New Albin Only Eight Years From Reaching Century Mark By Robert C. Gehl |
Photo caption: Cornerstone -- New Albin could well be called a cornerstone of the State of Iowa, lying as it does in the northeast angle boundaries between Minnesota and Wisconsin. The view is looking northward, and the road that angles off to the left in the upper left hand corner is Iowa Highway 182, becoming Minnesota 26 when it crosses the border at the edge of town. Tribune Aerial Photo by Ed Huebner
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New Albin Only Eight Years From
Reaching Century Mark
By Robert C. Gehl, LaCrosse Tribune
Staff Writer
This 92-year-old off-river community of 643 inhabitants is
located in the northeast corner of the State of Iowa. The cast
iron marker on the north ledge of the town designates the border
between Iowa and Minnesota.
The town is situated on a plain at the mouth of a valley along
Highway 182 about midway between Brownsville in Minnesota and
Harpers Ferry in Iowa.
The highway is routed along the edge of the town but follows
through one of the two main business streets.
A unique physical feature of the town is that while its two
business streets parallel each other they are separated by a wide
gulf through which the railroad runs.
The residential district lies almost entirely off one side of
these business streets which are linked by several side streets.
New Albin is in a farming community and its business economy is
largely dependent upon trade with the outlaying area.
The people are mostly of German and Irish origin and one of their
outstanding characteristics is that most own their own homes.
About a dozen new homes have gone up since 1954.
About three-fourths of the workers in the town are employed by
industries in La Crosse to the north and Lansing to the south.
Most of the men work in La Crosse and most of the women are
employed in Lansing.
The present Highway 182 was constructed through here in 1936.
A rather remarkable story told here about the local citizenry is
that 100 per cent of the voters turned out for the two most
recent school elections.
And as many as 99 per cent of local eligible voters cast ballots
in the last presidential election.
Mrs. Joseph (Margaret) Burke is now 92 and the town's oldest
resident.
Ed Meyer is the person who has been in business the longest
period of time.
Paul H. Meyer has served as treasurer of the fire department 36
years.
Largest industries in the village are the Lee Aluminum Foundry
and Manufacturing Co., owned by Leon Hosch, which manufactures
,toy farm machinery and custom aluminum castings, and the John C.
Mendenhall Lumber Co. which also produces cement blocks and silo
materials. Hosch Marine Sales is a division of Lee Aluminum and
Manufacturing Co. here.
Albert G. Meyer operates a log and lumber company and sawmill.
Robert Potter runs a cheese factory and locker plant. John
Wiemerslage has the stockyards. Bernard Mauss operates a produce
firm and hatchery.
Meyer and Co. store is operated by Pete Hartley while the two
other stores are owned by Peter Mays and Edgar and Shirley
Wuennecke.
Other businesses include Alfred Meyer, furniture and electrical
appliances; Leo and Leonard Heiderscheit, auto sales, garage and
service station; Alfred Tabatt, garage; Robert Bowman and Connie
Mauss, feed stores; and Nick Router, blacksmith and wagon repair.
Clinton Dee has an implement firm, Leslie Dresselhauss, a
hardware store; Jee Fink and Frank Heiderscheit, cafes; Victor
Cremer, supper club; Henry Becker and Walter Breeser,
barbershops; Myron Kranbeer, Arthur Demunk, Robert Plagge and
Robert Kester have taverns; Walter Weymiller, radio and
television service; and Emil Weymiller, Gerald Darling and Martin
Schuttemeier have service stations. Raymond Sires has a bulk oil
company.
Harold Riehm does general contracting and road construction while
Robert Dresselhaus does excavating, grading, trench work and
sewer digging. Edwin Meyer and Son are well drillers. Adolph
Rudnick runs a roadside fruit stand. John and Lulu Schuldt have a
ladies' and men's wear store.
An unusual business in the town is the Paulus Pohlman wormery
where fishing worms are grown on a commercial scale.
New Albin Savings Bank remodeled its building in 1956. Paul H.
Meyer is bank president.
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-source: September 1963 LaCrosse Tribune
Newspaper Clipping
-scan of photo & transcription from Errin Wilker