Photograph as originally submitted to this page in the Historical Marker Database www.HMdb.org. Click on photo to resize in browser. Scroll down to see metadata.

Photographer: Courtesy “Decorah, A City of Springs”
Caption: Marker detail: Hawkeye Oil Company
Additional Description: The Decorah Republican on January 8, 1861 listed this location as the site of the carriage shop of George Phelps. This property was transferred to a number of other owners before becoming the location of the Engbretson Implement Store which occupied the frame building on the right in this photo. Hartvig Engbretson Sr. and later his son Hartvig (Hod) Jr. were in business at this location for over 50 years selling buggies, wagons, and “thrashing” machines. When Hod discontinued the implement business sometime after the death of his father, a succession of filling stations occupied by the Standard Oil Co., then Mobil Oil Co., Texaco Oil Company and finally the Kwik Trip Company, followed. The Viking Bank and Trust is now located on the property. Engbretson's building is visible on the left side of the photo above and the gas station shown was located on the southwest corner of River and W. Water Streets across the street from where you are standing. Highway 52 was originally routed down Water Street so there were a number of gas stations along the downtown route.
Submitted: February 20, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Database Locator Identification Number: p775112
File Size: 0.616 Megabytes

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