When a Knock at the Door Connects You to the Founding of a Town

David Whitesock
Jul 23, 2017 · 5 min read

Not often these days do you get a knock at the front door. Today, Dave and Jan Montgomery knocked on our door. Actually, Dave knocked on his old door.

Our home for 8 more days at 316 S. University St., Vermillion, S.D. Built 1916 by Gottlieb Meisenholder.

“Sorry to bother,” Dave said as I opened the door and held our curious beagle back, “but I used to live in this house … we’re wondering if we could take a look around.”

My wife and I had been packing boxes all day — we’re moving in 8 days. I was happy to let them in, as I was as curious as my dog — for different reasons, of course. After checking with Marie-Elaine, I welcomed Dave and Jan inside.

“Oh, wow!” Dave said as he came into the living room. Then he declared, “My grandfather built this house — and the one we live in on Canby St.”

Now Dave has my attention.

I always wondered about our cozy Craftsman-like house that was built in 1916. With law school, starting a life and career, I just never gave it much time. Even after participating in a history project that researched the founding of Vermillion, I never sought more information about our house and its past owners.

Now we’re a week from moving and standing in my living room is the grandson of Gottlieb Meisenholder, the builder and original owner of our home.

Dave recalled the doorway that used to exist between the living room and kitchen. Today, the doorway is partially blocked so that a full countertop can make up the kitchen. We turned the original pantry into a half bath. Dave’s family used to keep all their dry goods in there.

The kitchen was obviously changed. Where the refrigerator stands, used to be the kitchen table. Dave remembered with some fondness how his mom would make him wait under the table for his father to get home.

While in the kitchen, I asked Dave if the home was a Craftsman kit-home, often available through the Sears & Roebuck catalogue … “No, my grandfather built the house from scratch,” Dave demanded with pride.

Dave recalled the family sleeping in the upstairs sunroom because without air conditioning, it was the place to catch the summer night’s breeze.

What was my office was Dave’s bedroom. His face lit with joy remembering his bed positioned right in the middle of the tiny room (even tinier now with a built-in bookcase).

Our guest room was his mom and dad’s bedroom. His sisters slept in the other room — our master bedroom.

The upstairs bathroom was still configured the same — slightly updated, of course. And the linen closet used to have a chute all the way to the basement. Where, Dave remembered, was a makeshift shower that was used by he and his father.

Most intriguing of all was who Dave’s grandfather was in Vermillion. SD.

Gottlieb Meisenholder owned and operated Meisenholder’s — the town’s general and first department store. Meisenholder’s, however, was originally Lee & Prentiss, which began operation in 1869 — not long after the founding of Vermillion. Today, Prentiss Park stands in C.E. Prentiss’ honor as a pioneer of the community.

For the Vermillion Sesquicentennial (150 year anniversary), the late Clay County historian, Cleo Erickson, wrote the following about Meisenholder’s at around 1958/59 (from the PlainTalk)…

One of Vermillion’s oldest places of business, the G. Meisenholder Co, general merchandise store, will be closing. The sale begins January 2, 1958 and will continue until all stock and fixtures are sold. The business first originated in 1869 by two pioneer merchants, Andrew Lee and C. E. Prentiss and was called the Lee and Prentiss Store. The store was in lower Vermillion until the flood of 1881. At that time it was opened on the corner of Main and Market Streets on top of the bluff. It was operated under the name of Lee and Prentiss until Gottlieb Meisenholder purchased the business on April 1, 1919.

The sons and daughter of Mr. Meisenholder continued to operate the business after his death. It was a one stop shopping place in Vermillion where the whole family could be clothed, dry goods purchased, and the family pantry could be stocked with groceries. B. A. Meisneholder was in charge of men’s clothing, Walter Meisenholder was in charge of the shoe department. Mrs. Paula Schmierer managed the women’s dress department. Another son managed the grocery department. Mrs. Jens Jorgensen, Miss Tiffany and Miss Chaussee were employed in the dry goods and gift area of the store. Many other Vermillion residents were employed there over the years. The store was a mini mall long before it’s time.

From Lee & Prentiss at the founding of Vermillion to Meisenholder’s. From Clay County Historical Society.

During the Sesquicentennial I was part of a small history class at the University of South Dakota. Our topic for the semester was the founding and history of Vermillion, S.D. I wrote a paper on the founding and repeated rebirth of this town over it’s 150 years. Little did I know that the house I’d buy a few years later was two degrees removed from the founders of this town.

This is why I love history and believe it is humanity’s second greatest gift only to science. History connects us to what was and provides the foundation of lessons to take us to what can be.

What a way to end almost 11 years in Vermillion, SD — a place I was able to find myself, find my wife, and forge a future.


P.S. Gottlieb Meisenholder built another house on Canby St. Unlike the house on University St., the Canby house is mid-century modern style with flat roof and wide windows. G. Meisenholder was entrepreneurial and a builder.

Today, Dave and Jan own and operate DuFour’s Pine Tree Campground in Webster, WI. They are ready to retire and are selling if you’re interested. They just recently bought and are renovating the Canby house. Dave and Jan plan to retire in Vermillion.

David Whitesock

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Chief Innovation Officer @ Face It TOGETHER designing solutions for addiction. Care about architecture, behavioral econ, customer experience, and urban design.

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