Waseca business: Lewer Garage. The donor is the great-grandson of William Everett, co-founder with Aughenbaugh, of the E. A. Co Mill in Waseca County. The Everett home, built by William's son Edward Everett, overlooking the east end of Clear Lake, was a showplace in its time, a classic Victorian-style home, it was demolished in 1958 it was an architectural and historical loss to Waseca County. This collection of photographs from Willard Everett is donated under our "Loaned to Us" program, where the donor allows WCHS to scan the images, but donor keeps possession of the original photographs. This photograph is from his postcard collection. The Lewer building was 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.
