8.05.290

Print, Photographic

1940 Approximate

Lewer Building. Waseca Main Street. Waseca State Street. Waseca South State Street. Material: paper. Size: 4 1/2" x 3". Description: black and white photograph of the Lewer building on South State Street at 2nd Avenue S.W., Waseca, MN. Photograph circa 1940, when it had three floors or stories; main floor had awnings on the windows; there was a barber shop in the basement; there was a restaurant or sandwich shop where the Coca-Cola sign is hanging; the shadow image of "GARAGE" is barely visible on a sign at the top southern corner of the building roof line; there is an unidentified man looking out of a third floor east side window.

Waseca business 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.