Email from Burton
Remembering Kenny
I just re-read your recent article on Kenny Peter. I knew Kenny from my youth and you managed to stir up a few memories of Kenny.
The Texaco Station
I remember Kenny when he ran the Texaco station which was just south of my mother’s small house. The Texaco station was built in the late 1930’s by Earl McCaustland and Don Bowers. It was know as B and M Service. My mother, Claudia Nagel, later Jones, actually sold the lot to them.
In the early 1940’s the station was purchased by Ernest Peter, uncle of Kenny. Ernest was owner of Northern Iowa Oil Company in Cresco. Alvin Link operated the station before Kenny. Alvin’s dad was George Link, a farmer, probably in Fillmore County.
The Produce Company
I seem to recall the car wreck that you mentioned. Did it occur south of the “Y”?
When Kenny was employed by Hy Rosenblum I had a part-time job making egg crates and doing other tasks such as cleaning the trays in the cages that held the chickens that were on their way to market. Yuck!
As you may know Hy was Jewish and he had a room with Minnie Obriham until he built an apartment above the produce business which was across the street from the City Meat Market, operated by J Ryce Jones. Hy ate his meals in the local cafe and he liked bacon and had it fried in butter so that he didn’t violate Jewish religious laws.
Never did understand that.
Blanche Arrives
Blanche came to LS in the 1940s. I think she worked in the cafe. She had a brother, Hank Ostby, who was a real character. Hank may have worked for Kenny at one time.
Lime Springs Buildings
You mentioned that the LS Produce Company was located in a former livery stable. That could be but there was another building farther west that was a livery stable formerly owned by my dad, Bert, and his brother Art, father of Dick and Lavonne. The Nagel building was torn down for material salvage in the late 1930s. The contractor, Archie Clanton, remodeled my mothers house-i.e. basement, sewer and water- in payment for the materials that he salvaged.
Probably not too any folks around there remember 1940 events.
My Story
It is difficult to believe that I left LS 63 years ago. Nearly all my kin in Iowa and MN
are deceased. Helen Cheney is still around-first cousin, Wallace Osland-first cousin.
I think he lives near Lanesboro. He was a mortician in Spring Valley. His dad was Nels.
You did a nice job remembering Kenny. Thanks.
Burt, Class of 1950, LSHS
…and thanks to you, Burton, for sharing memories of Kenny and our hometown!