16 1st St

Blk 57

Built in 1937 as a machine and repair shop by Andy Spuler.

1945-06 - Andy Spuler, announced the sale this week of his welding and repair shop on main street to Harry Reitmeier and Neff Humbert.

The story is that Harry was going to be drafted during World War II, but convinced the local draft board that farmers needed their tractors fixed more than the army needed him. He was reclassified and went back to work in his shop.

The business specialized in repairing agricultural machinery, but Reitmeier also worked on automobiles, trucks, and just about anything else that needed welding or repair.

Neff Humbert sold his share of the business in the 1950s. About this time, Harry's son, John Reitmeier was old enough to help out. When Harry Reitmeier died in 1983, John inherited the family business and continued the repair and fabrication work, changing the name over the door to John's General Repair.

It is a long rectangular one-story, wood frame commercial building with a gabled and corrugated metal roof sitting on a foundation of poured concrete. It has a wood stepped parapet false front with a large bay entry with swinging doors. Next to those is a wood-door pedestrian entry.

1937 - 1945 - machine & repair shop; Andy Spuler

June 1945 - 1950s - Harry Reitmeier & Neff Humbert

1950s - 1983 - Cheney General Repair; Harry Reitmeier

1983 - 1999 - John's General Repair; John Reitmeier (name change occurred in 1985)

2003 - Present - Bogle's Auto Repair; Steve Bogle