Shepard Manufacturing Company (1884)
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FROM BROOM HANDLES TO VINEGAR • • •
• 129 6th Avenue SE
• Architect Unknown
• Narrated by Doug Forbes •
Built in 1884 by James R. Shepard at a cost of $8,000, this building started life as a factory. Broom handles were made here, as was excelsior, the softwood shavings used for packing fragile objects or stuffing furniture. The building went on to serve a variety of uses, including village laundry, baled-hay storage and vinegar manufacturing.