The following appeared in The Rose History in 1911.
Rock County Village continued from 7-30-20 edition of the Star Herald.
Hardwick
At the close of the year 1892 we find that there were in the new town three general stores, one hotel, one lumber yard, one fuel yard, two grain warehouses, two blacksmith shops, one saloon and one livery stable. Within the year Hardwick had developed into a hustling little village.20 The list of building improvements for 1892 as reported by the local press was as follows:
John Scharnberg, hotel—$3000; School building—$1000; J. H. Dressen, store building—$1000; Herman Lenz, store building—$1000; H. T. Holverson, livery barn—$800; W. E. Littel, residence—$650; J. C. Johnston & Co., lumber sheds and office—$600; A. A. Walvatne, store building—$500; William Olson, blacksmith shop—$500; Charles Anderson, residence—$400; J. B. Reed, residence—$300; E. Olson, blacksmith shop—$300; Henry Melarchy, butcher shop—$200; Total $11,050.
The survey of the townsite was made September 1 and 2, 1892, by W. N. Davidson. The dedication was made Septmeber 12 by A. A. Walvatne and A. W. Sleeper, and the instrument was filed for record September 24.21 The original plat consisted of only four blocks. The streets east and west were named First, Main and Third; north and south the site was divided by Summit street.22
The founding of new enterprises continued during the early part of 1893. A building was erected and a bank founded, under the management of D. J. Hawley, who in May was succeeded by George O. Ross; D. J. Stoakes opened a hardware store; the first grain elevator was erected by Otter Otterson; Hauger & Sacket put up a building and opened a feed mill. Thereafter for several years there was little advancement in Hardwick. The town maintained an excellent grain market, and hundreds of carloads were shipped each year; the few business houses were well supported and the village continued to hold its own with the neighboring hamlets during the lean years of the middle nineties. A directory published in the fall of 1898 showed the following business enterprises:23 J. B. Iverson, Hulett Brothers & Co. and Heckt Brothers, general merchandise; Q. Stark, hardware; Stephen Brothers, meat market; J. C. Johnston & Co., lumber yard, L. M. Larson, manager; T. O. Tollefson, livery, grain and live stock; August Stroehbeen, Hardwick hotel; Hardwick Elevator company, grain; Holverson & Jargo, grain; E. A. Brown, grain and live stock; Davenport Milling company, grain, J. Case, manager; A. T. Martinak, restaurant; T. F. Lange, barber shop; Engebret Olson, blacksmith shop; John Overland, blacksmith shop; August Stroehbeen, saloon; P. E. Matthieson, saloon.
20“No town in Rock county of equal age has come to the front more rapidly and developed brighter prospects of becoming a prosperous business point than Hardwick. It is surrounded by a splendid farming country, which until recently has been sparsely populated, but it is now rapidly coming into the hands of well-to-do and enterprising farmers.”—Rock County Herald, December 30, 1892.
21 The land on Section 35 upon which the original plat was located was originally the plat of the Western Land Company. In 1890 it came into the possession of A. A. Walvatne, who in the summer of 1892 disposed of part of it to A. W. Sleeper.
22Additions to Hardwick have been platted as follows:
Ross’, by George O. Ross, May 10, 1899; surveyed by W. N. Davidson.
Kennedy’s, by Thomas F. Kennedy and James P. Kennedy, April 28, 1900; surveyed by W. N. Davidson.
Houg’s by Johanna Houg, July, 1900; surveyed by W. N. Davidson.
County Auditor’s Outlots, by County Auditor, April 30, 1902; surveyed by W. N. Davidson.
Ross’ Second, by George O. Ross, January 1. 1901; surveyed by W. N. Davidson.
23“Hardwick has maintained a steady and substantial growth and is destined to become one of the most important business points in Rock county outside of Luverne. It has an excellent grain and stock market and has a large and increasing trade from a section of the county which is rapidly increasing in population. Several new buildings have been erected this season and more are contemplated.”—Rock County Herald, October 14, 1898.
The story of the village of Hardwick will continue in the August 13 edition of the Star Herald.
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