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         Soon after the railroad was projected, in the Fall of 1857, William M. Dugan erected the first house in Louden, a two-story frame hotel and store room on Lot 1, Block 5, on the west side of Main street, near the railroad. Mr. D. W. Baird came with him and remained a short time. He returned the next year and settled there. In the store room, Mr. Dugan opened a grocery, which in 1858, he enlarged to a general stock and moved to a store which he erected on the south end of Lot 1, Block 6. Previously, John B. Huff moved a house in town and built a one-story store room on Lot 6, Block 5. In the same year, Robert Henry entered into partnership with Mr. Huff, and the firm erected a . . .

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. . . warehouse on Lot 13, Block 5. Another warehouse was built the same Summer by H. F. Clark on Lot 2, Block 6. Other warehouses were erected by W. M. Dugan, 1860, Lot 1, Block 6; Holton & McCabe, Lot 2, Block 6, 1860; Capt. Samuel Crozier, Lot 3, Block 6, 1860-61.

         In 1861 or 1862, Mr. Rorick built an elevator, and another was afterward built by August Petersen.

         In 1859, Mr. Dugan built a new store on the north end of Lot 1, Block 6, where he continued business until the war (1862), when it was sold to Peterson Brothers, who have continued it since that time.

         Martin Henry bought the business interest of Mr. Huff. Robert and Martin Henry afterward sold to N. Whitney, an old resident, who closed the store. In 1859, G. H. Rorick and D. Kimball built a store room on Lot 1, Block 3, where they opened a general stock of goods. Mr. Rorick soon purchased the interest of Mr. Kimball, and continued until his death, about 1868, after which Richmond & Kohler were proprietors, and moved to Lot 8, Block 4, where William Kohler now carries on the business.

         C. H. Northrup & Co. established in the hardware business in 1862 and continued for many years. Wm. F. Hahn established the drug business in March, 1862, which he has continued until the present time. Among other early business men were George Rosecrans, Stephens Bros. and B. B. Kinney, grain dealers; Samuel Hobaugh, the first blacksmith; C. H. Hanson, the first wagonmaker, and James P. Reed, the first carpenter. Barney McCabe kept the first saloon on Lot 10, Block 5; he sold to David Curry in 1859, who continued for many years, but finally became convinced of the error of his ways, joined the church and went to the Black Hills, where he died in 1877.

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POST OFFICE.

         In the Winter of 1857-8, Mr. Dugan obtained an office at his store, the mail being carried from the terminus of the railroad by stage. This office was discontinued for a few months in 1859, but re-opened, with G. H. Rorick, Postmaster and D. W. Baird, Deputy. November 22, 1861, Mr. Baird was made Postmaster, which position he has filled to the present time, having made every report for that office except for the first.

         There is a slight variance in the spelling of the village name, the proper name of the town being “Louden,” while the railroad station is “Loudon,” and the post office, “Lowden.”