The second town in my brief history of ghost towns in Goodhue County is Hader. When I was a child living in Wanamingo, Duane and Mary Ann Scharpen and their kids Rita and Brad lived in and ran the Hader Store. I have found out a lot about the town in my exploration for this story.
One history book by R.W. Meyer states, " In no other Goodhue County "Ghost Town" is the disparity between intention and achievement more evident than in Hader". To look at the town that once boasted 100 citizens, it would require a wild imagination to realize that Hader was originally intended to be the county seat.
The town was platted in June of 1857 and recorded on August 27th of that year. The plot was 122 blocks in size, and covered almost the entire Section 1 of Wanamingo Township. One block was reserved for the county courthouse. Another block for a city park, and a block for the town's Cemetery. Although the streets were never laid out, neither was any part of it vacated until Sievert O. Haugen who owned much of the east part of Section 1 did so with his portion in 1940.
On April 17 of 1857, a post office opened with Joshua C. Pierce as Postmaster. A string of short-lived postmasters followed. Some of the names I found were Samuel T. Babbitt, Shubael Wales, Thomas Hanson, Joseph T. Leet, John W. Jameson, Samuel Arnold, Thomas T. Cochran and Gustaff A. Ryden. There were 11 postmasters in all, in 22 years! After that, there were 4 postmasters in 24 years. It was settled by "the Yankees" from the New England states, but soon after was inhabited mostly by Norwegians immigrating from Norway.
However, Hader was known for a variety of stores and businesses. In 1872, the Gazetteer listed a general store operated by D. Collins, as well as 2 blacksmiths, a shoemaker, and a cabinet maker, a "watch tinker" named Hans P. Olson. Wm. H. Purdy ran a hotel, John Ryden, P.E. Dahl and H.O. Jaishow operated stores. B. Halvorson was a carpenter. Tom Storseth was a shoemaker. J.L.Goxal and Hans Harrison were blacksmiths, and Christian Hveem (from Aspelund) practiced medicine.
At the time, there were 60 inhabitants. Business was "brisk" according to a chronicle of the day. Two years later the population was 75, but only 1 store remained, operated by the firm of Rosvold & Holstad.
By 1884, the village reportedly had 100 residents. H.M. Hjermstad ran the feed mill. A lawyer named P.S. Aslakson had moved there. Blacksmiths came and went, but most of the business people stayed.
In 1889, Purdy left Hader and rented the hotel to C. Thompson. Three years later, E. Sweatland was proprietor after Purdy sold his farm and hotel to O.S. Haugen, father of Sievert O. Haugen.
In 1894, Holstad sold his store to the firm of Larson and Onsted. On July 21st, Joseph O. Onstad became postmaster. In that year, Hader was again booming, as they say.
Daniel Lindsay was proprietor of a general store in 1896, and there were 2 millinery shops. Early the next year a firm in Zumbrota, Erstad, Haugen & Co., built a new store east of Larson and Onstad's. Another store erected by Olaus Larson in "North Hader" was in operation until its conversion to a church in 1897. Reverend K.O. Lundeberg and others conducted services in the "Nazareth" Church until 1915. It was torn down in 1918.
Hader's last postmaster was Ole T. Tiegen He replaced Ohnstad as owner of the store on February 27th, 1899.
In 1900, there were 65 people living in Hader. Three blacksmiths (One was also a shoemaker), a furniture maker, and a hotel run by Sievert Haugen, in addition to the Larson and Tiegen store. Two years later, Edward Haller (from the store in North Hader) became Tiegen's partner, keeping the store in business until 1908.
Hader post office closed as a casualty of the RFD on October 31st, 1903. Businesses closed one by one, but the Haller store stayed in business. Joseph Tiller bought the store in 1920. On February 18, 1932, the store burned, and Tiller replaced it with a new 2 story brick building with a 24 by 36-foot store area. On August 18, 1945, the building exploded, killing the proprietor Edward Holt and his 15 year old daughter Helen in the blast. Rebuilt again in 1946, it continued to operate under Conrad Tiller and Ray Fredrickson until 1960, when it was purchased by Duane and Mary Ann Scharpen. They ran it until November 30th, 1972.
So, what were the reasons that Hader never made it as a county seat? First of all, there was no river near it to be used in manufacturing. Next, although it was on the route both from Red Wing to Faribault from east to west, and from Minneapolis to Dubuque, Iowa, north to south, they were never able to convince the railroad to be built nearby. The horse and riders that carried the mail always stayed at the hotel if they needed a rest, and were able to change out their horses on the route if need be. There was a noon meal served at the Hader Hotel. But when it came to a vote, Red Wing won the title of county seat, some saying by only 1 vote.
The Hader Store was a busy place, with weekly grocery deliveries to the rural farmers. The store also carried hardware, clothing and shoes. The deliveries began with a horse and wagon, and eventually converted to a truck. When they delivered the groceries to their patrons, they would buy eggs from the farms to then sell at the store. The store did not sell or serve alcohol, and were never open on Sundays. The young men would come to play "Pedro", a game of dominoes, in the evenings. Sometimes they would bring musical instruments, and they actually started a concert band in 1889, organised and directed by Richard Dorn, altho another account on the history of Hader gives Hans Holstad the recognition of starting and directing the Hader Band.
Other business owners included Mrs. Andrew Fjerstad as a dressmaker in the upstairs of the Hader Store, Lorenze Moe was a carpenter and ran the feed mill. Gas was sold at the Hader Store for 12 cents a gallon, tax free. Anna Marta Satren had a rug weaving business in her home. Andrew Nelson owned a stone quarry and sold rock for barn basements. Old time photographers Larsen and Sterhaug ran their business in Hader for a bit, out of their covered wagon. And then there was the Cheese Factory which was in business from 1920 to 1964, when the rules and regulations became too expensive to keep it running. When Highway 52 was built right through Hader, the engineers wanted to tear down the Cheese Factory, but when it was discovered that there were at least 3 graves left there when the Nazareth Church was torn down, it kept the highway workers from tearing it down. Although it looks a lot different now, the old factory is now a repair shop owned and operated by Darryl Logan.
There was a school of approximately 50 students in attendance for a time, and the teachers were Alma Haller and Mathilda Hjermstad.
The one thing I never found out was where the name Hader came from. I was told by more than one person I interviewed for this story that the common greeting for folks living there was "Hey, der!", and that's how Hader got it's name, but this author has her doubts about that!
I hope you have enjoyed reading a little about Hader, and were able to find some of your relatives in this story! Be well until next time!
