Winnetoon, Nebraska
Because
of his farming interests, Jones needed a partner for the town project. A
young Norwegian, Peter Glimsdal, joined him in forming the Jones and
Glimsdal Co. Their first building was the shovel house for buying grain. The grain was handled with scoop shovels only.
This same year, Wirtz built a lumber yard, D. Kushman a carpenter shop and
Ernest Scheer the blacksmith shop. Jones
and Glimsdal next built the big corner store with a dance hall above.
In this store, the first Winnetoon Post office was located. It was
established Sept. 23, 1891. John Culberton was the first postmaster.
Winnetoon was incorporated as a town in 1900. It started to build first a
Methodist Church. Following that was the Updike Elevator with Howard Crandall as its manager.
Henry Krameier built the saloon.
By now a number of new homes had been built.
Main street was filling with new business places.
Seth Jones and his brother, Jerome, built the bank. Ed Brooks was
the first cashier. Charles
Kienow built the implement store, William Saunders the harness and shoe
shop besides running the hotel. In
1904, Ralph Clare started the first RFD mail route. The jail was built
about this time and is still standing and is on the National Register of
Historic Places. Charles Bonge, who owned the cement block factory, was
the first city marshal.
From
the west and northwest Winnetoon drew much of its trade. Also, the
Norwegian settlements to the north and northeast made Winnetoon their
trade town. They had their
cemetery here, which they maintained until 1920, when they had the
citizens of Winnetoon take it over.
By 1905, farmers were retiring and building new homes in Winnetoon. The town
continued to grow and change. Peter Glimsdal sold out to Jones and Charles Emick, but continued to operate his
own grocery for many years. Evan and Brown built the big lumber yard.
Henry Berger started the dray line. Charles VanCamp not only was in the
elevator and hog business, but also built a fine hotel.
Charles Pierce operated the drug store.
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Sources of information are all
or some of the listings below:
R.J. Jones - now deceased son of the town’s organizer, Seth Jones
Ruby Jones Pinkerton - now deceased daughter of Seth Jones
Howard Crandall -now deceased city clerk from 1901 - 1910
E.C. Clare - now deceased retired city mayor
Personal memories of former citizens collected by the Winnetoon Historical Society
Gayle Neuhaus - researcher, Winnetoon Historical Society
Peggy Ebel - Winnetoon Historical Society
