100 block of South Main

Taken in 1908 this photo looks north showing the 100 block of South Main Street. On the left is the Evans Hotel and the Flugstad Hardware Company with a vacant space between the two buildings that in six years would become the Bank of Westby. Barely visible is the old Stevlingson and Call general merchandise store before they constructed the building on the corner that exists today. Crossing the street from the State Bank of Westby is Ole Westby’s second store being used in 1908 as a Hardware store. The turret is over the front entrance to the A.H. Dahl general merchandise store, now Uff-Da Mart. The front right of the photo is Erik Sveen & Son Furniture and Funeral business.

Must be a sale at Stevlingson’s or Dahl’s.

Why else would all the buggies be at their locations?

You will notice that in 1908,  one of two city gas street lights was hanging over the middle of the intersection of Main and First. The other gas street light was hanging over the center of the intersection of State and Main. An explanation for this is that when a town, village or city is in its infancy, the center of town is usually First and Main and a bank is on one of the corners. Westby had two banks at this intersection before they both moved north. The new Bank of Westby moved to the middle of the block and the new Bekkedal Bank moved one block north to State and Main. Since the intersection of Main and State by 1908 was also the center of town another gas light lit this intersection.