Henze Garage
(from the Mainstreet, special edition of the Delano Eagle, 1946)
The Henze Garage and Machine Shop on Highway 12. The business was first established in 1932 by Mr. Paul Henze, who has conducted a successful implement and repair business every since. In 1937 Mr. Henze secured the Nash car agency for Delano. Miss Regina Stralka worked as the bookkeeper and accountant, Albert Erickson as mechanic, and Clarence Clitty as shop foreman.
Paul Henry Henze
Paul Henry Henze was born July 2, 1894 in Redwood County. In 1920 Paul was living with his brother Earl in Honner, Redwood Falls, who was had his own blacksmith shop. Paul married Elizabeth Ann Rush on April 24, 1923, and by 1930 they were living in Independence, Hennepin Co. with their son Paul, age 5, daughter Louise, ten months, and a boarder, William Ditty. Paul was the manager of an auto repair shop. The 1940 census shows that Paul was the proprietor of a garage, living in Delano, and he and Elizabeth had a third child, Richard. Paul died May 15, 1967, and is buried in Redwood Falls.
Calypso, a garden, gift and home shop currently occupies the former Henze garage building.
(from the Mainstreet, 1946 special edition of the Eagle)
“Phillip’s 66 Service Station, owned and operated by Peter Farniok, is located on Highway 12 on the Delano west side. Opening for business in 1931, the place has enjoyed good business from the start. In addition to his filling station, Mr. Farniok also operates a cabin court, refreshment place and one of the few real Finnish Baths to be found in this vicinity. Mr. Farniok has been a member of the village council for the past nine years.”
The corner of Highway 12 and County Road 30, was also Dorn Auto Sales,
now Fobbe Electric and Vital Signs
Memories of Pete’s Gas Station and the cabins:
“I baby sat for people that lived in those cabins.”
“I remember stopping at Pete’s with my grandpa. He’d have a beer and I could put a penny in the peanut machine and get a handful of them! That place was a landmark!”
“When I was about 6 our home burned down to the ground and my mother and my three siblings lived in one of them. They were rentals as other people from Delano also rented them. They were one room only with a small bath. We loved there for about three months until we found something larger. Pete Farniok owed them. A beer joint and gas station were in front of the little cabins.”
“My step dad owner dealership and they were still there with people living in the. Crazy!”
“I remember going to what we called Pete’s gas station. You could get penny candy there. Yes, they rented out the cabins.”
“I lived in one of them when I was little. It was around the year Gremlins came out (1984). I also remember my dad teaching me to ride my bike back there. Good times!”
1974 photo of local band, Butch Automatic and the Four Speeds in front of Pete’s gas station.
Band members are (left to right) Bob Hutter, Dave Socher, Dale Graunke, Mike Mathisen, Bob Seliski, Dave Pawelk and Brad Bruhn.
Peter Paul Farniok was born in Franklin township October 26, 1895, the son of Martin Sr. and Margaret (nee Motzko) Farniok, and one of their 13 children. He grew up helping on the home farm, and served in WWI I France as a private in Company “E” of the Third Pioneer Infantry. On September 25, 1936 he married Alta Mae Doble McEachern; they were the parents of three children, Patricia, Peter E, and Willard. Pete died December 16, 1974, and is buried in St. Joseph’s cemetery in Delano.