Mount Horeb Feed and Fuel Company
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Mt. Horeb
ca. 1950's; MHAHS 4x6.3648
Operated: 1881- 1966
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117 S First Street
Mount Horeb 1894 Sanborn Map; mill is at center right
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 1894 Sanborn Map
The first owners of a mill at this site were Rowland and Blied. They had a grain elevator on the east side of S. First street just north of the railroad tracks. It was later sold to J.B. Canterbury and Co. by 1883. Adolph Elver and Co. became the operator of the elevator and a sorghum mill from at least 1888 until about 1894. Then ca 1894 - 1899 Hanson and Schneider took over (left map).
John Ward replaced Hanson as a partner by 1899 (right map). |
1899 Sanborn Map
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1899 Sanborn Map of Mt. Horeb; Bohn & Finke on N 2nd Street
Bohn and Finke had a feed mill located on the west side of North Second Street (where the water tower now stand) in 1894. It continued until at least 1899 (see map to left). By 1903 the building was replaced by the Fire Department and old Village Hall and the mill operation was moved to this site.
1904 Sanborn Map
By 1904 Christian Finke had bought out Schneider and it became Ward and Finke's Feed Mill. Sometime before 1915 the electric plant that had been located in the Herman Dahle store, was sold to John Ward, John Bohn, and C.A. Finke and moved to this site.
1915 Sanborn Map; electric generator on right side in blue
By ca. 1907 Christian Finke ran the mill before his sons joined him in about 1909; they owned it until at least 1915.
1950 - 1965
J.C. Fjelstad then ran the mill until 1931 when P.J. Dunlap became the owner. The name was changed to Mount Horeb Feed and Fuel. At some point before 1950, George Lukken acquired the business. Then in 1950 Chester and Tenny Midthun bought the mill from George Lukken and changed the name to Home Town Feed and Fuel.
The building was razed in 1966.
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There are some discrepancies between the Miller Report (below) and the above narrative that was compiled through recent research.
"Bohn and Finke had built a feed mill on the west side of North Second Street (where the water tower is now) in 1894, and ran it as late as December 1899 (Sanborn-Perris Map of Mount Horeb). In 1903, that building was replaced by the old Village Hall and Fire Department."
[See lower map above. The mill operation was moved to this site 1903]
"This was the former site of Hometown Feed and Fuel. In 1881, Rowland and Blied had a grain elevator built on the east side of South First Street just north of the railroad tracks. By 1883, it was owned by J.B. Canterbury and Company (Blue Mounds Weekly News, July 31, 1883). From at least 1888 until at least 1891 [1895], Adolph Elver and Company was operating the elevator, which then included a sorghum mill. From at least 1893 until at least 1895, John Bohn was the proprietor. As of 1884 [- 1900] Hanson and Schneider ran the mill (Sanborn-Perris Map of Mount Horeb). Bohn was in partnership with Christian Finke by 1897 [1894 - 1899], and with Finke and John Ward by 1901 [1905]. From 1901 until at least 1905, John Ward, John Bohn, and C.A. Finke also owned the electric company, which was located in, and supplied current for, their mill (The Mount Horeb Centennial Book, 1861-1961, p. 45; Wisconsin State Gazetteer and Business Directory). Finke was on his on from at least 1907 until at least 1909, and in partnership with his son from at least 1911 until at least 1915. The property was operated by J.C. Fjelstad from at least 1917 until 1931 (Wisconsin State Gazetteer and Business Directory). P.J. Dunlap took over the Mount Horeb Feed and Fuel Company in 1931. In 1950, Chester and Tenny Midthun purchased the business from George Lukken and changed the name to Home Town Feed and Fuel (The Mount Horeb Centennial Book, 1861-1961, pp. 57, 59). The feed mill was razed in 1966 (Village of Mount Horeb Tax Rolls). This property was owned by Hometown Feed and Fuel in 1965."
The building was razed in 1966.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
There are some discrepancies between the Miller Report (below) and the above narrative that was compiled through recent research.
"Bohn and Finke had built a feed mill on the west side of North Second Street (where the water tower is now) in 1894, and ran it as late as December 1899 (Sanborn-Perris Map of Mount Horeb). In 1903, that building was replaced by the old Village Hall and Fire Department."
[See lower map above. The mill operation was moved to this site 1903]
"This was the former site of Hometown Feed and Fuel. In 1881, Rowland and Blied had a grain elevator built on the east side of South First Street just north of the railroad tracks. By 1883, it was owned by J.B. Canterbury and Company (Blue Mounds Weekly News, July 31, 1883). From at least 1888 until at least 1891 [1895], Adolph Elver and Company was operating the elevator, which then included a sorghum mill. From at least 1893 until at least 1895, John Bohn was the proprietor. As of 1884 [- 1900] Hanson and Schneider ran the mill (Sanborn-Perris Map of Mount Horeb). Bohn was in partnership with Christian Finke by 1897 [1894 - 1899], and with Finke and John Ward by 1901 [1905]. From 1901 until at least 1905, John Ward, John Bohn, and C.A. Finke also owned the electric company, which was located in, and supplied current for, their mill (The Mount Horeb Centennial Book, 1861-1961, p. 45; Wisconsin State Gazetteer and Business Directory). Finke was on his on from at least 1907 until at least 1909, and in partnership with his son from at least 1911 until at least 1915. The property was operated by J.C. Fjelstad from at least 1917 until 1931 (Wisconsin State Gazetteer and Business Directory). P.J. Dunlap took over the Mount Horeb Feed and Fuel Company in 1931. In 1950, Chester and Tenny Midthun purchased the business from George Lukken and changed the name to Home Town Feed and Fuel (The Mount Horeb Centennial Book, 1861-1961, pp. 57, 59). The feed mill was razed in 1966 (Village of Mount Horeb Tax Rolls). This property was owned by Hometown Feed and Fuel in 1965."
ca 1960; the office is the building at right; MHAHS 8x10.634
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1899; Schneider and Ward "Model Roller Mills" at right; crowd waiting for the train carrying President William McKinley; MHAHS 8x10.749
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1894 Sanborn Map
There was one other sawmill noted on the 1894 Sanborn Map for Mount Horeb. It was located on Grove St. near West Main. There was a machine and a wood working shop in the same location as well as the blacksmith "S.N. Belgum" who could also have been the owner of the sawmill.
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