street
This astylistic utilitarian building was erected for the Capital Dairy Creamery in 1920. It is constructed of roc-faced concrete blocks and retains its original multi-paned windows. Walter Evans bought it in 1927, and began manufacturing butter here on February 8, 1927. Following his death in 1946, his wife Josephine continued the business until 1953, when it was sold to the Lodi Creamery (Mount Horeb Presettlement to 1986, p. 20). The Capital Dairy Creamery is probably not individually eligible for historic designation, but it is a contributing element in the potential National Register Main Street Historic District, and the potential locally-designated Main Street Historic District. More information on our cheese factories- link. |
114 - 118 East Main Street (Louis Lewis Tailor Shop/John & Ray Bakken's Barbershop)
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114-118 East Main Street
This frame Boomtown Front commercial vernacular building was erected in two sections. The west storefront (114-16) was built for the Louis H. Lewis Tailor Shop in 1886. Arne Huset was the builder, and Charles Lindstrom was the mason (Blue Mounds Weekly News, April 28, 1886). The east storefront (no. 118) was built to house John and Ray Bakken's barbershop in 1912 (Village of Mount Horeb Tax Rolls). The Lewis/Bakken building retains its original clapboard siding, Italianate-influenced second-story window hoods, and bracketed cornice with pedimented false front. An early twentieth century photo on file in the Mount Horeb Historical Society shows the west storefront (114-116) as similar to the one at 108 East Main Street, and the east storefront (118) with a canted and recessed entrance in the east end of the facade, two display windows west of the door, a three-pane transom and a paneled wood kick plate. Louis Lewis' tailor shop was located in the west storefront from 1886 until circa 1898 (Wisconsin State Gazetteer and Business Directory). Lewis is said to have been the first tailor in town (The Mount Horeb Centennial Book, 1861-1961, p. 45). The west storefront housed Peter Moe's cigar and tobacco shop from at least 1901 to 1904. It housed Ingrid Arneson's "Cash Store" grocery, which included a restaurant, from 1907 until 1912. The west storefront was vacant in 1915, and housed Joliffe S. Grinde's Mount Horeb Produce Company from at least 1919 until at least 1928 (Wisconsin State Gazetteer and Business Directory). The Mount Horeb Produce Company sold local farm products, such as butter, eggs, poultry, game, hides and furs. Kenneth and Muriel Olson's florist shop was later housed in the west storefront, until 1964, when they moved to their present location at 214 East Main Street in 1964 (Mount Horeb Presettlement to 1986, p. 30). Subsequent businesses in the west storefront include Yapp's tailoring (1964-?), Edseth bar, the Squeeze Inn lunch room, and Ollie's Luncheon (Mount Horeb Presettlement to 1986, p. 20). In 1905, John Bakken opened a barber shop in the National Hotel. In 1912, John and Ray Bakken had an addition constructed on this building, and opened a barbershop in it (the east storefront, 118). Curtis Witte bought the shop in 1946. Mike Schwenn became a partner of Witte's in 1957 (The Mount Horeb Centennial Book, 1861-1961, pp. 49, 50, 59, 71). Ron Waldsmith purchased [the] shop in 1974, and moved to the Dahle building in 1983 (Mount Horeb Presettlement to 1986, pp. 20, 40). Since at least 1986, The Mount Horeb Mail has been published by Curtis and Daniel Witte at 118 East Main Street (Mount Horeb Presettlement to 1986, p. 20). The property was owned by Louis Lewis from 1885 through 1898, by Knut Gramm in 1899, and by P.P. Moe from 1900 until about 1907. From 1907 until 1912, Mrs. Ingrid Arneson owned it. In 1912, the property was split in two and G.D. Barry bought the west portion, and O.J. Bakken the east portion. Barry sold to John McKinley in 1914. Joliffe Grinde bought the west portion in 1919, and it remained a part of his estate after his death, until at least 1960. The east portion remained in the Bakken family until at least 1955. The current owner, Curtis Witte, has owned the east portion since at least 1960, and the west portion since at least 1965. The Lewis/Bakken Building is probably individually eligible for designation as a Mount Horeb Historic Site, and is a contributing element in the potential National Register Main Street Historic District, and the potential locally-designated Main Street Historic District. |
120 East Main Street (Lewis J. Bergh Grocery & Barbershop)
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120 East Main Street
This commercial vernacular brick veneer building was erected for Lewis J. Bergh, to house his grocery and barbershop, in 1895 (Mount Horeb Times, April 4, 1895). It is a very plain building, and has lost its original storefront. An early twentieth century photo on file in the Mount Horeb Historical Society shows the storefront with a central recessed double-door entrance, a two-part display window with a one-pane transom and a paneled wood kick plate on either side, and a simple classical storefront cornice. Bergh's grocery was located here until 1911. From 1911 until 1919, Sidney Sylvester's grocery was in the building. In 1919, Arthur J. Grinde opened a grocery in the building, which became an A. & P. in 1935 (The Mount Horeb Centennial Book, 1861-1961, p. 58). In 1937, Herman Thousand bought the property and remodeled it for a tavern, the use that it currently serves. This property was owned by Lewis J. Bergh from 1895 until 1911; by Sidney Sylvester from 1911 until 1919; and by Arthur J. Grinde from 1919 until 1937. H.H. Thousand owned it from 1937 to at least 1945; Ruben Thousand owned it from at least 1950 until at least 1960; Benedict Skolaski owned it from at least 1965 to at least 1970; and Walter Scheidegger owned it from at least 1975 until at least 1986. The owner in 1996 was Uptegraw (Village of Mount Horeb Tax Rolls). The Bergh Building is not individually eligible for historic designation, but is a contributing element in the potential National Register Main Street Historic District, and the potential locally-designated Main Street Historic District. |
122 - 124 East Main Street (Hans Hoff and Henry Lohff Meat Market/Dr. Joseph E. Brager dentist (124, 2nd floor))
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122-124 East Main Street
This brick commercial vernacular business was erected in 1896 to house the (Hans) Hoff & (Henry) Lohff Meat Market (Village of Mount Horeb Tax Rolls). It is a plain building and has an altered storefront. Previously, Torgrim Fjeld's blacksmith shop was located on the site, where it was moved from Old Town in 1882. The previous building was bought by Samuel Thompson and moved to 105 East Main Street in the mid-1890s to make way for this building. The Hoff and Lohff Meat Market was here from 1896 until 1903, and was succeeded by the (Hans and James) Hoff Brothers Meat Market, here from 1903 until 1907. From 1907 until 1919, it was the Hans Hoff Meat Market. In 1921, it was Irvin Hoff and (?) Johnson, and it was Irvin Hoff's meat market from 1922 until at least 1950 (Village of Mount Horeb Tax Rolls; Wisconsin State Gazetteer and Business Directory). The meat market was followed by a grocery store, here until at least 1961, operated first by Bud Jenkins, then by Roy Sarbacker. and then by Clarence Labansky. The building then became Phillip Hoff's bar, and then Emery Fink's bar. In 1972, Darlene Fink opened the Family Hair Care Center here, moving it to 407 East Main Street in 1982. The second floor has served as the Hoff family residence, and from 1900 until 1925, the dental office of Dr. Joseph Brager. In 1925, the dental office was converted into Mrs. Paul Kundert's Milady's Beauty Shop, a long-time tenant (Mount Horeb Presettlement to 1986, p 20). This property was owned by Hoff and Lohff from 1896 until 1903, by the Hoff Brothers from 1903 until 1907, and by Hans Hoff from 1907 until 1920, when it passed to his son Irvin Hoff. Ruth Hoff became the owner circa 1955, selling to Emil Fink circa 1971. Walter Scheidegger and Patricia Taylor owned it in 1985. The owner in 1996 was Christian. The Hoff and Lohff Building is not individually eligible for historic designation, but is a contributing element in the potential National Register Main Street Historic District, and the potential locally-designated Main Street Historic District. |