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203 West Main - 211 West Main Street (south side)
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203 West Main Street (Anderson and Thousand Building/Mt. Horeb Auto Company)
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203 West Main Street
This brick-veneered structural tile commercial vernacular building was erected in 1917 for James Anderson and Fred Thousand to house the Mount Horeb Auto Company (Village of Mount Horeb Tax Rolls), It is a Modern Broadfront, but has an altered storefront. The Mount Horeb Auto Company sold Dodge, Whipper and Nash automobiles. In 1938, Leonard Peterson bought the building for his plumbing and heating business (The Mount Horeb Centennial Book, 1861-1961, p. 71). The building was converted into a drugstore for Bert Hrubesky, Junior in 1963, and has housed a drugstore ever since (Mount Horeb Presettlement to 1986, p. 27). The storefront was remodeled in 1979 (building permit). This property was owned by Anderson and Thousand from 1917 until 1919, by the Mount Horeb Auto Company from 1920 until 1938, by Leonard Peters from 1938 until 1963, by Alert Hrubesky from 1963 until 1979, and by the Mount Horeb Pharmacy (Timothy Geiger) since 1979 (Village of Mount Horeb Tax Rolls). The Anderson and Thousand Building is not eligible for historic designation, but is a contributing element in the potential locally-designated Main Street Historic District.


205 West Main Street (John Wolf Blacksmith Shop)
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205 West Main Street
This brick-veneered structural tile commercial vernacular building was erected for John Wolf in 1919 (Village of Mount Horeb Tax Rolls; Mount Horeb Presettlement to 1986, p. 27). It is a Modern Broadfront, but the front window and door openings have been reduced. It may have housed Wolf's blacksmith shop, or it many have been built as an auto repair shop. By 1928, although Wolf still owned it, the building was being operated as an auto repair shop, in conduction with the Mount Horeb Auto Company at 203 West Main Street (Mount Horeb Presettlement to 1986, p. 27; Sanborn-Perris Map of Mount Horeb). During the 1930s and 1940s, it was the Peter Esser garage. By 1950, the building was being used as a welding shop (Mount Horeb Presettlement to 1986, p. 27). This property was owned by John Wolf from at least 1915 until at least 1925, by Leo Sutter in 1930, by Peter Esser from at least 1930 until 1944, by Leonard Peterson from 1944 until at least 1955, by Wallace Keller from at least 1960 until at least 1965, and by Hilton Swiggum since at least 1970 (Village of Mount Horeb Tax Rolls). The Wolf Building is not individually eligible for historic designation, but is a contributing element in the potential locally-designated Main Street Historic District.


209 West Main Street (Thomas Ayen house)
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209 West Main Street
This brick-veneered Foursquare house was erected by contractor Thomas Ayen as his home in 1912 (Village of Mount Horeb Tax Rolls), It is an outstanding and intact example of a Foursquare, featuring a cast concrete block base, canted two-story bay, clapboard triangular dormers and wrap-around porch with fluted Composite columns. Thomas Ayen was a very active contractor in Mount Horeb in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In 1886 Thomas Ayen was the proprietor of the Mount Horeb House Hotel (104 South Second Street, extant), and built an addition on it. Ayen was the builder of the first Evangelical Lutheran Church at 315 East Main Street (demolished) in 1890 (The Mount Horeb Centennial Book, 1861-1961, p. 83). By the early 1890s, Thomas Ayen had established a drayage (hauling) firm with Andrew Holum, which continued until at least 1895. In 1895, Ayen and Holum together built the Onon Dahle House (409 East Main Street, extant). In 1902-03, Ayen built the reservoir for the village water works, and laid the water pipes (The Mount Horeb Centennial Book, 1861-1961, p. 48). In 1905, Ayen built the building at 128 East Main (Mount Horeb Presettlement to 1986, p, 21), Ayen served as village treasurer in 1905 as well. By 1909, he had a coal and ice business, which he operated until at least 1917. He advertised himself as a general contractor from at least 1919 until at least 1924. This property was owned by Ayen from 1911 until 1923, by Lawrence Murphy from 1923 until at least 1925, by Nels Erickson in 1935, by the Nels Hustad estate in 1940, by Eddie Hustad (and later his estate) from at least 1945 until 1950, by Corella Comiskey from 1950 until at least 1970, by Michael and Sharon Devenish from at least 1975 until at least 1985. In 1996, it was owned by Gerald and Sharon Glaeve (Village of Mount Horeb Tax Rolls). They Ayen house is individually eligible for designation as a Mount Horeb Historic Site, and for listing on the National Register, as a fine and intact example of a Mount Horeb Foursquare.


211 West Main Street (Good Earth Pottery)
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211 West Main Street
This contemporary building was erected in 1974 for Michael and Sharon Devenish to house their Good Earth Pottery business (Village of Mount Horeb Tax Rolls; Mount Horeb Presettlement to 1986, pp. 29, 95). This property was owned by Michael and Sharon Devenish from 1974 until at least 1985. In 1996, it was owned by Hawley and Ranum (Village of Mount Horeb Tax Rolls). The Good Earth Pottery building is not individually eligible for historic designation.

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For permission to use these images please call 608.437.6486 or email mthorebmuseum@mhtc.net