THE WAUPACA COUNTY POST

(date not indicated)

 

WHEN THEN WAS NOW

BY Wayne A. Guyant

 

            The Central Wisconsin Seed Co., was incorporated in the fall of 1922, when three young men had an idea that Waupaca needed an up-to-date place to buy field and garden seeds and other agricultural supplies.

            These three men were Altai Pinkerton, who had just disposed of his farm operations; Warren Clark, then county agricultural agent for Portage County, and James H Dance, county agent for Waupaca County.

            In the spring of 1923 they purchased the John Pinkerton building, at 112 E. Union St. and started wholesale and retail distribution of field seeds and insecticides.

            In 1926 Mr. Pinkerton left the firm to sell insurance, and his interests were purchased by J. H Smith and Benjamin D. Dance, and Mr. Dance was appointed manager.

            In 1927 a hatchery was added and a short time later the company purchased the old Baldwin Potato Warehouse on Oborn Street, for the purpose of grinding and mixing feed for their customers.

            Glover’s Store, located next door to the east, wanted to expand, and that included the space that the Central Wisconsin Seed Company occupied, so they decided to sell out and move to a large place.

            In May 1938, construction was begun on a new building 12 112 West Union Street.  The building was a one-story brick building, 60 x 57-1/2 feet, with full basement. The Central Wisconsin Seed Company moved into their new home in August of 1938.

            If you have not guessed as yet, this location is now Stange’s of Waupaca, Inc.

            Following a fire in 1944, which destroyed the old feed mill on Oborn Street, a new concrete block and steel building was erected to house the feed and fertilizer business.

            The Central Wisconsin Seed Company that was under the guidance of the two brothers, Benjamin and James Dance, and their associates, developed into one of the largest retail seed outlets in Wisconsin.

            The Dance brothers, having no sons interested in following the business and both having reached retirement age, decided to sell their interest in the business.  On July 1, 1959, the ownership of the Central Wisconsin Seed Company changed hands.  The new owners, Charles H. Landis and Bruce Burghardt, purchased the entire outstanding stock of the company formerly held by Benjamin Dance, James Dance, Warren Clark, Ida Smith Petersen, Kenneth J. Smith and Bess M. Dance.

            The Dance brothers died within four days of each other, after only two years retirement.  James H. Dance died July 1, 1961, and brother Benjamin died July 4, 1961.  James Dance is buried in the Wisconsin Memorial Park in Milwaukee and Benjamin Dance is buried here in Waupaca.

            I am sorry that I was unable to follow up on the story of a few weeks ago about the old potato warehouses that existed in Waupaca around the turn of the century, but more research is needed.