128 No. 10th Street

Address: 128 North 10^th Street

Legal Description: Part of the South ¼ of Lot 62

Building:

1872 Vacant lot

1890 Alice Sager sold the property to the City of Geneva.

1890 The Geneva Volunteer Fire Department was organized in 1890. The City purchased this property from J. H. Sager and erected a building to store the hose and hose carts. A fire bell was installed to alert the firemen that they were needed.

1906 In November, Tom Heath opened a shoe repair shoe in a new shop beside the hose house. He repaired shoes and also sold new shoes.

1908 In February, Tom Heath received two machines for use in his shop that were seldom found in small towns. One was a nailing machine.

1909 In February, Joe Ertel purchased the T. A. Heath shoe repairing shop, including tools and stock. Mr. Ertel bought a stock of harness and saddlery and additional equipment. Mr. Heath remained to carry on the shoe repair business. They relocated to 116 No. 10th.

1909 In May, Tom Heath moved his shoe repair back to this location.

1911 In April, Tom Heath put in a line of men's shoes.

1913 In January, Tom Heath enlarged his shop.

1914 Knud Knudsen rented the back part of the hose house from the city for $7.50 a month.

1914 In June, the city sold the old firehouse to the Fillmore County Fair association for $35. One provision of the sale was that the building was to be moved within ten days. The Fair Association planned to move the building and remodel it into a poultry exhibit house.

1915 The Fire Department moved its equipment to their new quarters at 150 No. 9^th Street in the new Fire Department/City Hall/Auditorium building.

1916 In November, Wallace Deming purchased the property where the old hose house stood from the city.

1916 A week later, Tom Heath became the owner of the property. Mr. Heath had a shoe repair business here.

1920 In May, Lincoln Pure Butter Co. was located here, managed by A. J. Dixon.

1922 The Beatrice Creamery Co., George Willy, moved into this location.

1922 George Willy moved his cream station to the old Gazette building at 127 No. 10^th.

1922 In May, the Sanborn map showed a cobbler here.

1922 In September, C. O. Emerson moved his shoe repair business here from 124 No. 10^th. He also ran the Swift Produce Station and the Geneva Shippers’ association combined as manager.

1925 George Case operated the Beatrice Creamery here.

1925 Harry Hosack operated the Beatrice Creamery here.

1926 George Case operated the Beatrice Creamery here and Mrs. Case did sewing.

1927 Carter Crouse operated the Beatrice Creamery here.

1930 Ralph Myers operated the Beatrice Creamery here.

1931 R. R. Thomas operated the Beatrice Creamery here.

1931 The C. A. Smith Furniture Store (996 G Street) used this location as a storage annex.

1932 Salzman Shoe Repair, run by John Salzman, then by Jake Salzman.

1933 The Sanborn maps showed a store.

1935 In June, H. H. Salzman joined his brother in the shoe repair shop.

1935 In April, there was a fire at the Salzman Shoe Store, which destroyed about thirty pairs of shoes and some of the machinery, but was quickly under control.

1940 Newman Shoe Hospital, Henry F. Newman, was in the old Salzman location.

1945 Newman Shoe Service moved to 116 No. 10th.

1945 Velma Wilson owned the property.

1945 Cliff and Arleane Wilson owned the property.

1953 The building was converted into a residence and Harry Porter, a local beekeeper, lived there.

1977 Don Clark opened Don's Repair here. He bought Hobart Ridpath's equipment was in his location on Highway 41 for three weeks before moving here.

1984 Fritz Kelch opened a shoe repair here. It was called Ye Ole Cobbler Shop. He learned from Henry Newman.

1988 Butch Hinrichs purchased the lot and tore down the old building. A new building was built in its place.

1988 Hinrichs Wood Shop, specializing in woodcraft items, opened here.

2006 Hinrichs Wood Shop closed.

2007 The building was vacant.

This was ongoing as of the last posting.