Looking Back: Dorchester's Main Street -- South Side

The photo at the right shows Dorchester's bustling main street (officially Washington Avenue) as it appeared in the 1920s.

The image is from a 1929 postcard.

The photo shows the South Side Garage, located on the west side of the block that sits between Dorchester's 6th and 7th Streets (next to the modern-day car wash).

Henry Sehnert owned and operated the South Side Garage from 1925 to 1930, before moving north to the other side of the street, where he would operate his Ford garage for half a century. 

The South Side Garage was located near the present-day car wash.

Also housed in this building, in later years, was: Floyd Beck's John Deere dealership; the Dorchester skating rink; and Bob Wanek's furniture storage warehouse.

Today's Village Hall can clearly be seen in the photo, looking north.

At the time the picture was taken, the corner building actually housed Citizen's State Bank -- Dorchester oldest continuous business, despite the name change.

Also pictured is the U.S. Post Office, as well as the Masonic and Good Fellows Hall, which occupied the second floor of today's Village Hall building.

Prior to the 1920s (see photos on the left side), the south side of main street was home to Skinkle Cafe and the H. Oetkin Machine Shop, according to a 1914-1920 map of Dorchester. 

Just north of the machine shop were Ireland's Dry Goods and Grocery and Randell's Shoe Shop. 

Continuing north up main street -- separated by the narrow alley and present-day bank drive-through -- were the Bank of Dorchester and Dr. Waller's Drug Store.  

In later years, these buildings would house businesses such as the Dorchester opera house, a second fire department station, Dick's Auto Body and Repair, and Max Harling's "Brand X" tractor repair.

On the east side of the street on the same block -- circa the 1920s -- sat the Commercial Hotel; Cookus Blacksmith; Parker's Cream and Poultry; the Chamber of Commerce; City Hall; Dillon's Blue Front Cafe; and Malek's Butcher Shop.

Dorchester's main street was a hub of business activity and free enterprise.

We are certain that Times' readers would enjoy hearing feedback (in the comments section below) from residents -- past or present -- who have stories from friends or family about Dorchester's early days.