Fifty Years In The Northwest
barrels per day. The motive power is a Corliss engine of one hundred
and seventy-five horse power. The principal owners are R. F. Hersey,
Smith Ellison, D. M. Sabin and L. Hospes.
MANUFACTORIES.
Swain's machine shop, D. M. Swain, proprietor, was established in
1873, on Third street between Myrtle and Chestnut. Geo. Swain
established a foundry on Third street in 1874. His manufactures
consist chiefly of engines, mill machinery and farm utensils. The St.
Croix Iron Works, Door, Sash and Blind Factory, established originally
as a machine shop in 1865, on the river bank, near the Chicago & Omaha
round house, has been owned by various parties. A foundry was added in
1874, and in 1878 Isaac Staples added a sash and blind factory.
CARRIAGE MANUFACTORIES.
Richard Daw established the Novelty Carriage Works in 1875, one door
east of the Sawyer House.
D. J. Sullivan established the Stillwater Carriage Works in 1878, one
door east of the Sawyer House, but afterward removed to a better
location on Second street.
Wm. Miller erected the Pioneer Carriage Manufactory in 1866, on Main
street.
Albert Saeker in 1872 established a wagon shop on Second street
between Myrtle and Chestnut.
Frederick Steinacker commenced the manufacture of brick in 1859, in a
yard located in Ramsey & Carter's addition, but afterward removed to
the lower end of Sunfish lake.
It is claimed that Herman Tepass' brewery is the outgrowth of the
first in the county, if not in the State, a still having been located
at the corner of Third and Chestnut streets in 1851. The present site
is on Lower Main street. Joseph Wolff's brewery is located on the
corner of Main and Nelson streets, and was established in 1868.
Heitman & Becker established a bakery in 1879. Messrs. Muller Brothers
established a boat factory in 1873. A vinegar factory was commenced by
Ciopac & Tuor in 1875, and is continued by the latter. Of the several
livery stables in Stillwater the first was established by C. A.
Bromley in 1853.
The Stillwater Building Association, organized under the laws of the
State, March 23, 1887, has done much for the prosperity of the city,
affording as it does to persons of limited capital an opportunity of
building suitable homes and business houses. Private enterprise has
done much in the erection of substantial blocks for business purposes.
Henry Sawyer, in 1856, built the first stone block in the city. It is
located on Main street. Other fine blocks were built by McComb,
Eldridge, Bernheimer, Elam Greely, Wm. Holcombe, Schlenk, L. E.
Torinus, Hersey & Staples, McKusick, and others. Many of these blocks
are fireproof and built of stone, and are fine specimens of
architecture, convenient and commodious.
CHURCH SOCIETIES AND BUILDINGS.
Stillwater has sixteen church organizations and fifteen buildings, the
latter having a total valuation of $315,000.
The Ascension church (Episcopal) originated in the labors of Rev. E.
A. Greenleaf, in 1846. The corner stone of the first building was laid
in 1851. Rev. Joseph A. Russell was the first rector. In 1873 the
corner stone of the present edifice was laid by Bishop Welles of
Wisconsin. This building cost $10,000, and was burned in 1886 and
rebuilt in 1887.
The First Presbyterian church grew out of the missionary labors of
Rev. W. T. Boutwell, in 1847 and 1848. The church was organized in
1849; Rev. J. S. Whitney, pastor. The first building was erected in
1851, and the second, the armory, in 1857. The present edifice,
located on the corner of Myrtle and Third, was built in 1884, at a
cost of $22,000, and the total value of building and ground is
$30,000.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Dates its beginning from a society formed by Rev. James Harrington in
1850. It was organized regularly in 1853 by Rev. T. M. Fullerton. The
first house of worship was a small frame on Myrtle street, between
Second and Third streets. It was enlarged and improved in 1862. The
present edifice on Third street near Myrtle, with the parsonage
adjoining, cost about $4,200. The church has a membership of two
hundred.
ST. MICHAEL'S (CATHOLIC) CHURCH
Was organized in 1853, the first services being held by Rev. Father
Peyragrosse, a missionary. The first edifice was built on Fourth and
Mulberry streets, and Rev. Father Fisher was the first clergyman in
charge. The building was enlarged and improved in 1857. The present
commodious edifice was commenced in 1872 and dedicated in 1875. The
church property, including the school parish buildings and cemetery of
twelve acres in South Stillwater, is worth $130,000. There are now two
resident clergymen, Revs. Murphy and Gaughan.
ST. MARY'S (CATHOLIC) CHURCH,
Rev. P. Alphonse Krusle, pastor, was organized in 1865, and owns a
church building on Fifth street, near Pine, valued at $25,000. The
total value of church and parish buildings, and of the six lots on
which they are located, amounts to $55,000.
THE UNIVERSALIST CHURCH
Society was incorporated June 6, 1868, and the first preaching was by
Rev. E. A. Hodsdon, of St. Anthony. The edifice is on Third street
South; cost about $15,000.
SWEDISH LUTHERAN.
The society was organized in 1871; the church building was erected in
1882-83, at a cost of $15,000. The pastor is Rev. A. F. Tornell.
THE FIRST GERMAN LUTHERAN
Church was organized in 1871. The church building and parsonage are on
Third street, near Olive, and are valued at $4,500. The pastor is Rev.
J. J. Weiss.
THE NORWEGIAN LUTHERAN
Society uses the German Lutheran church buildings, corner of Olive and
Fourth streets.
THE GERMAN METHODIST
Congregation worships in a frame building, corner of Linden and
Everett streets.
THE SALEM GERMAN LUTHERAN CHURCH
Was formed by the withdrawal of a part of the members of the First
German Lutheran church for separate worship. The Swedish church and
school, on the corner of Olive and Fourth streets, were purchased for
$2,150. To this a parsonage was added at a cost of $2,150. Rev. L. F.
Frey is the pastor.
THE DANISH LUTHERAN CHURCH
Has a cosy frame edifice on Laurel, between Williams and Owen, but is
not holding services at present. The edifice cost $7,000 and the
membership is one hundred and fifty.
SWEDISH CONGREGATIONAL.
The Swedish Congregational church occupies a frame building on Fourth
street, between Hickory and Elm streets, which cost $2,000 and has
sixty members.
THE ST. JOSEPH'S (CATHOLIC) CHURCH
Was organized by the present pastor, Rev. Father E. Roe, in 1882, with
seventeen members, which has since been increased to eighty families.
A frame edifice was erected in 1884, with a seating capacity of four
hundred, costing about $8,000, corner of Olive and Greely streets. The
church property consists of the edifice and the priest's house, and
cost $11,000.
THE SWEDISH METHODIST CHURCH
Was organized in 1880 by Rev. C. S. Carlander. The church building is
located on Myrtle and Fourth streets, and cost $2,000.
THE YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION
Has a membership of seventy-five and a frame building erected in 1872
at a cost of $1,200.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
The court house and other public buildings of the city are creditable
specimens of architecture, rooms convenient and well adapted to the
purposes of their construction. The present court house building is
the third erected. Its cost, including that of the jail buildings, the
wall around them and other improvements, has been something over
$75,000. The city hall, at the corner of Myrtle and Third streets, is
a substantial and convenient building. It contains also room for the
city officers. The public school buildings have kept pace with the
growth of the city. In the summer of 1887 the city erected a high
school building at a cost of $60,000. The engine house is a good
building, centrally located. An elegant union depot was built in 1887,
of brown stone from the Apostle islands, at a cost of $30,000.
THE OPERA HOUSE.--The opera house occupies the site of the old Lake
House, on Main street between Nelson and Chestnut streets. It was
commenced in 1880 and finished in 1881, under the supervision of L.
W. Eldred, architect. Its size is 90×120 feet, ground plan, and four
stories in height, or seventy-one feet from lower floor to cornice.
The style of architecture is a blending of the Queen Anne, Victoria
and Gothic. The entrance to the upper part of the building is by a
stairway twelve feet wide, in a lofty, ornamental turret. The
auditorium is 64×120 feet, and beautifully and elaborately finished
and furnished, and is capable of seating over 1,200 persons. It is
well lighted, being supplied with 130 gas jets, warmed by steam, and
well ventilated. The stage is 39×64 feet, complete in all its
appointments, and supplied with all the necessary stage scenery,
wings, border bridge, balcony, interior and other decorations. The
ceiling of the auditorium is superbly frescoed and the cornice is
adorned with medallions of Shakespeare, Haydn, Schiller, Goethe,
Dickens, Handel, Scott, Longfellow, Mozart, Tennyson, and Beethoven.
The parts of the building not occupied for stage purposes are
appropriated to halls, offices and stores.
SOCIETIES AND ASSOCIATIONS.
I. O. O. F.--Lodge No. 1, organized June, 1849; Stillwater Lodge, No.
51, organized January, 1876.
Masonic.--St. John's Lodge No. 1, organized 1849; Washington, Royal
Arch Chapter, No. 17, organized March, 1868; Bayard Commandery, K. T.,
No. 11, organized March, 1878.
Knights of Pythias.--Stillwater Lodge, No. 7, organized November,
1872.
A. O. U. W.--St. Croix Lodge, No. 11, organized July, 1876.
Sons of Herman.--Stillwater Lodge, No. 3, organized January, 1876;
Concordia Lodge, No. 19, organized January, 1881.
Temperance Societies.--I. O. G. T. Lodge of Stillwater, organized in
1859; L'Etoile du Nord Lodge, No. 57, organized May, 1866; Temple of
Honor, No. 10, organized September, 1876; Father Matthew Temperance
Society, organized November, 1872.
Miscellaneous.--St. Ann's Society, organized November, 1866; St.
Vincent de Paul Conference, organized October, 1870; St. Joseph
Benevolent Society, organized November, 1879; Y. M. C. A., organized
in 1878; Washington County Bible Society, organized in 1851;
Northwestern Benefit Society, No. 1, organized in 1879; Subordinate
Union Penn Equitable Association, No. 165, organized in 1880;
Stillwater City Hospital, organized March, 1880; Stillwater
Mannerchoir, organized in 1875; the Stillwater Turnverein, organized
in 1859; G. A. R., Stillwater Post, No. 13, organized March, 1868.
CEMETERIES.
The first burial ground was selected in 1846. Ten years later, by a
survey of the city, these grounds were included in what is now known
as block 3. These grounds were used until the organization of the
Fairview Cemetery Association in 1867, when the bodies were removed to
the new cemetery in the burial ground in South Stillwater. Fairview
cemetery is beautifully located on undulating or hilly ground and is
adorned with shrubbery and made attractive by the hand of art. Its
location is within the city limits, near the corner of Orleans and
Fourth streets.
WASHINGTON COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
An attempt was made at organization in 1856, but it proved premature.
The present society was organized in February, 1871, at Cottage Grove,
and incorporated the same year. The first board of officers consisted
of J. W. Furber, president; J. S. Norris, vice president; T. Elwell,
secretary, and James Middleton, treasurer. In 1873 the fair grounds
were established near Stillwater, under the joint control of the
Agricultural Society and the Driving Park Association. In 1875 the
fair grounds were established at Lake Elmo. But one fair had been held