Construction of US Highway # 52 Brandon MN

Brandon MN

East of Brandon. View from the East. 1200 pounds of dynamite was used in this blasting. Zoom up on this picture and you can see the old St. Ann's Catholic Church to the far right. This highway is now known as County Road # 82.

Construction of US Highway # 52 Brandon MN

Brandon MN

East of Brandon. View from the East. Notice to the far left there is a white house. The present address for this house is 11622 County Rd 82. There was 1200 pounds of dynamite used for this blasting. While this was taking place the children from the Brandon School were sent home because there was fear that light fixtures might fall on them. This highway is now known as County Road # 82.

Construction of US Highway # 52 Brandon MN

Brandon MN

Moon Lake hill after blasting.

Spectators were allowed to watch from the safety of the Brandon City Park. This highway is now known as County Road # 82

Construction of US Highway # 52 Brandon MN

Brandon MN

Highway construction crew working on the Moon Lake Hill. This highway is now known as County Road # 82.

Construction of US Highway # 52 Brandon MN

Brandon MN

Notice the Chippewa Lutheran Church in the back ground. Take a good look at the cars and trucks. This highway is now known as County Road # 82. This picture shows the intersecion with County Highway # 7.

Construction of US Highway # 52 Brandon MN

Brandon MN
Highway # 52 was the first concrete highway put in with the help of mule teams in the early 1930's. This highway is now known as County Road # 82.

Telephone Office 1923

Brandon MN

This telephone office was located at approximately 207 Front Street in Brandon MN. In the picture the telephone operator seated is Gertrude Stariha Renkes. The one standing behind her is Hildegard Stariha Loeffler. The lineman and technician is Carl Bolin.

Homemade Tractor 1915-1916

Millerville MN

Peter Bitzan with homemade tractor built in 1915-1916. Chassis from an old steam engine, Witte engine, tank in front for cooling. First gas tractor used for threshing in Millerville township.

Millerville Welding Shop 1937

Millerville MN

William Thoennes working in the Millerville welding shop in 1937

Millerville Baseball Team 1944

Millerville MN

Back row in hats: Ben Byrne and Martin Korkowski

Middle row: Maurice Wagner, Bill Byrne, Clarence Byrne,

Nick Bitzan, Miles Wagner, Richard Wagner

Front row: Harold Roers, Hubert Shea, Vicky Thoennes,

Florian Wilken,(Wilfred Wilken or Bud Miller?)

Brandon Postmasters Since 1861

Brandon MN

Henry Gager, the first settler in the area, handled the mail at the J.C. Burbank and Company stage station at Fort Chippewa. He was officially appointed postmaster at what was called Chippewa Lake in February of 1861. The postal site was discontinued in October of 1863 when the area was evacuated due to an Indian uprising. It was reestablished in February of 1867. In November of 1869 the name was changed to Brandon and was moved two miles south of Fort Chippewa to a location closer to the new railroad line.

Original Brandon Post Office

Brandon MN

The original Brandon post office was located at approximately 207 Front Street. A new post office was built in 1959 one block west of the original site, at the corner of Front Street and Central Avenue.

Brandon Post Office during Christmas rush about 1951

Brandon MN

Henry Johnson, rural mail carrier. Delores Schwartz, clerk. Walter Hoving, postmaster.

Emily M. Seidlinger Drexler Postmaster of Brandon

Brandon MN

Emily M. Seidlinger Drexler was the postmaster in Brandon from November 1914 until her retirement in April of 1951. This picture may have been taken during World War II. Notice the Defense Window in the picture.

Brandon Post Office Workers in the 1950"s

Brandon MN

Henry Johnson rural mail carrier for 33 years. Clarence Johnson rural mail carrier for 40 years. Margaret Lehn postal worker. Emily Drexler postmaster for over 36 years.

Henry Johnson's Mail Delivery Snowmobile

Brandon MN

Henry Johnson's home made snowmobile used to deliver mail to rural residents.

Henry Johnson's Rough Road Mail Delivery Vehicle

Brandon MN

Henry Johnson's rough road home made rural mail delivery vehicle

Historic Brandon Auditorium

Brandon MN

Front Street in Brandon MN

Brandon MN

Turn of the century picture.

Ruppelius General Merchandise store was on the corner of Front Street and Central Avenue. In 1880's the corner business was a CoOperative Store. In the early 1900's it was Rupplelius & Leitzinger General Merchandise. Holmgren and Christensen became owners of the building in later years. This is the present location of the Brandon U.S. Post Office.

Larsen, Peterson & Co.

Brandon MN

This store was located at approximately

108 Front Street. It is the third building in this block on Front Street.

Larsen, Peterson & Co.

Brandon MN

This post card is dated 1909. Notice that the Larsen, Peterson & Co. is the third business on the block. Approximate address is 108 Front St.

K.P. Joos Hardware Store

Millerville MN

Left to Right: Karl Joos, Nick Klimek, Bernard Klimek & Engebert Gluba

The Echo - - - - Brandon, Minn.

Brandon MN

The Echo was advertising for printing jobs in the early 1900's.

Wold Brothers General Merchandise Store

Brandon MN

This building was constructed in 1898 at 109 Central Avenue North in Brandon. There were living quarters upstairs with both an inside and an outside stairway. A well was dug on the south side of the building and the pump was installed on the second floor landing or porch. Carl A. Wold and his brothers, John, Ole and Pete, were engaged in the general merchandising business in this building for seven years, and at this time Carl published the Brandon Echo. Three years later he moved to Alexandria where he reorganized the paper and named it the Park Region Echo. In 1914 he became a member of the Legislature. His wife, Eva Emerson Wold, was at one time Douglas County Superintendent of Schools. No exact date has been found as to when the building was converted to a feed and seed store. Albert Haber was the manager of the business when John Renkes came to work in the mill J.O. Renkes purchased the business in 1920 and continued to run it until 1977. The building was taken down in 1986.

Carl A. Wold

Brandon MN

Owner of the Wold Brothers General Merchandise Store along with John, Ole and Pete Wold. Carl began to publish the Brandon Echo in the late 1890's. Later he moved to Alexandria where he started the Park Region Echo.

Brandon Flour and Feed Store

Brandon MN

A.G. Haber ran this advertising in the local newspaper while he was the proprietor of the Brandon Flour and Feed Store in the early 1900's.

Brandon Feed Store & Hatchery

Brandon MN

Two views of the building in the years that J.O Renkes operated the business.

Brandon Feed Store & Hatchery

Brandon MN

J.O Renkes purchased the Brandon Feed Store & Hatchery in 1920 and ran it until 1977. This building was taken down in the later 1986.

Jacob Tamble Furniture Store

Brandon MN

Jacob Tamble Furniture Store was located at 105 Central Avenue in Brandon Mn. This store carried a full line of fine furniture.

Jacob Tamble Furniture Store Advertising

Brandon MN

Newspaper ad from

the Brandon Echo

in the late 1890's.

Hortulana Goering on 108th Birthday

Brandon MN

Hortulana passed away on May 18, 2009. She has been a great source of Brandon history information for many years. She and her husband Jacob and two small children moved to Brandon in 1923. Jacob was the Great Northern depot agent in Brandon for over 50 years. She is survived by 10 children, sixty-seven grandchildren, one hundred and twenty-two great-grandchildren, twenty-nine great-great-grandchildren .

Train Wreck in Brandon

Brandon MN

Train derailed in Brandon, November 29, 1908

Millerville Church, Convent & Parish House

St. Mary's Catholic Church

Millerville MN

St. Mary's Catholic Church 1882. This church stood where the present parish hall stands.

Seven Dolors Catholic Church

Millerville MN

Seven Dolors Catholic Church

Dedication October 25, 1956

First Brandon Creamery

Brandon MN

The first creamery was built in 1911 around Front Street E. In 1929 a new creamery was built on the corner of Central Avenue and 2nd Street. Later parts of the first creamery were torn down and a new building erected where Roy Strom had his scales for weighing livestock.

New Brandon Co-Op Creamery in 1929

Brandon MN

The new creamery was dedicated in October 1929. There were food lockers available for residents to rent. Up-stairs there was a dental office, a beauty shop and apartments.

Brandon Co-Op Creamery

Brandon MN
Ed Augdahl & Howard Pederson pictured in the new modern creamery. Between 1929 and the early 1940's the creamery accepted only cream, so farmers did their own separating. In the early 1940's, because of the war, the government needed whole milk, so farmers were no longer required to separate it.

Brandon Auditorium 1936

Brandon MN

This is a picture of the brand new Brandon Auditorium in 1936. Notice the open door of the new fire barn. Zoom up on the photo and notice the home to the right of the screen and the storage building to the left. A ladder is propped up against the building while a workman is in the front putting on some finishing touches. The sign on the door tells that this is a WPA Project.

Brandon Auditorium Restoration Project

Brandon MN
Please consider making a donation towards the restoration of this Grand Historic Auditorium. The Brandon Auditorium was built by the WPA in 1936. In 1985 the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Claybaugh Preservation Inc. and Orb Management are presently working on plans for the repairs that need to be done.

Brandon Auditorium Fundraiser

Brandon MN

Picture from The Record. Millerville Mayor Bryan Tolifson unveiled one of several framed collections of photos from Millerville's past. The unveiling was done at the Feb 21 fundraiser to help preserve the Brandon Auditorium. All of the new Millerville pictures may be viewed at the Brandon History Center.

Brandon Auditorium Fundraiser

Brandon MN

Picture from The Record. The Feb. 21 fundraiser evening included the unveiling of a special display honoring the two Brandon residents who have served in the Minnesota House of Representatives, Dave Fjoslien and Hilda Bettermann, who is shown below along with Brandon American Legion member Lydon Sletto.

Brandon Auditorium Fundraiser

Brandon MN

Picture from The Record. The Feb 21 fundraiser to help pay for repairs on the Brandon Auditorium was a packed house as hundreds showed up to take part in the festivities. There were games, music, tap dancing, a silent auction, just good old-fashioned conversation, lunch including pie and ice cream. A good time was had by all who attended.

Richard Bitzan 1935

Millerville MN

In 1935 Richard put together a tractor. The motor was a 4 horse power inboard boat motor. The clutch from a model T-Ford was used. The transmission was a 3-speed from a Star car. The back wheels were from an old horse mower and the front wheels were from a model T-Ford without the tires. It was driven on the rims. This tractor pulled a 2-wheel trailer which they used to haul straw in the horse barn or haul wood home.

Seidlinger's Harness Shop

Brandon MN


Seidlinger's Harness Shop was located on Front Street to the East of the Brandon Car Wash location.

Thank You

We want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who attended the Brandon Auditorium Restoration Project Fund Raiser and Silent Auction. We feel it was a great success and was enjoyed by all. A special thanks to the Brandon School BPA Class, the Industrial Arts Class and the 3rd and 6th grades for their help with this event. Thanks to the Record and the Echo Press who published informative articles alerting the public of the importance of the restoration of this Grand Historical Building. We want to thank everyone who donated auction items, money and to the volunteers who used their time and talent to make this event so fabulous.

Board members of the Brandon History Center.

If you would like to make a donation towards the restoration of this Grand Historical Building, please send it to Brandon History Center P.O. Box 514, Brandon MN 56315. For more information you can contact us at brandonhistory@gctel.net

Brandon Auto Club at Millerville

Millerville MN


This picture was taken August 31, 1913.
Zoom up and notice the chickens in the center of the road. Notice the horses and wagon.