Ole Westby

Ole Westby

During the civil war times a large number of sturdy European families migrated to America and settled all over the states. Two families of special interest to us are the Westby’s and Dahl’s, the former locating on Coon Prairie, the latter near Portage, Wisconsin. After the war, a young man with great ambition looked about for a suitable helpmate. Then after skillfully maneuvering he finally found “the one of all the best” in the person of Miss. Sarah Dahl. This happy couple located at first on Mrs. Westby’s father’s farm. Later he bought a few lots where today the business blocks of Westby are located. Here a frame building was erected to be used as a mercantile business and hotel in connection. This first store was built on the corner of State and Main Streets that is today the location of Organic Valley. The goods that were sold in the store were brought across country from Sparta and La Crosse by team. Soon the railroad men were contemplating a branch line from Sparta to Viroqua. After the completion of the railroad, many more stores were built. It was now time that the little hamlet must have a name, and the railroad decided to name it Westby Station, in honor of one of the first settlers. These were busy times in the corner store and hotel, Mrs. Westby doing all the work for about forty boarders, besides helping in the store. Sarah Dahl was the first female assistant at the Coon Prairie post office located in numerous locations at what is today the southern edge of the city limits of Westby and the northern edge of the Township of Viroqua. In 1867 Ole Westby returned home from the Civil War and built his first store on the corner of what would become First & Main streets. The intersection of these two streets had always been a crossroads and this corner was the last available to build his store and in 1874 he was able to build his second store across Main Street to the east.

Ole and Sarah’s new house built in 1867 in the vicinity of the Organic Valley
parking lot. About 1900 it was moved to its current location on Ramsland Street.