Machine Depots

"Buchheit Bros" The machine dealers Joseph and F. H. Buchheit built a neat office and machine depot on Lenham Avenue in 1883.  (Block 59, Lots 1 & 2).  Joseph came here at the time the Cooper Brothers did.  F. H. Buchheit had been employed by the McCormick Company

The Buchheit Brothers sold their business and building to Messrs. Holland and Rukke in April of 1884.  "Holland & Rukke" moved the machine office to Burrell Avenue next to Davis and Pickett's store.  These machine dealers were in business for a short time.

Other machine dealers from 1886 to 1890 included: Knud Thompson, Ford & Lucken, Merrill & Luce and Reier Anderson.  Dealers after 1891: Berg & Erickson, Claus Jackson, Reier Anderson & Company, C. J. Lucken, F.B. King, and J.1.  Case Threshing Machine Company, LaForest & Abbott, A. Rhodes, Hammer & Condy, S. Hamilton & W. H. Butler, Greenland Lunde.

Albert Larson and Rollef Berg, both farmers, came to Griggs County in 1882 and 1883.  Larson settled on a farm north of Cooperstown and Berg on the prairie near Ottowa.  In 1884, they began the machine business of Berg and Larson with headquarters in Cooperstown and a branch office at Ottowa.  The machine depot was located on Block 59, Lot 22.  The firm became known as Berg and Erickson in 1892.  In 1895 Albert Larson, Andrew Berg, Lewis Berg, Erick Erickson and C. H. Johnson formed a partnership known as Berg Brothers and Company.  They erected a brick block building 50 x 110 feet on the lots adjoining their original business (59-19 and 20), where they ran a general store.  By 1897, C. H. Johnson sold his interest to Louis Berg and the firm consolidated the two businesses.

In 1904, the firm of Berg Brothers dissolved and divided the businesses.  Albert Larson retained the One Price Department Store; Erick Erickson took the machinery business while the other partners took over the firm's business enterprises at Binford and Hannaford.  Land interests were also divided.

Erick Erickson ran the machine business until January of 1907, when he sold his business to Hammer and Condy.  The deal included the stock, good will and the vacant lot next door to Albert Larson's store (59-21) and lots 4 and 5 in the same block facing Roberts Avenue on which Erickson had his livestock barns.

Other early machine depots included: Buchheit Brothers, Knud Thompson's, Boyum and Holland-later Hoiland and Rukke, Ford and Lucken, Reier Anderson's, Claus Jackson's, Olson, Cox and Company, LaForest and Abbott, A. Rhodes, Hammer and Condy, Hamilton and Butler.

Source: Cooperstown, North Dakota 1882-1982 Centennial Page 196