Elsing's 2nd Hand Shop History

The History of Hanson
House/Grand Hotel
421 E Main St.
Stoughton, WI. 53589

1891 Building Architect’s: Magnus Kalhagen and George W. Becker.
Built by Gregor Hanson, Brother of the owner H.T. Hanson.
The Hanson House was ran by Gregor and Mary Hanson.

1893 John W. Richardson traded his farm, three miles from Janesville,
for the Hanson House. Mr. Richardson will lease this property.
The name of the Hanson House was then changed to The
Grand Hotel. Carl Ellingson likely proprietor.

1894 The Diamond Laundry opened in The Grand Hotel.

1899 Two fires and Grand Hotel are damaged in fire. The Grand
Hotel received two hundred dollars of damage from the fire to
the back of the building.

1901 Carl Ellingson retired as proprietor of Grand Hotel in
February and the property to Marshal and Bissell.

1901 By May, G.F. Carley purchased The Grand Hotel.

1902 Gregor Hanson dies at age of 59.

1904 H.T. Hanson was proprietor of The Grand Hotel.

1906 The Grand Hotel was leased to Samuel Peterson.

1915 Mrs. Julia Thompson was running the Grand Hotel leading
to this year. Julia did all of the cooking.
Documentation suggests that AJ Thompson owned the
building while Julia ran the hotel.

1917 Robert Bratvold ran the Grand Hotel for a time in this year.

1922 Carl Bratvold bought The Grand Hotel and ran it as a
Rooming House. Mrs. Carl Bratvold ran the rooming house
until 1928. I have been told by some of the older residents of
Stoughton, that while Bratvold’s owned the building, it was
a Brothel and also known as the king pin of Bootlegging in
Stoughton. I have been told that this building had a second
basement (hidden), but I have never found evidence of this.
This is where the bootlegging and butchering was taking
place. I have also been told that a shooting happened in the
saloon. I have also been told by Carl Bratvold’s grandson,
that one of Carl’s son’s was killed while bootlegging from
Utica. I have not found any proof of any of this yet. I am still
researching all of this.

1923 January 24, Carl Bratvold, proprietor of the Grand Hotel, was
arrested for breaking the State Dry Laws, which was raided
by state and county authorities. Bratvold was ordered appear
in court by prohibition agents and Under Sheriff William
McCormick after they found a quantity of liquor on his
premises.

1923 January 24, Carl Bratvold pleaded not guilty to charges of
violating the state dry laws. Carl was released on $750.00
bail.

1923 Charges against Carl Bratvold, violation of the State’s Dry
Law, have been dismissed from the Superior Court on the
grounds that the State lacks sufficient evidence to try him.

1925 On November 26, 1925, Stoughton Police Chief, Saxe
Hoverson Sr. jumped from the top window in the back of
the building, allegedly committing suicide. He was still alive
when found and died later at the hospital.

1937 Carl ran the hotel until about 1937.

1938 Mary Hanson dies at age of 84.

1939 Carl Bratvold, 54, owner of the Grand Hotel for 21 years,
died today at the hotel after a three month illness.

1946 Robert Bratvold has purchased the Grand Hotel Building
from the estate of his brother, Carl Bratvold. Robert plans to
remodel the building into a rooming house. The building has
been in the Bratvold family for 39 years.

1947 Donald Daggett bought the building and had it remodeled by
Madison architects Weiler and Strang.
Mr. Daggett ran Daggett’s grocery store and had meat lockers
in the basement.

1973 E & H building owned by Harold and Gung Miller bought
the building.

1978 Bernard Arnold owned and sold the building.

1984 Marsala’s Pizza opened in the building and ran until 1986.

1986 Miguel and Amy Barcena bought out the Marsala’s Pizza
business and ran the restaurant until 2004.

1988 Carl and Marion Thompson owned the building. I’m not sure
what year they bought the building. Valley Bank foreclosed
on the Thompson’s. Bob Quam then bought the building.
Between the years of 1973 and 2004, many business have
been in this building, a exercise place, political station, teen
center and a haunted house operated by the Jaycees.

2004 Philip and Vicky Elsing bought the building and opened up
Elsing’s 2nd Hand Shop.