Shown above is the old brewery that stood on the banks of the Winnebago River just north of the present Union Memorial Methodist Church on 4th and Carolina N.E.

John Willson, father of Meredith Willson, built this structure in 1916 and started the bakery business that has now developed into tremendous proportions as the Holsum Bread Company, 319 Delaware S.E. The picture above was taken shortly after the bakery was started when the name of the establishment was the Mason City Baking Company.

The Holsum Company purchased the business from the Bell Bakeries in 1939 and since then has taken several steps in expansion of its operations, adding several adjoining buildings that had also been built by John Willson.

The first addition was the old Ulen Radiator Repair shop shown to the right above. Next came, successively, the old Central Show Printing Compnay, Inc., plant and the Farrer Mattress Company farther to the south and the latest addition, according to H. H. DeGrush, manager, is the purchase of the remainder of the Willson estate property in that area to the north of the original bakery building, giving the company approximately 300 feet of frontage on Delaware and providing room for future expansion to be announced shortly.

In contrast with the vehicles used at the time this picture was taken, Holsum Baking Company now has a fleet of 25 trucks and trailers.

Mrs. Elizabeth Hartshorn, mother of the Russell sisters, 411 E. State, was the first milliner in Mason City. Her customers came from the surrounding area as far as Forest city. Her shop was on the corner now occupied by Younkers. Mrs. Russell was the daughter of Dr. George Hartshorn, one of the early physicians in the city. He had his office in the same building in which his daughter's shop was located.

Mrs. George Warner took the leading role in the organization of the PTA in Mason City at a meeting held at the Garfield school in 1907. Her daughter, Lurana Warner, was a teacher in the Mason City schools for many years, teaching in the old Central at the time of the fire, then in the old red brick building. Moving into the new administration building when that was completed, she retired two years ago. A son, Jess Warner, was a high school teacher here in what is now the Lincoln School building. Another daughter, Frances, now Mrs. Ira A. Wintrode, now lives in Rapid City, S. Dak.

  

Gen. George Armstrong Custer became a favorite historic figure for Betty Russell, 411 E. State, from childhood. In the far left picture, Betty Russell is shown as a child with her grandmother, Betsy Spear Hartshorn, one of the first pioneers in Mason City. Mrs. Hartshorn was present at the birth of Gen. Custer at Rumley, Ohio, Dec. 5, 1839, and was the first to dress him. At far right, Miss Russell is shown with two statuettes of the famous general which she made from Mason City clay.

Ransom's Cigar Store, 120 N. Federal, has been a part of the business life of Mason City for almost a century, dating back to 1866 when Court Ransom came here from Rockford and opened a billiard parlor. The store was continued by his son, Tod Ransom, who was in business more than 50 years. Harley Ransom, third generation to have charge of the business, started with his father in 1919.

Edward O. Lehmann, manager of the Griesemer Leather Store, 16 Delaware S.E., is still in the leather business which he started learning in the same location 55 years ago. The store has been on the same spot except for a three year period.

Lehmann went to work in 1898 for William Weigle to learn the leather business, then an expanding enterprise with horses used for transport and travel as well as on the farms. Seven years later Lehmann bought out Weigle and moved the store to 1st S.E. Three years later when the Century Annex building was completed he moved his store back to the original location, where it has remained since.

In 1936 Paul Griesemer of Garner bought out the store, but Lehmann continued as manager.

NOTE: Edward died March 22, 1961, and was buried beside his wife Martha L. (May 11, 1887 - May 19, 1955) at Memorial Park Cemetery.

Unless otherwise noted, photographs courtesy of The Globe-Gazette.
Some of the photographs did not scan well. In such a case the photograph
has been substituted with a clearer copy if available.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, November of 2014