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Historic Photos


Christ H. Ostrem store

Christ H. Ostrem is seen on the far right in his dry goods and grocery store establishment, the Daylight Store, built in 1914 and located on the corner of East Jefferson and South Main, Viroqua. Many different people operated a mercantile store on this site, the first being Henry Nichols and his son Luther who established a store there in 1852. A two story wood frame building was erected in 1873 but was burned beyond repair in 1911. Ostrem's name and the date 1914 are still visible on the front of the current building. Ostrem, who came to Viroqua in 1903, first managed the grocery department of the Lindemann Store. In 1907, he formed a partnership with Hans Davidson and purchased the business at this location from Carl J. Severson. Davidson and Ostrem dissolved their partnership in January, 1912. Ostrem became sole owner of the store and after his retirement in 1937, he rented a portion of the building to Colonel Simonson for a Coast-to-Coast store. After being located here for 52 years, Coast–to-Coast closed in 1989. Roger and Doris Dagget were the last owners. In 1990, Rita and John Burkhardt, Betty and Jerry Fredrickson and Deb and Blayne Nedland moved their City Limits ladies apparel store from south Highway 14 to this location. Lila Morrison's antique and craft shop, Lam's Ear, was located in the rear of the store and moved to the front portion in 1995 when City Limits closed. In 1995, Hoffland sisters Pam Skrede and Paula Skrede opened Simply Country, a home furnishings store. Blue Dog Cycles moved to this location after the closure of Simply Country in 2016. For more information about this building or any of these businesses, visit the Vernon County Museum.

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Skating Rink

People pause from their skating to pose for a photograph in the early 1900's. The large home behind them was built in 1855 by Dr. H.A. Chase. It sat where Vernon Memorial Hospital now stands. After Chase's death, the home was purchased by John Dawson. The family consisted of Dawson, wife Martha Ady Dawson and children John Jeremiah Mc Lain - "Jerre", Miles and Lucy. After World War I, Jerre and Lucy felt the home could be used as a hospital but city elders believed the home would be too much to maintain at that time. Jerre Dawson was interested in the preservation of our county's history and established the Vernon County Historical Society with a small group of interested persons on January 29, 1941. On February 16, 1942, Dawson passed away at age 71. His will stipulated that his home be used as a meeting place for the Historical Society as long as it was in existence. After several years the home had fallen into disrepair and it was evident that it was too much to maintain. The home was razed in 1949 and the site was given to the county for the erection of a hospital with a provision that space be provided to house the society's museum. Dawson got his hospital and the VCHS remains in existence, housed in the former Vernon County Normal School located next to the hospital.

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In July 1897, the Hillsboro Village Board voted to establish a free public library and reading room. The Hillsboro Public Library opened July 16, 1895, at 545 Water Ave. in the rear of Jesse Tilton's Jewelry Store. The photo depicts the interior of the same building about 1906, then the Mrs. Robert Lind's Millinery Shop, showing the library in the back. Initially, teachers were allowed to take two books for four weeks, while other patrons were only allowed one book for two weeks. Pictured are (from left) Miss Nora Baker, Mrs. Nell (Wagner) Butt and Mrs. Robert (Addie) Lind with her daughter, Ora.

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Two town of Webster natives, Minnie Maud Roberts, 10th child of Willis J. and Caroline (Brickles) Roberts, and Joseph Hardin Campbell, second of 11 children of Charles Henry and Rebecca Jane (Waddell) Campbell, married May 19, 1895. They are pictured with four of their children; Irene, Mona, Ether and Tressie, at their Otter Creek area homestead about 1909. A second son, Paul, was born to their family in May 1915. Seven months later, son Ether died from complications of grippe (influenza) at age 16. For more information on the Roberts and Campbell families, visit the Vernon County Museum.

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Pictured are two men from the town of Webster who engaged in beekeeping about 1915. Beeyard owner Blaine Allen (1852-1963) (left), son of Harvey and Emmaline(Hawkins) Allen - 1855 settlers of Vernon County - lived his entire life atop Salem Rldge Franklin Roberts (1865-1925) (right), born at Ottervale and one of 12 children of Willis J. and Caroline (Brlckles) Roberts, lived in the Husker Hollow Road vicinity. Franklin and his wife Louisa (Gudgeon) Roberts are buried at the Star Cemetery in the town of Stark. Blaine and his parents are buried at the Salem Ridge Cemetery. Visit the Vernon County Museum's summer room to view local beekeeping artifacts.

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