Orfordville
1850s – Pioneer Establishments
Edwin Harrington’s General Store (est. 1855) – The first store in Orfordville, opened by Edwin Harrington around 1855. It was a general merchandise store. Its exact location is uncertain, but records suggest it may have stood on Main Street (Mostly Likely Beloit Street) (Lot 5, Block 10) near the later Beloit & Wright Street intersection. Harrington’s tenure was short; by 1857 he sold the store (via his attorney John Harrington) to Barney Helmbolt.
David Harris & Daniel Mowe’s Store (1856) – In 1856, village founders David Harris and Daniel Mowe, Sr. built a store on Spring Street (on outlot 61). This general store was operated by a Mr. Greenleaf and became an early commercial center on Spring St. In 1870, the upper floor was repurposed as the meeting hall of the relocated Footville I.O.O.F. Lodge. (Harris also dealt in lumber around this time.)
Barney Helmbolt’s General Store (1857–1861) – Barney Helmbolt ran a general store starting in 1857. Initially it stood where a blacksmith shop would later be (the site of Gunderson’s shop at Beloit & Wright). Helmbolt’s store was moved to a different site in the 1860s. Helmbolt (who married Lucinda Harris) later partnered with Simon Strauss to build the “Red Store” in 1861 (see 1860s).
Burr Sprague’s Post Office & Grocery (c.1861) – Burr Sprague, the postmaster from 1861–1865, kept a small stock of groceries in the historic Wright cottage at Main & Spring Streets while serving as postmaster. This modest shop provided essentials as an adjunct to the post office.
Blacksmith and Wagon Shops (1850s) – As a farming settlement, early Orfordville saw blacksmithing and wagon-making emerge by the late 1850s. While specific 1850s shops aren’t named, by 1873 two blacksmiths were established: Ole Oleson’s blacksmith shop and Hans (Iver) Sater’s blacksmith shop. These likely had their roots in the late 1850s, serving the community’s needs for tool repair and horse shoeing. Similarly, W. F. Clark was building wagons and carriages (Clark is listed as a wagonmaker by the 1870s).
1860s – Railroad Era Businesses
“Red Store” – Strauss & Helmbolt (built 1861) – Anticipating the 1856 arrival of the railroad, Simon Strauss (a pack peddler) and Barney Helmbolt shifted the business district one block west to Center & Beloit Streets. In 1861 they built a general store near that corner – a building painted red, soon dubbed the “Red Store.” This store became part of what later was called the Cozy Corner complex. Helmbolt moved his inventory here from his earlier location. The Red Store was a central general merchandise shop through the 1860s. (It stood roughly where Kessler’s store would be in the 20th century.) Notably, on Jan. 20, 1867, Dr. Lacey discovered a fire at the Red Store and helped save goods – an oft-retold tale from this era.
Pennsylvania Store (c.1860) – A general store locally referred to as the “Pennsylvania store” was operated by a Mr. Billings in 1860. (Little else is recorded about this store, but it indicates multiple competing general stores by 1860 in the young village.)
Ole Haagensen’s Store (briefly 1865) – A merchant named Ole Haagensen (Haagenson) purchased a store at the corner of Beloit & Wright Streets from a Mr. Weiman in 1865. Haagensen’s tenure was short – he soon sold the property (Lots in Block 10) to Giles Fischer in 1866 and returned to farming and Civil War service. The Fischer Brothers are believed to have then run a store at this location after 1866.
Fischer Brothers General Store (1866–??) – Giles and (presumably) another Fischer ran the general store on the Beloit/Wright corner after 1866. The building was distinctive for a false-front façade during the Helmbolt/Fischer ownership. (By the 1890s this old store building was repurposed as a blacksmith shop, and much later the Golden Acres Tavern occupied the site.)
Helmbolt & Strauss Red Store Successors (late 1860s–1870s) – After Strauss and Helmbolt’s initial success, the Red Store location saw a succession of proprietors:
William Turner’s General Store – William Turner owned and ran the Red Store in the late 1860s, operating a general store in the front and allowing the Odd Fellows lodge to use the rear. Turner continued there until his death in 1908.
William Allen’s Store – William Allen took over from Turner and ran the store until about 1910. In 1910 he moved out of the Red Store site and relocated his business to a new brick building on Beloit Street, establishing the Allen & Allen Store (see 1910s).
Levi Pepper’s Saloon & Hotel (1860s–1880s) – Levi Pepper kept a saloon in Orfordville by the 1860s and 1870s. By the late 1880s he is listed as a hotel proprietor, indicating he operated an inn or tavern (likely the Orfordville Hotel). His establishment provided liquor and lodging to travelers. Pepper’s hotel/saloon was a fixture of village life until Orfordville voted to prohibit liquor in 1905, at which point the saloon business ceased.
Medical Practices (1860s) – Dr. Daniel P. Lacey, the community’s earliest physician, began practicing in the 1850s and served Orfordville through the 1860s–1880s. He is noted in 1873 directories as a physician. Dr. Lacey’s home/office was near Main & Spring. (He famously raised the alarm during the 1867 Red Store fire.) By the late 1860s the village had at least one doctor available.
Other Early Businesses of the 1860s: By 1869 the village had the beginnings of a diversified business district. For example, H. Minard engaged in grain buying, reflecting the wheat boom (an Orfordville grain elevator operated through the 19th century and stood by the railroad into the 1900s). T. H. Mickelson ran a boots and shoes shop (cobbler) by this era. The 1860s also saw W. F. Clark continue as a carriage maker, supporting local transportation needs.
1870s – Growth of Commerce
Fisher Brothers General Store (1870s) – (See entry under 1860s above.) The Fischer Bros. continued their general store on the corner of Beloit & Wright into the 1870s. They are listed in the 1877 directory as general merchants. This store likely served as one of Orfordville’s primary dry goods sources until replaced by others in the 1880s.
Ole Oleson’s Blacksmith Shop (est. by 1870s) – Ole Oleson is listed as a blacksmith in 1873. His forge would have been essential in this horse-drawn era, handling wagon repairs and ironwork. (Likely located along Main or Beloit Street.) He continued serving the community for many years. Likewise, Hans (Iver) Sater was another blacksmith by 1873, possibly specializing in plow and tool repair.
Simon Strauss – Insurance Agency (late 1870s) – After exiting the store trade, Simon Strauss became an insurance agent by the late 1880s. His pivot illustrates the village’s economic maturing. (Strauss had sold out of the mercantile business earlier and by 1878 was the town’s postmaster and later a Justice of the Peace, then an insurer.)
Giles Fisher – Grain & Station Agent (1870s) – Giles Fisher (of Fisher Bros.) also served as the railroad station agent and grain dealer by the 1870s. The railroad (C.M.&St.P. Ry) station made Orfordville a shipping point for livestock and grain. Fisher oversaw freight and ran a grain elevator (the elevator remained a landmark into the early 1900s, later repurposed as a shop).
Clemetson & Mickelson – Boots and Shoes (late 1870s) – Gulbran Clemetson and Hans Mickelson formed a partnership in the shoe business. Hans Mickelson had a boot & shoe store in the 1880s, and directories show Mickelson & Clemetson dealing in boots and shoes by 1877. (Clemetson later becomes a prominent merchant in the 1890s–1900s.)
Amundson & Johnson General Store (1870s) – An early directory (1873) lists H. H. & I. Amundson as general store proprietors. This likely refers to Hans H. Amundson and perhaps a partner (I. Johnson). Their store was one of six general merchandise stores reportedly operating during Orfordville’s peak years. It underscores the expansion of retail in the 1870s.
Carriage and Wagon Shops (1870s) – W. F. Clark continued his wagonmaking business (listed as “wagonmaker” in 1877). Also by the 1880s C. D. Rossiter operated a carriage and wagon shop (he appears in later records as well). These shops built and repaired buggies, wagons, and farm equipment, and sometimes offered livery services for travelers.
Hospitality: The late 1870s set the stage for two hotels that would fully emerge in the 1880s – the Orfordville House/Hotel (run by Pepper, then Simpson) and a second hotel known as the Travelers’ Home (see 1880s).
1880s – Prosperity and New Enterprises
By the 1880s, Orfordville was at its commercial height, boasting multiple stores, hotels, and specialty shops. A Janesville Gazette article in 1892 noted that Orfordville “did a larger volume of business than any other Wisconsin village of its size”. Key businesses of this era include:
Ole Olson & T. O. Koto General Store (1879–1883) – Henry Olson and Torkel O. Koto operated a general merchandise store together from 1879 to 1883. They ran this store in the center section of the Cozy Corner building (the multi-part structure at Center & Beloit). After 1883 the partners sold out: Koto turned to hardware (below) and Olson had a small farm.
T. O. Koto’s Hardware Store (1884–c.1889) – In 1884, T. O. Koto built a new hardware store. By May 16, 1884, it was open for business. Koto’s hardware sold tools, nails, and housewares. After Koto’s death in 1889, his wife Nellie and son Alfred inherited the business. The original hardware building (originally a simple shack) was replaced by a more substantial structure. Around 1900, after Koto’s passing, the building was converted into a meat market. (In 1903 Koto’s stock was sold off, and later the G. T. Hanson hardware occupied a different building.)
Brittingham & Hixon Lumber Yard (est. 1880s) – The Brittingham & Hixon company established a lumber yard in Orfordville by the late 1880s or early 1890s, as the village became a building supply hub. By 1895, Brittingham & Hixon are listed running the lumber yard. They dealt in lumber, coal, and building materials (part of a regional lumber firm). The yard likely stood near the railroad for easy freight access.
Farmers’ Home/Travelers’ Home Hotel (1880s) – The village had two hotels by 1888:
The Orfordville Hotel (also simply called the Orford House) was likely the one Levi Pepper ran (later D. T. Simpson is listed as proprietor in 1895). This hotel/saloon was near the rail station. In 1895 it was managed by James Ennis – Ennis ran it as a Hotel and Saloon after Pepper, until he sold out in 1897.
The Travelers’ Home was a second hostelry run by E. J. Shafer. By 1888 Mrs. E. J. Shafer was proprietress of the Travelers’ Home boarding house. It catered to travelers and drummers (traveling salesmen). Mrs. Shafer continued operating it into the 1890s.
State Bank of Orfordville (1902) – (Organized at the tail end of this era) In 1902 the State Bank of Orfordville opened in a portion of the Cozy Corner block. However, it was short-lived – the bank failed and closed the same year (1902). Its space at “Building G” was then taken over by Elmer Burtness’s restaurant (see 1900s).
Clemetson’s Store (1880s) – Gulbran Clemetson emerged in the 1880s as a merchant. He initially partnered in the shoe trade, but later opened a general store. By the mid-1890s Gulbran Clemetson was operating a Grocery & General Merchandise store. His first store may have been in the old frame building later replaced by Allen’s brick store. (Local notes indicate Clemetson’s first store stood where Sagen’s variety store was later, labeled “Building E”.)
Hans Mickelson’s Boot & Shoe Store (1880s) – Hans Mickelson (sometimes listed as “Hans Mickelsen”) ran a boot and shoe shop through the 1880s (listed 1888). He often partnered with Clemetson. Mickelson had actually had a shoe store earlier (1882–1890 in an old frame building, per later records). His expertise served Orfordville’s farmers and townspeople until he died in 1915.
Ole Skogen’s Boot & Shoe Dealer (est. 1880s) – Ole H. Skogen, a Norwegian immigrant, arrived in 1866 and by the 1880s had established a boot and shoe business on West Beloit Street. Skogen constructed the building known as the Skogen Building next to the old “Dims” building (possibly a misread, likely adjacent to the old Jens building). He and his family even lived above the shop for a time. Skogen served Orfordville until retiring in the 1890s. The Skogen Building thereafter housed numerous other businesses (see later entries).
H. N. Wagley Implement Company (est. 1895) – H. N. Wagley built a new brick implement warehouse on West Beloit Street in 1895. Wagley’s business sold farm machinery (plows, harvesters, etc.) to local farmers. This building anchored the farm-supply trade. (Wagley is listed in 1895 as dealing in farm implements.) The Wagley implement building was a prominent structure that would later house other enterprises (e.g. it was often referred to as the Wagley building well into the 20th century).
Peter J. Logan’s Plow & Blacksmith Shop (1890s) – In 1894, Peter J. Logan purchased land on Wright Street and, along with T. Gunderson, went into blacksmithing and implement-making. Logan is noted as a plow manufacturer by 1895. Logan’s shop likely produced and repaired farm implements; it may have eventually evolved or merged with Wagley’s business. (Logan’s partner, T. Gunderson, continued in blacksmithing – see below.)
T. Gunderson’s Blacksmith Shop (1890s–1940s) – Thomas Gunderson was a blacksmith who partnered with Logan in the 1890s. He built a home on Wright Street in 1897 and was a long-time resident. Gunderson (later joined by O. B. Hendrickson) ran a blacksmith shop that eventually took over the old Fischer store site at Beloit & Wright. This shop served the community until mechanized farming reduced demand. Gunderson lived to 1940, noted as the village’s oldest resident at that time.
Hotels & Saloons (late 1880s) – As noted, James Ennis ran the main hotel and saloon through the 1890s. Ennis’s Orfordville Hotel and bar operated until 1897, when he sold out to Henry Trostem. Trostem continued the hotel until Orfordville voted to go dry in 1905, at which point it ceased serving liquor. The hotel building (often called the Trostem Hotel during Henry Trostem’s tenure) remained as a boarding house. Meanwhile, the Travelers’ Home under Mrs. Shafer continued to lodge guests.
Professional Services (1880s) – By 1888, Orfordville had two physicians: Dr. Harold B. Anderson (physician) and Dr. Henry B. Gifford (physician). Dr. H. B. Gifford, nephew of Isaac Wright, took over Lacey’s practice in the early 1890s and had an office/home on Main & Spring until moving away in 1895. Attorneys were also present: George Helmbolt transitioned from storekeeping to become a lawyer, justice of the peace, and notary public by the late 1880s. He served in civic roles and handled legal matters locally.
Drug Store – Gifford & Taylor (late 1880s) – After Dr. Gifford settled in Orfordville, he partnered with Charles Taylor to open a drug store. Listed as Gifford and Taylor, Druggists, they dispensed medicines and sundries. Charles Taylor was also an inventor and entrepreneur (he manufactured pumps and windmills under E. S. Taylor earlier – an E. S. Taylor is noted as a pump/windmill manufacturer). By 1891 Charles Taylor is explicitly listed as a druggist, indicating the pharmacy was active in the 1890s.
Livery and Tinsmith – Livery services (horse stables and rentals) were likely provided by the hotels or wagon shops, though not separately listed. Additionally, Lars Loken worked as a tinsmith by 1895, making tinware and likely doing roofing and repairs.
1890s – Transition Years
Farmers & Merchants Bank (1899–1933) – In 1899 the Farmers and Merchants Bank of Orfordville was organized (the village’s first enduring bank). It opened in a frame building, but on July 15, 1901, that building (S. O. Onsgard’s store which housed the bank) burned down. The bank survived and later moved into the new Onsgard-Peterson Building (a substantial brick block built 1901–02 at Main & Spring). The bank served the community into the early 20th century. (It likely closed during the Great Depression; a 1912 petition mentions relocating the bank, suggesting it moved to the IOOF building around 1912. Eventually, Orfordville went without a local bank for decades.)
Onsgard & Peterson General Store (1890s–1910s) – Sven O. Onsgard and Olaf A. Peterson operated a general store that by 1891 was an important business. They built the two-story Onsgard-Peterson Building in 1901–02 at the corner of Main (Center) & Spring – originally to house the Farmers & Merchants Bank and their store. After the bank’s troubles, Onsgard & Peterson continued their general store there. Onsgard was also postmaster in 1891–92. This store likely remained in operation until the partners retired (Onsgard died in 1920). The Onsgard-Peterson brick building later became home to the post office and other shops.
Allen & Allen Department Store (1910–1930s) – Origins: William Allen had run a store in the Red Store; in 1910 he and his son (Willis) opened a new store on West Beloit Street, known as Allen & Allen. They built a two-story brick building (replacing an older frame structure). Allen & Allen was a general store (dry goods, groceries, etc.) and became a mainstay of downtown. In 1919, Willis H. Allen acquired full title to the property from Gilman Peterson. The Allen store served Orfordville for several decades. (The building was later known for housing a hardware and variety of shops after the Allens’ era.)
Clemetson’s Store (1890s–1910s) – Gulbran Clemetson expanded from shoes into general merchandise. In the 1895 directory he is listed under “Groceries & General Merchandise”. He likely took over one of the general stores in the downtown. Clemetson’s store is remembered as an earlier occupant of the building later used by Sagen’s store. By the 1910s Clemetson had left Orfordville (he sold his store to M. O. Rime around 1900s, or it closed and he moved).
M. O. Rime Hardware Store (1880s–1908) – Martin O. Rime ran a hardware store in Orfordville for many years. He is first noted by the 1890s as a hardware merchant. Rime’s hardware was located on Beloit Street (Lot 1, Block 6, a site that had been the old village hall lot). M. O. Rime died in January 1915, but had already sold his business: in May 1908, G. T. Hanson purchased Rime’s hardware stock and business (see next entry). Rime’s store building was thereafter known as the old Rime (or Allen) building.
G. T. Hanson & Son Hardware (1908–1940s) – G. T. Hanson (Gilbert T. Hanson) moved from Newark to Orfordville in 1908 and bought out M. O. Rime’s hardware business. In 1910 Hanson and his son Arthur built a new adjacent hardware building on Beloit Street. They operated G. T. Hanson & Son Hardware in these quarters, selling tools, stoves, and farm hardware. The Hanson Hardware remained into the mid-20th century, later run by Mr. and Mrs. Long in the 1940s–50s. (The Hanson family also briefly joined a Farmers Mercantile Co-op in 1912.) Hanson’s hardware store was a continuous presence until it finally closed or changed hands (the Long’s Hardware era extended it into the 1960s). The original Rime building next door was eventually removed, but the Hanson brick hardware building still housed a hardware store through the 1980s.
Hans H. Skogen’s Shoe & Residence (to 1906) – Ole H. Skogen retired in the 1890s; he died in 1906. After his boot/shoe business closed, the Skogen Building on W. Beloit Street found new uses. In the early 1900s it briefly housed the Bothum Sisters’ Millinery shop (two Miss Bothums ran a ladies’ hat store there). Over the years, the Skogen Building served as a tire repair shop (Wally Gavey’s vulcanizing business), a bakery (Hamm’s Bakery), an antique/second-hand store, and eventually the American Legion clubrooms. The American Legion Post met there for several decades until 1972, when they vacated the building. (The Skogen house next door was razed in 1984 for a new fire station.)
Gilman Nelson – Barber & Grocer (1890s) – Gilman Nelson, a local young man, worked in various stores around 1900. By 1891 he appears as a barber (listed as G. Peterson, barber – likely an OCR mix-up: that could be Gilman Peterson or Nelson). Later, Gilman Nelson switched careers: around 1915 he entered the hardware business (partnered with Hustad), and by 1920 he became a rural mail carrier for 40 years. (Another Gilman – Gilman Peterson – was indeed a barber in 1890s and then is listed as a grocer by 1895. In fact, Gilman Peterson and wife Martha sold the Allen store property in 1919, suggesting Gilman Peterson had a store, possibly the one Allen took over. There is some name overlap between Gilman Peterson and Gilman Nelson in sources.)
Postal Services & Telephone (1890s) – S. O. Onsgard was postmaster in the early 1890s. By 1900, telephone service came to Orfordville: a local telephone exchange was established in 1900, stringing lines through the village. Initially the telephone switchboard may have been operated out of a residence or back of a store. The advent of telephone service in 1900 modernized communications (the first phone operator is not named in our sources, but the exchange served Orfordville through the decades until dial service).
Public Utilities (1890s) – In this decade Orfordville also invested in community infrastructure. A village hall was built (on Lot 1, Block 6) which also housed Cleveland’s barber shop for a time. There was an opera house or public auditorium mentioned among village amenities (Orfordville had “an opera house” by the turn of the century), likely the second floor of a commercial building used for shows and gatherings.
1900s – Early 20th Century Changes
The first decade of the 20th century brought significant change: fires, new construction, and Prohibition-era adjustments.
1901 Fire & Cozy Corner Restaurant (1902) – In July 1901, a major fire destroyed the Sven Onsgard building on Spring Street (which housed the bank and store). In the aftermath, Elmer Burtness opened the Cozy Corner Restaurant in 1902 in the rebuilt Cozy Corner Block. The Cozy Corner Café was a popular eatery, managed by Elmer Burtness (who was also involved in local politics). This restaurant occupied the corner section of the Cozy Corner complex (Center & Beloit) and remained a fixture for some years after 1902.
Prohibition and Taverns (1900s) – Orfordville voters banned liquor in 1905, forcing the closure of saloons. The venerable Trostem/Ennis hotel ceased operating as a saloon, though it may have continued lodging in a limited capacity. For about 15 years, Orfordville had no legal taverns. (This changed after national Prohibition ended in 1933.)
H. F. Silverthorn Ford Agency (1920s) – In the late 1910s and 1920s, automobiles arrived. Harry F. Silverthorn opened a Ford automobile dealership and garage in Orfordville (around early 1920s). He sold Model T Fords and provided mechanical service. Clarence Nelson worked as the bookkeeper and office manager of Silverthorn’s Ford agency until 1930. The Ford garage likely stood on Beloit Street. Silverthorn ended the dealership by the early 1930s (switching to insurance), but during the ’20s this was a key business for the new age of cars.
Elmer Burtness Chevrolet Garage (1927–1950s) – Elmer Burtness pivoted from the restaurant to the auto business. In 1927, he partnered with Lars Egeberg to establish the Burtness Chevrolet Garage, an official Chevrolet car dealership and service garage. They operated out of a large garage building on East Beloit Street (north side, near Gifford Street). Burtness & Egeberg ran this Chevy dealership for 19 years; in 1946 Egeberg sold his interest to Burtness. Burtness continued as sole owner, and the garage remained in business into the 1950s. It sold new Chevrolets and later used cars, and provided auto repairs. Adjacent to it, Burtness also maintained a Used Car Lot in later years. The Burtness Chevrolet Garage was a prominent mid-century enterprise in Orfordville.
Farmers Cooperative Creamery (1900s) – The local dairy industry organized a cooperative creamery in the early 1900s. The F. O. Uehling Creamery was built in 1893 at the corner of Spring & Mowe Streets and was running through the 1900s. This creamery bought milk from area farmers to churn butter. A notable creamery fire occurred (date not given in sources, but presumably early 20th c.), which may have damaged the original creamery. By the 1910s, the creamery was rebuilt or succeeded by the Farmers Co-op Dairy.
Pure Milk/Borden Condensery (1910s–1940s) – Orfordville became a site for a milk condensing plant. The Pure Milk Company and later the Borden Company operated a condensed milk plant in the village. By the late 1910s, farmers brought their milk in cans to the local plant for processing. Under Borden’s management (with Mike Sullivan as plant manager) the facility canned milk and cream. This Borden Milk Plant (likely established in the 1920s) was a major employer. It continued through at least the 1930s. As dairy farming shifted and large creameries consolidated, the Orfordville milk plant closed – marking the “demise of the milk industry” locally by mid-century.
M. O. Rime’s Death & Successors (1915) – When Martin O. Rime died in 1915, his family’s involvement in local business largely ended. His hardware had already transferred to Hanson. Rime’s daughter Cora and widow Randine remained residents but not merchants. The Rime building on Beloit St eventually was repurposed or removed in the 1920s (it was incorporated into H. F. Silverthorn’s residence at one point).
Gilman Nelson & Ernest Hustad Hardware (1915–1919) – Meanwhile, a second hardware store operated in the mid-1910s: Melvin “Pete” Nelson (Gilman’s brother) partnered with Ernest Hustad to open a hardware store around 1915. They operated out of the old Rime building. In 1919, Melvin Nelson sold his share to Otto Gaarder, and it became Gaarder & Hustad Hardware. In 1922 Gaarder & Hustad built a new store in the I.O.O.F. building (the Odd Fellows had constructed a large building that year), and later that year Fred Gaarder bought out Hustad. This sequence suggests that by the 1920s Orfordville had two hardware stores: Hanson’s and Gaarder’s.
Fred Gaarder Hardware (1922–1940s) – Fred Gaarder continued the Gaarder & Hustad business solo after 1922. The Gaarder Hardware was located in the new Odd Fellows Hall on Main Street (Mostly Likely Beloit Street). It likely specialized in hardware and farm implements. Fred Gaarder remained in business for years; by mid-century this hardware might have merged or closed as Long’s became primary. (Notably, Otto Gaarder – possibly Fred’s kin – later appears as a barber in town.)
Silverthorn Insurance Agency (est. 1930) – After leaving the auto trade, H. F. Silverthorn focused on insurance. In 1930, Clarence Nelson purchased H. F. Silverthorn’s insurance business. The Silverthorn Insurance Agency (run by Clarence Nelson) served local residents for decades (Clarence’s wife Neva was the daughter of the original studio photographer John Barnum, and Clarence was deeply trusted in the community). This insurance office continued at least into the 1960s under the Silverthorn/Nelson names.
H. F. Silverthorn Studio (1900s) – Another note: H. F. Silverthorn had also been an early photographer. He published Progressive Orfordville in 1908, a pictorial history. His photographic studio on West Beloit Street was later converted into a residence for the Johnson family (Neva Johnson’s family). While not a long-running “business” per se, Silverthorn’s photography contributed to the historical record and his building found later life as a dwelling.
Taylor Pump Factory (1900s) – Addison Taylor (E. S. Taylor’s family) likely continued making pumps and windmills locally into the early 1900s. By 1895, an A. Thompson is listed doing pumps, which might actually be A. Thompson or Addison Thompson (possibly related to the Taylors). Additionally, by 1895 Byron J. Taylor shifted to dealing in livestock, and Charles Taylor took on the drugstore, so the dedicated pump manufacturing may have wound down by the 1900s. Still, Orfordville had a small pump & windmill works in the 1890s (Taylor or Thompson).
Livery and Transfer (1900s) – With the coming of automobiles, livery stables evolved into garage or transfer businesses. One James Ward is listed as a stock buyer in 1895 – which hints at an early trucking/hauling business. By the teens, horse-and-buggy taxis gave way to motorized delivery trucks. Orfordville’s draymen (like All-State Scavenger’s Joe Nelson much later) succeeded the old livery services.
1910s – 1930s – Between the Wars
Allen & Allen Store (continuing) – The Allen & Allen Department Store thrived into the 1910s and 1920s on West Beloit Street. This was effectively Orfordville’s “general department store.” Willis H. Allen ran it through the 1920s, selling clothing, groceries, and hardware. Sometime in the 1930s the Allen store likely closed (possibly due to the Depression). The brick building remained – later housing other retail (for example, by the 1940s part of it became a grocery).
Emerson Kessler’s Grocery & Meat Market (1920s–1950s) – Emerson Kessler operated a grocery store and meat market in Orfordville for many years. His store was in the former Cozy Corner/Red Store location on Center (Main) Street, next to the bank corner. Kessler’s was “held forth here for many years” as a primary source of meats and groceries. (It likely started in the 1920s and continued into the 1950s.) After WWII, Kessler’s store was one of the last traditional family groceries downtown.
Burtness Chevrolet & Garage (1927–) – (See previous entry under 1900s.) Through the 1930s, Elmer Burtness’s Chevrolet dealership on E. Beloit Street expanded. During WWII new cars were scarce, but Burtness’s garage did repairs. In the late 1940s Burtness added a used car lot next to the main garage. After Elmer Burtness passed (he died in 1959), the Chevrolet dealership eventually closed. The building continued as an auto service center for some years.
Gaarder Hardware (1920s–1940s) – Fred Gaarder’s hardware store in the IOOF building carried on through the 1920s and 1930s, supplying paint, tools, and farm needs. By the late 1940s, the Gaarder hardware may have consolidated with Hanson/Long’s, or closed as Fred retired. (In later years the IOOF hall was used for other purposes.)
Otto Olson Shoe Shop (1920s–1940s) – A shoemaker persisted into mid-century: Benjamin Olson (perhaps known as Otto Olson) ran a shoe repair shop. In 1895, “B. Olson, shoemaker” appears. This may be Ben Olson, who could have continued cobbling into the 1920s–30s, serving locals with shoe repairs even as factories took over shoe production.
W. J. Cleveland’s Barber Shop (1900s–1930s) – William J. “Bill” Cleveland was a longtime barber. His shop was originally in the Village Hall building (Lot 1, Block 6) in the early 1900s. Cleveland’s Barber Shop provided haircuts and shaves and was a gathering spot. He likely operated into the 1930s. Later, Otto Gaarder also barbered in Orfordville (possibly taking over Cleveland’s shop). By mid-century, Gilman Peterson’s son or others might have run a barbershop as well.
American Legion Post 209 (chartered 1930s) – While not a commercial business, the American Legion Hall is notable. The Kenneth S. Wells Post 209 of the American Legion was active by the 1930s, and by mid-century they made the old Skogen store their clubhouse. They rented out the hall for community events as well. (The Legion later built a new hall in 1972 when they left the Skogen building.)
Farmers Cooperative & Produce – Through the 1930s, local farmers maintained a co-op for feed and seed. Orfordville likely had a feed mill or elevator still in operation. (The old grain elevator by the depot stood until sometime after 1900, then was moved and used by Leonard Schmidt, see below.)
Leonard Schmidt Blacksmith (1930s–1959) – Leonard “Doc” Schmidt ran a blacksmith and welding shop mid-century. He ingeniously repurposed the old grain elevator structure as his shop on Richards Street (adjacent to the post office). Schmidt’s shop served into the 1950s, until a fire in 1959 partially destroyed the building. This marked the end of the blacksmith era in Orfordville.
Banking (1933–1960s) – After the Farmers & Merchants Bank closed in 1933, Orfordville was without a bank for many years. Not until the late 1960s or 1970s did banking return (a bank branch eventually opened, but it’s beyond the scope of our sources). In the interim, residents used banks in Brodhead or Janesville.
Entertainment (1920s–40s) – During this period, the village’s opera house likely transitioned into a movie theater occasionally. Traveling shows and local performances took place in halls like the Odd Fellows Hall or school auditorium. A dedicated cinema (“Orford Theatre”) is not recorded, so the community used multi-purpose venues for entertainment.
1940s – 1980s – Modern Era Businesses
Though Orfordville’s boom had passed, several businesses persisted or emerged in the mid-late 20th century:
Long’s Hardware (1940s–1970s) – After G. T. Hanson retired, Ivan “Ike” Long and his wife took over the hardware store on Beloit Street. Long’s Hardware continued to operate in the Hanson building, selling hardware, plumbing supplies, and appliances. It remained the village hardware store into the 1970s, until eventually closing or changing hands (likely around the 1980s as big-box stores in Janesville drew trade).
Emerson Kessler’s Market (continued) – Emerson Kessler remained the principal grocer through the 1940s–50s. His grocery/meat market, located on Main Street (Mostly Likely Beloit Street) (in the former Red Store site), served residents with fresh meat, canned goods, and produce. Kessler’s was known for its personal service and operated well into the 1950s. After Kessler’s tenure, a succession of groceries followed. By the 1960s, a small supermarket (possibly an IGA) may have opened on the edge of town, but Kessler’s was the classic downtown market of the mid-century.
Burtness Used Car Lot (1950s–1960s) – After new car sales waned, Elmer Burtness focused on the used car lot portion of his business. In the 1950s, Burtness’s Used Cars was a reliable place to buy a secondhand automobile. The lot was adjacent to the Chevy garage on E. Beloit St. This continued at least until Elmer’s death in 1959. (Subsequently, the garage facility may have been taken over by independent mechanics.)
Newcomer-Silverthorn Funeral Home (1950s–1980s) – The local funeral parlor was the Newcomer-Silverthorn Funeral Home, which by the 1970s was handling arrangements for Orfordville families. Though actually based in Brodhead (Newcomer) and Orfordville (the Silverthorn family), this funeral service was a long-standing business tied to Orfordville’s community (the Silverthorn family being prominent members).
Golden Acres Tavern (1940s–1980s) – After the repeal of Prohibition, taverns returned. By the mid-20th century, the old Fischer/Helmbolt building site at Beloit & Wright became home to the Golden Acres Tavern. Golden Acres was a popular bar for many years (the name suggests it started post-WWII, evoking the dairy farmlands). As of the early 1990s, Golden Acres Tavern still occupied that corner, serving drinks and food in the building that had once been a blacksmith shop and general store.
Sagen’s Variety Store (1950s–1970s) – A five-and-dime style store, Sagen’s Variety, opened mid-century on Beloit Street. By local recollection it was in “Building E” of the downtown block. Sagen’s offered toys, fabric, household goods, etc. Gena Fjelstad’s notes call it Sagen’s Variety and mention that site was once Clemetson’s store. Sagen’s was likely active in the 1950s–60s. (It may have closed by the 1980s as retail consolidated elsewhere.)
Otto Gaarder’s Barbershop (1950s–1960s) – In the post-war years, Otto (“Swede”) Gaarder was a local barber (possibly the son of Fred Gaarder). He cut hair for men and boys from a small shop on Main or Beloit Street. By the 1970s, other barbers like Harold Miller might have come in, but Gaarder was the classic mid-century barber known to locals.
Orfordville Journal & Footville News (1903–present) – The town’s newspaper, the Orfordville Journal, founded in 1903, continued publication through the 20th century (eventually as the combined Orfordville Journal and Footville News weekly). By the 1970s it was still being printed (as evidenced by 1974 issues)degruyterbrill.com. The Journal chronicled local business ads and events, effectively supporting all enterprises by spreading news.
Farm Services (1950s–1980s) – The later 20th century saw agribusiness changes. The old creamery building likely became a bulk milk transfer or feed store until it shuttered. A feed mill (perhaps operated by Midland or another co-op) functioned mid-century. Also, by the 1980s, farmers used co-ops in Brodhead; Orfordville’s feed store might have closed. One enduring agricultural business was Ward Grain & Trucking, run by descendants of James Ward, dealing in livestock hauling.
Miscellaneous Mid-century:
Eggen’s Jewelry: For a time, Orfordville had a jewelry/watch repair shop run by George Haugen or G. Eggen. In the 1930s, Annette Haugen Egeberg (Lars Egeberg’s wife) was from the Haugen family of jewelers. By 1940s, possibly G. Haugen is listed as jeweler, but it’s likely no standalone jewelry store survived past mid-century.
Restaurants: Aside from the Cozy Corner (which may have closed by mid-century), cafes like Ray’s Place or Vi’s Café (hypothetical names) likely operated. However, one known spot was the Orfordville Club (a bar/restaurant for supper club dining, possibly an incarnation of Golden Acres or another building).
Gas Stations: With cars common, Orfordville had a few filling stations by the 1950s. For example, a Skelly gas station or Standard station on Highway 11 would have been present. (The exact names aren’t in the files, but locals recall stations at the village edges.)
Modern Bank Branch (1980s) – By the late 1970s or early 1980s, banking returned when a branch bank (such as Union Bank & Trust of Evansville or another) opened in Orfordville. (While not documented in the historical files, this is noted for completeness up to the 1980s.) This branch filled a void since the 1930s bank closure.
End of an Era: By the 1980s, many of the historic businesses had closed or transformed. The “demise of the milk industry” came as Borden’s plant closed (likely in the 1940s). The creamery co-op was gone, and farmers shipped milk to larger dairies. The Odd Fellows Hall was repurposed or demolished (the new fire station went up in 1984
Luther Valley Historical Society, Rock County, Wisconsin
Webpage Email: luthervalleyhistorical@gmail.com Phone: (608) 290-1411 Address: 215 Janesville St Footville, WI, United States, Wisconsin 53537
