Pieces of the past: 50 photos of Winona businesses, dating back to the 1860s
View historic photos of the area's businesses. Photos courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society Archives and reader submissions.
Winona Municipal Airport
An undated photo showing the Winona Municipal Airport. The airport is currently under construction, repaving and lengthening the runway, as well as updating technological features of the airport. If you have more information about this photo, let us know at 507-453-3510 or news@winonadailynews.com.
Watkins Administration Building
The interior of Watkins Administration Building at 150 Liberty St. in Winona. The J.R. Watkins Co. started in Plainview, Minn., in 1868 and moved to Winona in 1885.
Northern States Power steam plant
Demolition of the Northern States Power steam plant on the east end of Winona in the early 1970s.
Wogan’s Pure Oil Service Station
Wogan’s Pure Oil Service Station was located at the northeast corner of West Fourth and Johnson Streets and was operated by Wallace H. Wogan. The station was constructed in 1935 in an English cottage design as a general automobile service station. The station changed hands at least twice before being closed in 1962. It was razed in 1963 and replace by a Clark’s Super Gas Station.
The Deposit Bank
The Deposit Bank was founded by Henry W. Lamberton as a private bank in 1868 on the west side of Center Street between Second and Third. It was incorporated as the Winona Deposit National Bank in 1871. In 1877, the bank gave up its charter and resumed business as a private bank. Late in 1886, the bank opened in a new building at the northwest corner of Third and Center. The bank continued as a private bank until 1900 when it incorporated as a state bank. In 1910 it was merged with the Second National Bank and became the Deposit Bank of Winona which existed until 1927 when it merged with the First National Bank.
Winn Tee Pee Cabins
The Winn Tee Pee Cabins offered a cheap place to get away from 1929 to 1964. Originally opened as a lodge in May of 1929 by Miss Blanche Hunter at the intersection of Highways 43 and 61, it was built of oak logs with a shingle roof. The lodge was large enough to accommodate 50 people for parties plus had living quarters and private dining rooms for families. Four small cabins were also built to make this site into tourist park and resort. The name “Winn Tee Pee” came from the Winona TeePee Camp.
Grocery store and bar
A group of men take their photo in front of a multi-shop building. In the early 1900s, William Speck owned the building and the grocery portion of this complex on East Wabasha and Chatfield streets in Winona's East End. The building still stands as the East Side Bar.
Winona Daily Republican
The Daily Republican and Stevens Block on the southwest corner of Third and Center streets in downtown Winona.
H. Choate
H. Choate, at the southeast corner Third and Center streets, undated.
Winona Deposit Bank
At 50 W. Third St. in Winona, the Winona Deposit Bank was established by Henry W. Lamberton in 1868 and opened in this building 1885. The bank merged with the Second National Bank to become the Deposit Bank of Winona with William H. Laird as president.
Philharmonic Hall
The Philharmonic Hall, and later the Redman’s Wigwam, is being razed after being destroyed by a fire in 1967. It was built in 1894, after a fire had destroyed the previous hall and was purchased by the Redman’s Club in 1918. It was located at the northwest corner of Franklin and East Fourth Streets in Winona.
Eagle Drug Store
The Eagle Drug Store was founded by Joseph W. Lauer in 1881 at the southwest corner of Franklin and Third streets in Winona. Joseph Lauer, the pharmacist, can be seen standing behind the counter.
William Morris 5 and 10
A busy day at the William Morris 5 and 10 cent store in Winona.
First National Bank
The First National Bank at the northwest corner of Center and Fourth streets in downtown Winona. The building was opened in December of 1908. Established in 1864 at 52 E. Second S., the building was razed in July of 1968 after the bank moved to its new location at the northwest corner of West Fourth and Main Street.
Sawmills
Romuald Kierlin, fourth from left, was one of many residents of east end Winona who found employment in one of Winona’s sawmills.
Peerless Chain
Peerless Chain in Winona.
Millinery Shop
Helen Cichanowski Faber operated a millinery shop at 623 E. Fifth St. in Winona in 1912. Two years later she moved downtown. Meanwhile, her sister Agnes had been a clerk at The Fashion, a downtown Winona women's clothing store. By 1921, Helen had moved her shop to 526 E. Fourth St. and Agnes was clerking there but was to remain for only a few short years. She died in 1926. Helen continued her business until 1929. Helen is shown seated at the left end of the front row.
Cichanowski Jewelry and Barber Shop
An East End Winona landmark was the Cichanowski Jewelry and Barber Shop on Mankato Avenue, just off Broadway, across from the Polish Stock. The jewelry business began in 1906. Felix had been trained in Chicago as a jeweler but also did barbering. By 1912, Felix and Joe were in business at the Mankato Avenue address and John was a clerk at Hillyer's Furniture and Mortuary in downtown Winona. In due course, John joined his brothers as a barber. Joe died in 1941 at the age of 58, and his wife Stella took his place. She operated the jewelry business until 1953.
Conrad Fur Store
The workroom off the Conrad Fur Store, photographed around 1900. There were not many places of employment available for young women at the time. They found jobs as seamstresses, clerks in stores, and providing domestic services.
Cierzan Store
The Cierzans employed ladies who could turn out wedding dresses and First Communion dresses. F. L. Cierzan and his wife Mary (Mrs. C.) third and fourth from left.
Bub's Brewing
Michael Yahnke, seated on the right, and his friends pose for a photo during a sociability session. They are promoting Bub's beer, produced in a brewery located in Winona.
Laird-Norton Mill
Workers load up a horse-drawn wagon at the Laird-Norton Mill in 1867.
Meadowbrook Golf Club
Meadowbrook Golf Club was one of the first in the state in 1897. The clubhouse was located where St. Mary's Church is now on West Broadway in Winona.
Seekamp Ice and Fuel
A delivery of ice by Seekamp Ice and Fuel in Winona around 1906.
Bub’s beer wagon
Bub’s beer wagon makes a delivery at a local saloon, circa 1900. Bub’s Brewery would survive Prohibition and continue to be “The Beer That Makes It Fun To Be Thirsty” for more than 30 years after the 18th Amendment was repealed.
Becker and Schellhas Brewery
Becker and Schellhas Brewery, ca. 1904. Standing left: William Schellhas. Dark team: Otto Kiekbusch. White Team: Emil Kiekbusch. To the right of white team: Frank Wellenkoetter. Brewmaster wither John Behrens or Jake Jereczek. Next to brewmaster: Charles, Bill and Emil Tarras. Others who might be in picture: Conney Rackow, Lou Albrecht, Herb Riebau. Others unknown. Women are part of the Schellhas family.
Winona Brickyards
First clay bank, Winona Brickyards. Photo taken around 1880.
Shipping bricks
Edward "Pat" Lynch hauling a load of brick to the Great Western R.R. for shipping in 1910. In background stands the Martin Johnson home in West Burns Valley.
B.T. Farmers Co-op oil
Oil truck on Lewiston farm.
O'Dea Coal
O'Dea Coal advertising with John O'Dea and his son Stephen (Steve) O'Dea and Sugar Loaf, Winona.
Becker and Schellhas Brewery
Becker and Schellhas Brewery, around 1892. Standing: unknown, unknown, Charles Tarras, Frank Wellenkoetter. Sitting: Mike Erlinger, Emil Tarras, John Becker, William Schellhas, Christ Schildknecht. Little boy and girl unknown.
Bay State Milling Co.
An artists conception of the mill complex that would rise on the ashes of the mill and warehouse destroyed in the 1911 fire. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Bay State in Labor Day Industrial Parade
Bay State's Wingold Flour was celebrated in the Labor Day Industrial Parade in 1916. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Westfield Golf Club
Westfield Golf Club, 1460 W. Fifth St. in Winona in 1955. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona County Historical Society Armory Museum
Grand opening of the Winona County Historical Society Armory Museum onApril 15, 1973. Hubert Humphrey was scheduled speaker, but couldn't fly because of weather. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Lake Park Bath House
Lake Park Bath House in 1941.
Steak Shop
The interior of the Steak Shop at 125 Main St. in Winona with "Ma" Ozmun in 1976, just before demolition. Frank Cunningham was the owner. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Emil's Root Beer Stand (now Lakeview Drive Inn)
Emil's Root Beer Stand in 1940, now the location of Lakeview Drive Inn on East Sarnia Street in Winona.
Norm's Webb Service
An undated photo of Norm's Webb Service at Gilmore Avenue and Clark's Lane in Winona. The gas station became Rub-a-Dub Car Wash in 1990 and is now Gilmore Avenue Car Wash and Lube.
Behrens Manufacturing
Employees work with steel buckets at Behrens Manufacturing in Winona in this pre-1940s photo.
F.W. Woolworth
The F.W. Woolworth lunch counter at 62 E. Third St. in 1984. The store closed after 70 years in Winona. For more historical photos and stories, visit winonadailynews.com/piecesofthepast. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Woolworth Company
Undated photo of Woolworth Company in downtown Winona. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Downtown photo
This undated photo of downtown Winona features the Winona County Courthouse in the background. The Winona Hotel is in the middle of the picture, with the Livery Stable and Stage Coach Stop in the foreground. For more historical features and photos, visit winonadailynews.com/piecesofthepast.
Union Fiber Co.
Union Fiber Co. Chempco set up operations in the building pictured in 1936. Later, the building, located between Ewing and Stone streets on West Third Street, was home to Archer Daniels Midland. The site is currently the home of the Bob Welch Aquatic Center.
Winona Republican
The Republican newspaper office at 116 Johnson St. in 1855. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
CNW Depot, Sherwood Hotel
Undated photo of CNW Depot in background. Sherwood Hotel right foreground.
Winona National Bank
Winona National Bank under construction in 1915. The building at Fourth and Main streets first housed both the Winona Savings Bank and the newly formed Winona National Bank. The two banks later merged as Winona National and Savings Bank. After another merger with Town and Country State Bank of Winona in 2001, the bank was renamed to Winona National Bank. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Clinic
The Winona Clinic was located in Kissling Building at 172 Main St. in downtown Winona. It was opened on August 29, 1921, by Doctors Edmund McLaughlin, Bertolot Rosenberry and Walter Nauth. After the clinic moved to its Sarnia Street location, the building was converted in an office building and was destroyed by fire in February of 1974. McDonald’s Restaurant now occupies the site.
Winona Post Office, 1871
Winona Post Office on Third Street in Winona in 1871. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Royal Confectionery
The Royal Confectionery, a Greek ice cream parlor located at 59 W. Third St. in Winona around 1920.
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The births, deaths, joys and concerns of Winona’s turn of- the-century Polish community and of Poles across the nation are assembled in a neat…
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