Mazeppa Area Historical Society
  • Home
  • News
  • The Beginning of Mazeppa
  • Then and now
  • People's State Bank
  • Mazeppa Public School
  • Main Street
  • Bit O' History
  • Board of Directors
  • MAHS Store
  • Where the Hell's Mazeppa ?
  • Calendar
  • Population
  • Membership and Donations
  • Our Received Donations
  • Area Links
  • Contact us
  • 9/11 - Tribute
    • Never Forget
  • Past Events
    • 2011 - Events >
      • Cemetery Clean up 2011
      • Cemetery Walk 2011
      • Soup and Chili Luncheon 2011
    • 2012 - Events >
      • 2012 - Annual Meeting
      • Soup and Chili Luncheon 2012
      • Autumn Supper 9-22-2012
      • Cemetery Clean up 2012
      • Memorial Day - 2012
      • Mazeppa Daze 2012
      • Mazeppa Daze 2012 - Cemetery walk slide show
      • Cemetery Walk 2012
      • Cemetery Walk 2012 - The Walk >
        • Special Thanks
        • Cemetery Walk Supporters
    • 2013 - Events >
      • Annual Meeting 2013
      • Cemetery Clean up 2013
      • Memorial Day 2013
      • MAHS Cemetery Walk - 2013 >
        • cem walk 2013 page 2
        • cem walk 2013 page 3
        • cem walk 2013 page 4
      • Mazeppa Daze 2013
      • Autumn Supper - 2013
      • Soup & Chili Luncheon - 2013
    • 2014 - Events
    • 2015 - Events
    • 2016 - Events
    • 2017 - Events
    • Events of 2018 - 2021
    • 2021 - Events
    • 2022 Events
  • History of the Mazeppa Cemeteries
  • Newsletters
    • Newsletter # 1
    • Newsletter # 2
    • Newsletter # 3
    • Newsletter # 4
    • Newsletter # 5
    • Newsletter # 6
    • Newsletter # 7
    • Newsletter # 8
    • Newsletter # 9
    • Newsletter # 10
    • Newsletter # 11
    • Newsletter # 12
    • Newsletter # 13
    • Newsletter # 14
    • Newsletter # 15
    • Newsletter # 16
    • Newsletter # 17
    • Newsletter # 18
    • Newsletter # 19
    • Newsletter # 20
    • Newsletter # 21
    • Newsletter # 22
  • Historical Happenings of the Past
    • 2023 >
      • January - 2023 Issue
      • February- 2023 - Issue
      • March - 2023 Issue
  • Historical Happenings - Archives
    • 2012 >
      • 07-2012 issue
      • 08-2012 issue
      • 09-2012 "The missing issue"
      • 10-2012 issue
      • 11-2012 Issue
      • 12-2012 Issue
    • 2013 >
      • January - 2013 Issue
      • February - 2013 Issue
      • March - 2013 Issue
      • April - 2013 Issue
      • May - 2013 issue
      • June - 2013 issue
      • July - 2013 issue
      • August - 2013 Issue
      • September 2013 - Issue
      • October - 2013 Issue
      • November - 2013 Issue
      • December - 2013 Issue
    • 2014 >
      • January - 2014 Issue
      • February - 2014 issue
      • March - 2014 issue
      • April - 2014 Issue
      • May - 2014 Issue
      • June - 2014 Issue
      • July - 2014 Issue
      • August - 2014 issue
      • September - 2014 Issue
      • October - 2014 Issue
      • November - 2014 Issue
      • December - 2014 Issue
    • 2015 >
      • January - 2015 Issue
      • February - 2015 Issue
      • March - 2015 Issue
      • April - 2015 Issue
      • May - 2015 Issue
      • June - 2015 Issue
      • July - 2015 Issue
      • August - 2015 Issue
      • September - 2015 Issue
      • October - 2015 Issue
      • November - 2015 Issue
      • December - 2015 Issue
    • 2016 >
      • January 2016 - Issue
      • February 2016 Issue
      • March 2016 issue
      • April 2016 - Issue
      • May 2016 Issue
      • June 2016 - Issue
      • July 2016 - Issus
      • August 2016 - Issue
      • September 2016 - Issue
      • October 2016 - Issue
      • November 2016 - Issue
      • December 2016 - Issue
    • 2017 >
      • January 2017 - Issue
      • February 2017 - Issue
      • March 2017 - issue
      • April 2017 - Issue
      • May 2017 - Issue
      • June 2017 - Issue
      • July 2017 - issue
      • Aug 2017 - issue
      • Sept 2017 - Issue
      • Oct 2017 - issue
      • Nov 2017 - issue
      • Dec 2017 - Issue
    • 2018 >
      • Jan 2018 - Issue
      • February 2018 - Issue
      • March 2018 - Issue
      • April 2018 - Issue
      • May 2018 - Issue
      • June 2018 - Issue
      • July 2018 - Issue
      • August 2018 - Issue
      • September 2018 - Issue
      • October 2018 - Issue
      • November 2018 - Issue
      • December 2018 - Issue
    • 2019 >
      • January 2019 - Issue
      • February 2019 - Issue
      • March 2019 - Issue
      • April 2019 - Issue
      • May 2019 - Issue
      • June 2019 - Issue
      • July 2019 - Issue
      • August 2019 - Issue
      • September 2019 - Issue
      • October 2019 - Issue
      • November 2019 - Issue
      • December 2019 - Issue
    • 2020 >
      • January 2020 - Edition
      • February 2020 - Edition
      • March 2020 - Edition
      • April 2020 - Edition
      • May 2020 - Edition
      • June 2020 - Edition
      • July 2020 - Edition
      • August 2020 - Edition
      • September 2020 - Edition
      • October 2020 - Edition
      • November 2020 - Edition
      • December 2020 - Edition
    • 2021 >
      • January 2021 - Issue
      • February 2021 - Issue
      • March 2021 - Issue
      • April 2021 - Issue
      • May 2021 - Issue
      • June 2021 Issue
      • July 2021 Issue
      • August 2021 - Issue
      • September 2021 - Issue
      • October 2021 - Issue
      • November 2021 - Issue
      • December 2021 - Issue
    • 2022 >
      • January 2022 Issue
      • February 2022 Issue
      • March 2022 Issue
      • April 2022 - Issue
      • May 2022 Issue
      • June 2022 - Issue
      • July 2022 - Issue
      • August 2022 - Issue
      • September 2022 - Issue
      • October 2022 Issue
      • November 2022 Issue
      • December 2022 Issue
  • The People's Feedback page
  • The "Green" Bridge
  • Red Bridge
  • Rochester Power Dam
  • Misc pic's etc.
  • Aluminum cans and the Adopt a highway
  • Misc. Notes and Photos
  • Water Systems
  • Our New Home
  • Uncle Cal Buck's Lenten devotional
  • Street Banners
  • Map of Mazeppa 1880
Picture

Mazeppa Twins


They were not built on the same date nor are they identical but they do look very similar in outside appearance. So let’s call to them the “Twins”. I am referring to the two tan stone buildings on the east side of once thriving business district of Mazeppa. Together they were the location for many years of a much needed staple in the farming community of Mazeppa. The south twin, known as the Gregoire building, dealing in farm implements much of its commercial life and its north neighbor, the Noel Building, served the community as a hardware store.  

“South Twin”
​

Picture
John B. Gregoire, who had been in partnership with John Kingsley since 1878, bought out Kinsley’s implement business in 1882. Peter Englehart joined Gregoire in partnership and together, specialized in McCormick Harvesting Machinery, Oliver, and LaCross farm implements. Other products the business sold were Woodmanse wind mills, and Sharpless Cream Separators, plus sewing machines, pianos and Packard organs. In 1889 they also purchased a well drilling rig with Joseph Sibley as the operator. Purchasing the property and building from Kingsley in 1894, John B. Gregoire dissolved his partnership with Englehart, maintaining the business on his own. On the sudden death of J.B. at 44 years of age in Feb. of 1897, his wife, Anna Clemens Gregoire, assigned John’s brother, Joseph N Gregoire to oversee the business for a time. James J. Darcy, who had been helping Sibley with the well drilling, took over management of the business in 1900. Darcy also owned City Meat Market at the time. John’s widow, Anna, built J.J. Darcy a new 60’ x 30’ two story building in 1901, replacing the old wood structure, allowing Darcy to enlarge the farm machinery line and added the selling of J.L. Clark Buggies and Scurries among other lines. He also maintained the well drilling business. Anna Gregoire added an addition to the back of the building in 1903. James J. Darcy managed the business into the late 1920s. In 1929 Henry Gerken took over the implement business selling McCormick-Deering farm equipment and later International Harvester. In 1937 Alfred J. Gerken joined the business and at that time bought the Pioneer Hardware store next door from W.A.Munger.

“North Twin”​


John Noel, an accomplished builder in Mazeppa, purchased the property that John Christnach occupied as a shoe store and residence and built the North twin in 1906 with Pioneer Hardware Store of W.G.Kingsford as a tenant. In 1908 Pioneer Hardware Store changed ownership from Kingsford to O. Halvorson from Harmony, Mn. who soon turned it over to F.H. Scharfenberg and Sons. Walt Munger took over operation of Pioneer Hardware in 1913 from F.H Scharfenberg and Sons adding Gardner Motor Cars to his sales in 1920. Then Scharfenberg went on to open a business on Maple Street selling John Deere Machinery, Buick, Overland, and Hudson automobiles. H.E. Gerken, and his brother Alfred purchased Munger Hardware in 1938 selling Marshal-Wells brand of merchandise while also occupying the remodeled Gregoire building next door for implement sales holding the dealership for International Harvester. The Gregoire family sold their building to Henry and Alfred Gerken in 1948. In 1956 they moved their Marshall Wells line next door combining the two businesses to one location. That same year, Alfred’s son Marlyn, along with Henry’s Son- in- Law, Paul Butlin, bought the International Harvester Dealership. Butlin had already become a partner after returning from WWII. The Gerkens closed the entire hardware business in 1959 and Gil Schafer opened a restaurant in the Gerken building. Lester and Deloris Gullickson took over the restaurant in 1962. The Gerkens sold the building to the Munson family previously who sold their orchard’s apples. Henry Gerken passed away from cancer in 1968. He had operating hardware stores also located in Zumbro Falls and Goodhue for 41years.

 
While the new high school was being constructed in 1956, the Noel/Munger building was used to conduct agriculture and industrial arts class.
​

Other owners or tenants of the Noel building in more recent years have been Gay Gahler’s Bakery, Joe Meyer, Carol Brekken, Kalaas Insurance Agency, Ray Vik and Larry VanDeWalker, Stephen and Juanita Robinson Antique Store, Main Attraction Barber Shop, and now Desired Image Hair Salon, with Richard Yennie as building owner. 
​
Picture
Picture
Picture
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.