Recollections of Local Pioneer Days

Recollections of Local Pioneer Days written by the late Mrs. Rudolph (Emily Westby) Nustad in 1925. Emily was a daughter of Ole T. Westby.

The oldest house still standing in Westby was built in 1858 when Hans Ramsrud took a claim right here where part of the city is built. The house is still in good condition and located on the corner of State and Davidson Streets.

There was only a small blacksmith shop run by John Steig when Ole Syverson and Hans Ramsrud built their homes. In 1858 Steig’s blacksmith shop was at the southwest corner of State and Main Streets.

The first I can remember of the beginning of Westby Station was when I sat on the load when we were moving into the little store for which he had hauled all the lumber from Black River Falls. I can see it standing in among the large trees. I thought it was a fine home compared to the little log cabin we had lived in before.

There were woods all around here then; we could see the tents of the Indians in among the trees. But they did not bother us. Of course, we children did not like them, especially when we had to go to the Coon Prairie post office for the mail, down in what we now call “Old Town”, a mile south Westby.

Per Evenson was the postmaster - he also had a general store. This store was built some time in the 1860s by my Uncle.

In 1874 my father built a larger store across the street from the first one.