The ladies who designed and made ladies hats and were dealers in ribbons, lace, gloves and other finery were known as milliners. Gradually the ladies of millinery also expanded into the dressmaking field.
Cooperstown's first known millinery, established in 1886, was owned by Mrs. J.N. Jorgenson and Miss Emma Henry, in the Jorgenson residence.
Christine Hammer operated a millinery shop on Burrell (74-3) from 1895-1898. In 1898 Mrs. E.E. Downe purchased the business of Christine Hammer, and operated her shop in that location until 1903 when she sold out her stock to Julia Stevens.
Julia Stevens, a widow at age 27 with four children to raise, opened her millinery shop in 1899, later expanding the business with a line of women's and children's ready-to-wear-clothing. By 1903 she had bought out the stock of Mrs. Downe and had moved her millinery and building to her lots (73-7) on Burrell between Gust Olson's Clothing Store and Si Black's Barber Shop. Her shop was known as the "Style Store". She continued in the millinery until her death in 1916.
Other early milliners or dressmakers were: Mrs. 0. Ford, Miss Edith Brown, Mrs. Stringer, Mrs. C. W. Hodge, Miss Dobbin, Miss Hovey, Mrs. S. Gores, Helen Brown, Mrs. J.N. Brown, Mrs. F.A. Mayer, Miss Haugen, Clara Beer, Clara Wilds, Emma Johnson, Miss Henry, Edith Speaks and C.O. Dunnam. Later milliners included Ella Bergstrom and Caroline Halvorson who operated their shop in the vicinity of P.J. Tang's Restaurant and the City Bakery. Also the Lindgren Sisters had a millinery on Burrell in Block 73. Nora Black was also an early dressmaker.
Anna Halvorson established a hat and dress shop known as the "Halvorson Shoppe" in 1930. She first located in the area of the present Benders L.P. Gas or Senior Citizen Center, later moving to the building (60-15) first door east of I.D. Allen. In 1950 Anna Halvorson rented her shop to Lillian
Bolkan, Nina Nelson and Esther Nelson. These partners ran the shop until 1957. In January of 1957 Mrs. Ann Adam purchased the Halvorson Shoppe, changing the name to "Ann's Town and Country".
Orpha Cussons purchased Ann's shop in June of 1962, and operated her dress shop in the same building until about 1964 when she moved into the west half of the old Penney store building owned by Carrol and Maxine Torgerson. Maxine Torgerson bought the stock and business of Orpha Cussons in 1965 operating her shop there until 1976 when she moved across the street to the store formerly occupied by Coast to Coast. In 1979 Maxine sold her dress shop and business to Patricia Erickson of Cavalier, N.D. The shop is presently managed by Diane Cushman, and is known as "Patricias".
Source: Cooperstown, North Dakota 1882-1982 Centennial Page 197