Three other postcards loaned by Laurie Fahlan and Linda Evans are included in this post. Here’s the story of the first “big” building on the main street block on the west side of Hwy 25 before the Hwy 10 stoplights. The best I can tell it was built between 1902 and 1910.
The building was built by Albert Johnson.
According to the History Book, “Mr. Johnson was the owner of the large hardware store and funeral parlor, famous for its display of caskets in the balcony overlooking the hardware goods, stoves, iceboxes and whatever else one might need at the time. It may have been the first “One Stop” shopping center in central Minnesota”.
Albert Johnson also built what I call the “castle” house, shown here in another of the postcards on loan. It was filled with furniture and artifacts from travels abroad. He also has some pretty awesome great-grand kids who are members of this group as well… Gary Johnson, Kathy Johnson.
In 1945, the business was sold to Lester and Gladys Putnam who with their daughter Connie Jacobson ran it for many years and had apartments over it. It was also home to the Big Lake City offices, Police Station and Public Library until 1995. Whew.
Stories?
Stan Lumley GREAT PRICES BUT THEY WERE STILL A LOT OF MONEY AT THE TIME.
Sharon Roster I don’t remember if I saw the caskets in the balcony but I do remember hearing about them from my dad or my grandma
Stan Lumley I REMEMBER OF DELIVERING THE ST. CLOUD TIMES UPSTAIRS IN ONE OF THE OLD BUILDINGS. I BELIEVE THEY HAD APARTMENTS ABOVE THE HARDWARE STORE. I DELIVERED THE PAPER TO VIE HEATH, STEVE HEATH’S MOM. I ALSO DELIVERED A NEWSPAPER UPSTAIRS TO HARVEY MCKEEN,…See More
Jana HarrerGroup Admin According to the history book Harvey McKeen actually bought the building.
Sharon Roster Yes they did Stan and you are right Steve Heath and his mom Vi did live up there also Ronnie Lannoye. Vi was Harvey McKeen’s secretary.
BJ Bielen Did Connie Jacobson used to have the little used bookstore? I miss it and I miss her!
Bob Olson lived up there when i was real little and my folks came to town with my brother Bruce, my mother worked at the arsenal in New Brighton nights and dad taught and coached during the day,,,, would see Ozzie every once in a while and lived down the hall from steve heath and his mother
Bob Olson later on I learned that there was a housing shortage after the war and the folks didnt have much money when they got out of college
Bob Olson he was like a third grand father to me and so was roy
Bob Olson people like that made Big Lake a special place to grow up
Stan Lumley Jana Harrer ROY AND OZZIE OWNED THE GAS STATION THAT RON DANZEL AND HUGH MITCHELL LATER BOUGHT AND RAN. IT WAS BETWEEN THE STANDARD AND CLEM’S CAFE. OUR BROTHER LONNIE WORKED FOR ROY AND OZZIE WHEN HE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.
Bob Olson the direct service…. Had Ozzie and his two brother-in-laws come to Midwest the third year I lived out here to hunt and I was so glad to have them come out, also remember Roy had his own chair in the Liquor store , would drink some old styles with him when i would come home from the service,,he had an old blue ford pickup that spent more miles idling in the parking lot and was mainly rust
Stan Lumley Bob Olson was ROY THE ONE OF THE TWO THAT ALWAYS HAD A STUB OF A CIGAR IN HIS MOUTH?
Stan Lumley yes that is what i thought and typically wore blue clothing if my memory is correct WITHA FULL WHITE BEARD ROY WOULD HAVE MADE A GOOD SANTA CLAUS.
Sharon Roster Bob Olson I liked your dad a lot to Bob. For some reason he always stuck up for me.
Bob Olson I used to go up when Bud was working and would visit with him, he always knew about everything and became a great friend
Sharon Roster My dad and your dad had a lot in common. It was called hunting. That’s what your dad told me when he would threaten me to tell my dad if my grades were low
Bob Olson they used to go out duck hunting a lot early in the morning
Bob Olson it was funny that there was no one to compare to those people in Big Lake out here
Stan Lumley Bob Olson IT SEEMS LIKE EACH SMALL TOWN HAS IT’S OWN UNIQUE CHARACTERS. THERE HAD TO BE SOME IN MIDWEST EVEN IF THEY DID NOT COMPARE TO THE PEOPLE OF BIG LAKE.
Bob Olson there were but of a different breed, and of course the little town up the road claims ownership to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid, because it is the hole in the wall country
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