1.00.345

Print, Photographic

1966

Waseca Main Street. Waseca State Street. Lewer Building, South State Street. Lewer Auto Building Third Floor Removal. Material: paper. Size: 7" x 4". Description: black and white photograph of the Lewer building on South State Street at 2nd Avenue S.W., Waseca, MN. Lightning hit the building on September 1, 1966 causing the third floor to be destroyed by fire. Photograph shows a crane service removing debris from roof of 3-story Lewer building. The Crevice Cafe's sign is visible, the cafe was located on street level on South State Street.

Waseca business: Crevice Cafe; Lewer Auto. Built in 1916-1917 by Ewald Lewer, originally a three-story structure. The building’s basement was home to the E.E. Webber Barber Shop and the L.J. Fiebiger Tailoring Establishment. G.M. Hartson Confectionery Store was on the main floor. Dr. F.A. Swartwood’s offices and the Waseca Cooperative Milling Company’s offices were on the second floor. The third floor was used by the Lewer Garage as a paint shop and for storage purposes. Over the years, businesses continued to utilize the building along with the E.W. Lewer Garage. Display room of the garage building was leased to the Post Office department in 1926 until 1937. The Waseca library then rented the space and they remained in the building until after World War II in 1951. Lightning hit the building on September 1, 1966 causing the third floor to be destroyed by fire. The third floor was home to the gunstock manufacturing division of Herter’s Inc. Crevice Café was on the first floor of the Lewer building directly north of the garage offices. Jerry Huntington’s barber shop was located in the front basement of the building.