History of the
Metamora Garage Building
Prior to the building of the
Metamora Garage, two frame buildings occupied lots 1 and 2 in block
38 on the square in the Village of Metamora. Blacksmithing was the
main business transacted in these buildings.
In 1914 one of the building was
torn down. The other had also been condemned as an eyesore.
Citizens of the village heard that the old building had been rented
to Charles Blumenshine of Washington, another blacksmith. Hearing
this some daring people decided to destroy this eyesore building in
the dead of the night. The Metamora Herald wrote that the old
structure gave the appearance of having been struck by a German
bomb. The property had been owned by Joseph Grieser, a former
resident.
A short time later, Mr. Grieser
closed a deal for the sale of the property to Henry Waldschmidt of
Benson who planned to erect the first section of a new modern
garage. The new business opened in 1915. Henry Waldschmidt and his
son, Rudy and Frank Heininger ran the business
until 1923. Due to poor health Heininger sold his share to Louis
(Busy) Gries. Mr. Gries leased the garage building until June 1929
when he and his wife, Laura, purchased the building. Since that
time there were several additions added and more lots purchased for
parking and car sales. The business covered most of the block on
the west side of the square.
Following Mr. Gries’ death in
September of 1963, his wife sold the business to three of her garage
employees, Joseph Adams, Joseph Miller and Marvin Smith.
The business was incorporated on
January 1, 1964. In 1976, Joseph Adams took an early medical
retirement. Joseph Miller retired in 1979. Marvin Smith and his
wife, Betty, closed the Metamora Garage, Inc. on October 31, 1995.
The Metamora Garage served the mechanical needs of the community for
80 years.
The building was later sold.
Completely remodeled, it now houses the Dollar General Store which
opened in 1998.
History and
photo submitted by Shirley A. Adams.
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