Feb. 25, 2020
Today, Alexandria lost a piece of our historic heart on Broadway. Some lost their businesses; some lost their homes. Right now, we are thankful that it appears no one lost their lives and that fire departments from near and far were able to contain the fire as much as they did. We grieve with all those who have been impacted by the fire and hope that healing and reconstruction touches their lives sooner rather than later.
When something historic is destroyed, the entire community feels its loss, as though a longtime friend or part of the landscape has been suddenly ripped away.
The buildings lost today were the backdrop for countless memories for our generation and generations before. Over the course of a century-and-then-some, these buildings housed drugstores, groceries, restaurants, doctors, clothing stores, hairdressers, retail stores, and more. The 500 Block has been a cornerstone of life in Alexandria since the arrival of European settlers, with much of the structure lost today dating back to the 1880s and 1890s.
The nature of life is to change, but nothing lessens the pain of loss. As a Historical Society, the only balm we can offer this pain is the immortality offered through historic appreciation and preservation. Buildings were lost in the fire today; Memories were not. Bricks came tumbling down; History did not.
What was lost today always has been part of Douglas County’s history and always will be a part of Douglas County’s history.
In honor of what was lost, we’d like to share some of their history with you today. In our memories, the historic buildings of downtown Alexandria will bask in the summer sunlight a while longer.
Again, we thank the brave fire departments and first responders who attended to the fire today and we wish for healing and restoration for all those affected.
Brittany Johnson
Douglas County Historical Society, MN
*Please note this list is approximate, some locations and addresses have changed or merged over the years. Dates are sometimes reversed-engineered from photos and may need accuracy checks.
502 Broadway:
Nelson Barber- unknown
White Swan Saloon- unknown
Morissee, Wegner & Aiton Hdwe.- 1900
Henry Holverson Rexall Drug- 1913
Larson & Johnson- 1913
Phillips 66- 1929
Dairy Queen- 1951
Downtown Floral- 1996
RM Tattoo & Body Piercing- 2009
504 Broadway
Viking Savings & Loan- unknown
Bud’s Café- unknown
Tangen, Wagner & White Hdwe.- 1887
Morissee, Wegner & Aiton Hdwe.- 1900
J.A. Carlson Grocery- 1900
Cobjornson,Wegner- 1914
Loseth Service Station- 1929
Montgomery Ward- 1951
Glenwear- 1955
Edith’s Town & Country- 1955
Downtown Floral- 1996
RM Tattoo & Body Piercing- 2009
504 Broadway (Not Main Floor)
Lundgren Cigar Factory- 1900
Hopson Barber Shop- 1929
Douglas Hotel- 1940
Ernie’s Barber Shop-1951
Lois Your Hairdresser- 1960
Beauty Nook- 1974
506 Broadway
Christianson Sterett Drug- 1800’s
Black Front Drug- 1800’s
LeRoy Hackley City Drug- 1800’s
Malmquist Saloon- 1800’s
Baumbach-Morisee Drug- 1883
Bombach-Holverson Drug-1896
Dr. E.A. Hensel- 1900
Baumbach-Holverson- 1908
John A. Carlson Grocery- 1911
Charles Culross Restaurant- 1913
Fitzgerald Drug- 1935
Holverson Drug- 1938
Kalpin’s City Grocery- 1939
Rosvold Drug- 1940
Dahlquist Electric-1951
Baumbach Drug- 1953
Sears Roebuck-1965
Williams Drug- 1976
R V Graphics- 1996
Rappers- 1996
506 Broadway (Not Main Floor)
Dr. C. A. Lester
Dr. Haskel-1911
Park Region Echo-1913
Dr. Kierland-1938
Dr. Stubig- 1938
Dr. Reinhardt- 1959
Dr. Kuhlman- 1959
508 Broadway
Pots and Plants- unknown
Our Place- unknown
Christ Oppel Shoes- 1869
Oppel Shoes, new building-1884
Rosvold Drug- 1940
Olson Shoes- 1964
Walt’s Shoe Repair-1964
Marquee Too- 1975
Special Memories- 1996
Charlie’s Bazaar
510 Broadway
Decorating Kitchens- unknown
Wilson’s New Bakery- unknown
Hollobaugh Hdwe- 1867
Cowing Robards Hdwe- 1872
Cowing Robards Hdwe, new building- 1880
Little Darlings Children’s Boutique- 2019
512 Broadway
Yeuters Bakery- 1957
514 Broadway
Patterson Harness Shop- unknown
Our Own Hardware- unknown
E.O. Unumb General Merchandise- 1894
Houglie & Ripley- 1913
Alex Grocery- 1936
Cowing Robards
