This photo shows the interior of the 1903 Corn Palace, which was located at the corner of Main Street and Fourth Avenue. The interior of the Corn Palace was generally decorated by the women of the city. In 1903 you could buy season tickets for the Corn Palace shows; adults tickets – good for every entertainment only $4.00, adults tickets – good for evening entertainment only $2.50, children’s tickets – good for every entertainment - $2.00, general admission for each concert 50 cents, general admission for children 25 cents. The entertainment for the week was the great Banda Rossa.
Published in the January 5th, 2015 Daily Republic.
This picture shows the construction of Science Hall on the Dakota Wesleyan University campus, probably in 1911, looking east toward old College Hall. Groundbreaking for Science Hall took place in June 1910, during the university’s 25th anniversary celebration. A.W. McCrea of New York City was the original architect, but with subsequent changes, Mr. Ellerbe of Minneapolis was employed as architect and superintendent of construction.
DWU President Samuel Kerfoot led the campaign for a “Greater Wesleyan,” which secured more than $200,000 in pledges. James J. Hill, railroad president and financier, donated $50,000, of which $20,000 was used for building Science Hall.
The cornerstone was laid on Aug. 1, 1911, and the four-story Sioux quartzite building was ready for occupancy in March 1912. Labs and classrooms took up two floors. The upper stories housed the School of Music and a new chapel. Dedication ceremonies were held June 5, 1912, during DWU’s commencement week.
In 1976 DWU was entered on the National Register of Historic Places as an historic district. Graham Hall, Music (now Prather) Hall, Science Hall, and Smith Hall were listed as contributing, historically significant buildings.
Science Hall was renamed Hughes Science Hall in 1996 after Dr. Clifford and Margaret (Bobb) Hughes. It currently is called Hughes Hall.
From the archives of Dakota Wesleyan University and Mitchell Area Historical Society
Published in the August 3rd, 2015 Daily Republic.
A crowd gathers to look at a wreck of two train engines in the rail yard of the Chicago Milwaukee Railroad on October, 7, 1907. The engineer (Sumner) and fireman (Weiland) were killed in the accident. This is one of the many photos taken by Mitchell photographer, Ole Leeland.
The Leeland Art Studio was located at 318 North Main Street in Mitchell. However, Mr. Leeland traveled widely over South Dakota to capture images for stereoscope views of the railroad bridge being built over the Missouri River, of pioneers and their log cabins, of burning buildings (for example, the Alexander Mitchell Hotel at Third and Main at 2:30 a.m. on November 9, 1913), and of countless other formal and informal events and occasions.
Published in the September 14th, 2015 Daily Republic
This photo was taken after a blizzard in Mitchell, circa 1950s and shows Railroad Avenue looking west. The wrecker truck shown is from Mitchell Motor Company, shown on the right, 124 South Main Street. The building shown behind the wrecker truck is where Pepsi Bottling Company was located. The Milwaukee Depot would be to the left of this.
Published in the January 12th, 2015 Daily Republic.
Shown is a 1972 photo of the Mitchell Police Department, which was on a promotional calendar put out by the Davison County Sheriff’s Department in 1973. The Davison County Sheriff’s Department produced calendars from 1972 through 1989.
First Row left to right: Dennis Marek, Edward Sherry, Douglas Hanson, Jess McGraw Jr., Dan Jarabek, Earl Giedd, Wilbur Baldwin. Second Row left to right: Jim Kleinlein, Mike Royston, Assistant Chief Bill Heintz, Chief L. E. Addy, Helen Clark, Pete Jones, Eugene Taylor.
Third Row left to right: Tom Royston, Randy Clark, John Neihart, Larry Schuman, Lloyd Bauder, Douglas Feltman, Kenneth Reinisch.
Published in the February 2nd, 2015 Daily Republic.
his 1951 photo shows the Zesto the year that it was opened at 422 South Sanborn by owners Betty and Buzz Oligmiller. The house shown on the south side of the Zesto is 424 South Sanborn owned by Millard and Goldien Cain. The Zesto moved to 212 West First Ave in 2014, after being in the same location for 63 years. Photo courtesy of Jim Blades.
Published in the November 9th, 2015 Daily Republic
Farmer’s Day on February 21, 1935, was typical of the multiple use of the Corn Palace. It was part of a Good Roads Fair during the heart of the Dirty Thirties. At the time the Corn Palace could hold 5000 people, notice the balcony seating, which was later removed.
Published in the February 23rd, 2015 Daily Republic.
These gentlemen are waiting to participate in the Diamond Jubilee Celebration Parade in Mt. Vernon on July 4, 1956. Seated in the drivers' seat is Bob Howard (carpenter), back seat is Basil Kogel (Kelvinator dealer), and Herman Deinert (farmer), standing on the running board is the 10 year old sheriff, Jerry Pope.
Published in the May 18th, 2015 Daily Republic.
Shown is the Prehistoric Indian Village, circa 1980s, the site is 1,100 years old and overlooks Firesteel Creek (now Lake Mitchell). The early inhabitants hunted bison, fished in Firesteel Creek, and grew corn, beans, squash, and sunflowers. In the foreground is the Boehnen Memorial Museum and Visitors Center, which was dedicated in 1982. Today the site also includes the Thomsen Center Archeodome dedicated in 1999, where the actual dig site is located. The students from the University of Exeter, Exeter, England and Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D., are now busy finding new artifacts.
Published in the June 22nd, 2015 Daily Republic.
This photo shows the International Harvester Implement building, 1300 North Main Street, during construction in 1948. Les Johnson, the owner was a McCormick-Deering and Goodyear Tire Dealer. The dealership opened on July 31, 1948. The building was a proto-type of 400 similar buildings completed for agricultural implement dealers. Pylon on the left is the International Harvester symbol which was to be in every dealer’s buildings in the future. The building is the current location of the Mitchell Rec Center. Photo submitted by Jim Blades.
Published in the June 8th, 2015 Daily Republic.
This 1952 photo shows Ed Schlimgen with his truck that he purchased in 1921. The following is from a Daily Republic newspaper article by Bo Brown.
Samson and Ed have it all over Samson and Delilah when it comes to getting along together, in fact, they have been together 31 years in the dray business. This particular Samson is the rugged old truck owned and operated by Ed Schlimgen. Ed says since buying Samson in 1921, they have worked together in complete harmony. “He always gets up in the morning and starts off,” Ed replied, when asked why he and Samson had been together all these years. “I wouldn’t trade Samson for a new one, because he is built low and good for hauling heavy freight. He is narrow and can go through alleys that other trucks cannot.” “A lot of people laugh at Samson.” Ed stated, “but that’s okay by me; he always gets the job done.”
The dray business is not all Samson and Ed are known for. After every fire they may be seen hauling the fire hose back to the station. Back in 1949 Ed was presented with a gold medal for 50 years of service with the Mitchell Volunteer Fire Department.
Samson remained in storage from 1915, the year he came out of the factory, until 1921 in the Buick Garage building, now the Mitchell Produce (now The Daily Republic). Buick built the Samson truck to compete with the Ford Model A. About 1930 Samson underwent his first major operation. His differential was replaced by one from an Oldsmobile. In 1942 came even more serious surgery, when he exchanged his tired old motor for a Ford Modal A engine.
At the time of his purchase, Samson was all skin and bone, so Ed had to build his cab and body before they could go to work. Samson’s physical condition after all these years is good enough to make most of the new trucks jealous. He chugs around the streets of Mitchell keeping up with the best of them. The cab and stake body are gray and his cab fits directly over the engine.
Ed has been in the dray business 54 years, 31 of them with Samson. There is no telling how many tons of freight these two have transported together.
Ed also transported the big rolls of paper, used by the Daily Republic.
Published in the October 26th, 2015 Daily Republic.
This 1939 photo shows the National Guard Armory on the left, the National Guard used the top two floors and the Mitchell Recreational Center was on the main floor. On the right the Coffee Cup Café at 519 N Main was owned by Ray Tiffany. Mitchell Fuel and Feed Store was located at 601 N. Main where the Chamber of Commerce is now. The café on the far right is the Palace Café at 613 N. Main that was owned by Earl Gee and Kenneth Cooper.
Published in the October 5th, 2015 Daily Republic.
Mitchell Kiwanis Good Fellows distributing clothing and toys for Christmas, 1928, Mitchell. Kiwanians, left to right: Art Bjodstrup; John Giese, who owned the truck; George Phifer; John J. Klundt; Carl Ralston; and Robert Raines. The truck is standing in front of the west side of the Widmann Hotel on South Main Street.
Published in the March 2nd, 2015 Daily Republic
This 1949 photo shows the Administration Building for the Mitchell School system. The building was built in 1884 and housed first through fourth grades and was called Lincoln School and later, East Side School. In 1907, when a new high school was built on the same block, Lincoln was moved to the northwest corner of the block. In 1934 the Lincoln building was remodeled into offices for the superintendent and clerk. The building was razed in 1963. Photo courtesy of Jim Blades.
Published in the November 23rd, 2015 Daily Republic.
This March 31, 1949 photo shows Council Oak Food Store on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Main Street. In 1953, Council Oaks Food Store moved to 118 W Fourth Avenue (now KORN), until 1958 when it was bought out by National T Store. Next to Council Oaks on the north is Northwestern Public Service. Across the street to the south is Blynn Shoe Store (now Brown’s Shoe Store). Photo courtesy of Jim Blades.
Published in the December 28th, 2015 Daily Republic.
This photo was taken after the rodeo parade on July 17, 1976 in front of the Lawler Hotel, 320 North Lawler. Standing in front of the Budweiser Clydesdales is Bob Dixon, owner of the Lawler Hotel and Elza Anderson, an employee of the hotel. Photo submitted by Betty Dixon.
Published in the March 30th, 2015 Daily Republic.
Mitchell Wesleyan Church Choir, Christmas 1946: Back row, left to right: Harold Dufloth, John Hillen, Olive Briles (George McGovern's sister), Shirley Johnson, Minnie Mae Bryant, Phil Briles, Merle Bryant, Bill Hersey, Tom Corey. Front row, left to right: L. L. Hildebrandt, Rosetta Hildebrandt, Verona Heck, Elaine Leischner, Darlene Rozeboom, Janis Hildebrandt, Delores Bury, Virginia Heck, Katherine Hillen, Juanita Hersey, Opal Mudgett, the Rev. Marvin Jones. L.L. Hildebrandt was the director, Rosetta Hildebrandt was pianist. (Photo submitted by Virginia (Heck) Malde)
Published in the March 16th, 2015 Daily Republic.
You "Auto Be In Mt. Vernon" is the title of this postcard from the early 1900's and made by C.C. Slack and Co from Soo Falls, SD. Pictured on the card behind the driver left to right are: top row - the Mt.Vernon Methodist church and the Mt. Vernon Pharmacy built in 1883 at the north corner of first and main; middle row shows a Main Street scene looking south from the corner of First and Main showing the Mt. Vernon Merchandise Company, the Downs and Dickson Real Estate Company, unknown store, the Mt. Vernon Gazette (News), and the elevator with the Prairie Lilly flour mill. The bottom picture is a street scene looking north from First and Main, showing the Mt. Vernon Pharmacy, Grocery Store and meat markets.
Published in the May 4th, 2015 Daily Republic.
This 1929 photo shows the delivery truck for Equity Creamery that was located at 300 West First Avenue The Creamery was started in Mitchell in 1926 across the street and moved to 301 West Third(now Sturdevants Auto Parts Store), when the new building was built in the early 1930s. The creamery closed in 1952.
Published in the November 30th, 2015 Daily Republic.
Gustave V. Swanson opened his own Plumbing and Heating business in Mitchell on February 13, 1915 in the basement at 103½ East 4th Avenue. In 1916 he moved across the street to 108 East 4th Avenue. After returning from WWI he reopened his business at 517 North Main Street and later purchased the adjourning building at 519 North Main Street. At the end of WWII, his only son Donald joined him in the business and in 1950 a sheet metal department was added. In 1952 the two buildings were removed and a new brick building was built (currently Sherwin-Williams Company and Photography Unlimited). Because of the limited parking the business moved to 821 East Railroad Street in 1965. He completed plumbing and heating contracts not only in Mitchell but all across eastern South Dakota. All the inventory, trucks, equipment and buildings were sold in 1978 to Sheesley Sheet Metal.
Published in the February 16th, 2015 Daily Republic.
Shown is the interior of the Dance Pavilion in the early years at Ruskin Park. The dance hall hosted many dances along with roller skating. For 8 decades, Ruskin Park was a very popular recreation spot with a hotel, cottages, race track, fishing, picnicking, baseball, tennis, moving pictures and an auditorium.
Published in the November 16th, 2015 Daily Republic.
Pictured is the Mitchell Roller Drome in 1945. The Rink was located 1320 North Main and was owned by Allen Marek and R. W. Weinhart. The Drome burned down in January, 1985, Roger Sackreiter was the owner at the time. Mitchell Roller Drome was known through the years for bringing many great bands in for dances and was a favorite spot for roller skaters. The Mitchell Roller Drome was inducted into the South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association Hall of Fame in 2014. Photo courtesy of Jim Blades.
Published in the August 31st, 2015 Daily Republic.
Pictured is the inside of Abbin’s Department Store in Mt. Vernon. Standing on the right in front is Byrle Abbin, son; Harry, owner and Leslie Olsen, clerk. In the center is Mrs. Abbin on the right and Susie Pollard, clerk, on the left. On the left is an unidentified family and Beverly Abbin, daughter. The store closed in the late fifties It was later purchased by the American Legion and remodeled. They still use it today for mmeetings and activities. Photo courtesy of Roberta Olsen, Mt. Vernon.
Published in the March 23rd, 2015 Daily Republic.
This 1950 photo was taken after a holiday parade that went up Main Street in Mitchell. Santa and his deer-drawn sleigh parked on west Third Avenue so they could entertain the children after the parade. The building shown in the back ground was the J. C. Penney building (now Ben Franklin’s). Photo courtesy of Jim Blades.
Published in the December 7th, 2015 Daily Republic.
Wilson C. Roberts purchased the Navin Hotel (south-west corner) on September 11, 1945 for $72,000 and changed the name to Hotel Roberts. The hotel was built in 1911 and was the first fire-proof hotel built in South Dakota. All of the large Mitchell hotels were destroyed by fire except The Navin. Don Beebe purchased the hotel for a nursing home in 1963; it remained a nursing home until 1990. The building is now the Navin Apartments.
Published in the July 27th, 2015 Daily Republic.
This 1958 photo shows Santa and his reindeer in the parking lot of Randall’s Grocery Store, which was located on the northwest corner of 12th Avenue and Main Street at the time. The store moved to the Palace Mall location, then built a new store across the street and was bought out by Coborn’s. In the back ground of the photo is Litchfield Elementary School.
Published in the December 21st, 2015 Daily Republic.
This 1960s photo shows the 500 block of north Main looking north from 5th Avenue. On the right is Rozum Motors and across the street is Rozums’s Car Lot. Sherwin Williams paint store is located in the first building by the car lot and Palace Cleaners is on the corner.
Published in the December 14th, 2015 Daily Republic.
Shown is the Highway Post office that was started in the 1950s. The bus was daily mail service between Mitchell and Sioux City, which was to speed up delivery in some towns by as much as three days. A clerk rode with the bus and sorted mail on the road. The service continued through the late 1960s.
Published in the July 6th, 2015 Daily Republic.
Pictured is an advertisement for the Preston, Thune and Company Store that was published in the Mitchell Gazette on November 20, 1912. The second photo is of the building, the business was located in Betts, South Dakota, before moving to Mitchell as Thune Hardware. Betts was five miles west of Mitchell was named for Andrew H. Betts, a Civil War veteran and state senator. A tornado, fire and the Great Depression contributed to the town’s fall.
Published in the November 2nd, 2015 Daily Republic.
Johnson Furniture Store and Staehle Hardware Store Company were located on Third Avenue and Lawler Street, this photo is circa 1930. Vikings Oldsmobile is on the far left and a White Eagle service station is in the foreground on the right.
Published in the April 27th, 2015 Daily Republic.
This photo was taken at Ruskin Park ( Forestburg, SD). From 1910 until the late 1920s, Ruskin Park was synonymous with excitement, entertainment, and of course, romance. It was THE place to be on a warm summer night. Attendance was estimated at 15,000 at special events such as car races, remarkable for a park some might say in the middle of nowhere. The bridge shown here was built across the James River to make it easier for people coming from the west to get to the park. The park boasted fifty cabins, a frame theater, dance pavilion, houses, a baseball diamond, tennis courts, and a golf course.
Published in the June 29th, 2015 Daily Republic.
This two story bus was owned and operated by Rube Adams and took passengers around the city of Mitchell. The bus would take people to the Corn Palace, Friends of the Middle Border Museum, Indian Village, Dakota Wesleyan University and downtown Mitchell. It was also available for special groups to rent. The tour bus ran from 1984 to 1986 for 10 weeks each summer, from mid June through Labor Day. The bus came from England originally.
Published in the February 9th, 2015 Daily Republic.
This Congregational Church was built in the winter 1881/82 on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Kimball Street and dedicated on May 21, 1882. The building was soon outgrown and in April 21, 1907, nearly 108 years ago, the congregation voted to build a new church on the south part of the same lot, which is still being used. This building was purchased by the Zion Lutheran Church and moved to First Avenue and Mentzer Street.
Published in the April 6th, 2015 Daily Republic.
This photo was taken in 1948, when the construction on the viaduct was just starting. Shown is the intersection of First Avenue and Sanborn Boulevard. On the right is a gas station owned by Claude Miller (White Rose) at 323 West First Avenue, on the left is a service station owned by Arnold Sievers (Phillips 66) at 322 West First Avenue. At the base of the picture are the re-bar sticking up where the pylons for the overpass were to go.
Published in the October 19th, 2015 Daily Republic
his 1947 photo shows the K & K Company Department Store that was located at the corner of Third Avenue and Lawler Street. The front part of the building is where the parking lot of First National Bank of South Dakota is now located, the back part of the building is now part of the bank. K & K Company Store opened in Mitchell in 1910. They sold everything from groceries to clothing, to flowers. The newspaper ad for the K & K Café read “We seat 3000 people (26 at a time).” Bib overall were priced at $2.69, men’s work shoes could be had for $1.50 a pair, while women’s dress shoes were selling for $2.98 a pair.
Published in the January 26th, 2015 Daily Republic.
This picture shows Mt. Vernon’s Main Street looking north from the corner of First and Main in the early 1960’s. The Family Corner, formerly the Drug Store, the Mt. Vernon American Legion , formerly the grocery store, Lloyd Sorvaag’s TV Repair Shop and Shay’s Tavern.
Published in the May 11th, 2015 Daily Republic.
This circa 1946 photo shows Bernie’s Cafe located at 519 North Main Street, after 1948 the cafe moved to 523 North Main. The café was owned by Clara M. Jones. The building shown to the right is Bernie’s Liquor Store. The white building at the left is Swanson Plumbing and Heating which later expanded into the building where Bernie’s Cafe is here.
Published in the June 15th, 2015 Daily Republic.
This 1919 Corn Palace was the second of the three palaces built, and was located at the corner of Fifth and Main Street. The main entrance faced south and had a balcony that was used for entertainers and ceremonies. The city has recently added a balcony to the current Corn Palace for visitors to take photos on and other entertainment. Notice the building on the left side of this photo, do you recognize it? The building would have been located at 505 N. Main Street.
Published in the July 20th, 2015 Daily Republic.
This photo shows the Mitchell Implement Store (owned by Lyle Nelson, the John Deere Man) at 800 north Main in 1949. The building was built for the implement in 1947 and remained at the location until 1963. Mitchell Implement carried John Deere and McCormick equipment. TMA has been at this location from 1988 to present. Photo submitted by Jim Blades.
Published in the May 26th, 2015 Daily Republic.
Pictured is a rider for the Shrine White Horse Patrol from Sioux City, Iowa. This photo was taken in 1946 and shows Blynn’s Shoe Store (now Brown’s Shoe Store) at 322 N. Main. Next to Blynn’s was NBA (National Benefit Association) at 320 N. Main. The North American Ice Cream Store was located at 318 N. Main. Photo courtesy of Sally Rozum.
Published in the August 10th, 2016 Daily Republic
The Dakota Wesleyan University football team was sightseeing between games in Washington, D.C. on October 6, 1931, when they happened along President Herbert Hoover and South Dakota Governor Warren Green on the White House lawn. Learning that they were from South Dakota, President Hoover invited them for a photo with him and Governor Green.
Published in the July 13th, 2015 Daily Republic.
Henry Stopfer and William Hohn (second and third from the left) operated a popular saloon in Ethan in pre-Wold War I days. Women rarely entered such establishments then, but there were chairs behind the building and a parking area for horses and buggies where wives and girlfriends could be served or just wait for their husbands and beaus.
Published in the April 13th, 2015 Daily Republic.
This photo shows the Lake Mitchell dam in 1929. This would have been taken shortly after the construction of the lake. Photo courtesy of Alice Splitt.
Published in the August 17th, 2015 Daily Republic.
This postcard labeled “Are we not pretty?”was sent by Alice Watkins, Loomis, South Dakota to Alta Beddoes, Mitchell, South Dakota in 1908. The photo was of the Colonial Club. Pictured from back left are Ross Barker, Jesse Kidd, Ben Watkins, Frank Darme, Bert Bearemont, George Brown and Neil Watkins. Front from left is Sadie Watkins, Mabel Watkins, Alice Watkins, Beryl Pooley, Geneva Small and Lillian Campbell. Photo submitted by Ken Stach.
Published in the June 1st, 2015 Daily Republic.
This 1938 photo shows the Kresge Store which opened in Mitchell on May 14, 1931 and was enlarged in 1947. This building was constructed after two buildings that had housed Diehl Drug Store and Lovinger-Coynes Clothing store were demolished. The store closed in 1961 after 30 years in business. Geyermans Clothing Store next occupied the building. On the left is the Time Theatre, “Battle of Broadway” starring Vic McLaglen and Brian Donlevy, was playing at the time.
Published in the January 19th, 2015 Daily Republic.
This 1908 photo shows a farmer driving a horse drawn grain binder. The photo was taken in Badger Township near Loomis. Farming in 1908 was just a little bit different than it is today, as this picture shows.
Published in the October 12th, 2015 Daily Republic.
This photo was taken by O. S. Leeland in 1911 from the Dakota Wesleyan University Campus looking north. The photo was included in a souvenir book that he made of Mitchell photos to sell to residents and tourists.
Published in the September 21st, 2015 Daily Republic.
This photo shows an ashtray that is from the Corn Palace Collection at the Carnegie Resource Center. It was produced by the Corn Palace Committee in 1964 after a celebrity Golf Tournament held in Mitchell that Lawrence Welk and Andy Williams participated. The Carnegie Resource Center also has a letter written to Harvard Noble, who was on the Corn Palace Committee, thanking him for the ashtrays that were sent to Welk.
Published in the August 24th, 2015 Daily Republic.
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