The work of the livery stables was a very important business in early Griggs County. Before Cooperstown was started some settlers even walked to other towns and carried home their groceries, including flour, because they had no team. After Cooperstown was started people came from as far away as 20 miles, over the prairie without roads, with horses and oxen and had to stay overnight. Their teams needed feed, water and rest before the long trip home. The livery stables filled this need.
Doctors often hired a rig to take him to visit the sick. A young man would use one to give a young lady a "buggy ride", or maybe take her to a dance at Mardell.
Three livery barns were started with the foundation of Cooperstown. Others came later.
Al Shue built a livery stable just north of the Palace known as the "Cooperstown Livery". By July he had sold half interest to Robert Pinkerton, and by December the remaining share to Manley Davis. Owners or managers of the Cooperstown Livery were:
1883-Davis & Pickett
1885-Hunter Brothers "Pioneer Stables" 1886-Hammer and Condy
1888-Owned by Green Mountain Stock Ranching Company
1890-J.H. McDermott & J. N. Michaels "City Livery Barn"
1891-Michaels sold half interest to Reier Anderson "Reier Anderson & Company"
1891-McDermott sold half interest to J. N. Syverson "Syverson & Anderson"
1891-R. Anderson sold out to J. N. Syverson
1891-Syverson sold Livery and Dray to Louis Berg
1892-Hammer and Condy owners
1892-R. J. Biorn took charge of "Pioneer Stables" formerly owned by Berg Bros.
1895-C. Johnson sold half interest to A. Monson "Biorn & Monson"
1896-R. J. Biorn sold half interest to A. I. Monson
1897-"Monson & Johnson"
1898-C. O. Johnson sold interest to James Johnson
1900-James & Ernest Johnson owners
1903-Martin Rood
1905-Johnson & Rood
1907-Ernest Johnson sold to Mason Knapp
1911-Jacob J. Seibold
1911-John Campion
1912-John & Marton Campion "Campion Bros"
1913-Arthur Graby "Stromme & Graby"
1915-Livery of "Stromme & Graby" burned to ground April 9, 1915.
Shue and Pinkerton had a second livery on Burrell for a short time which was located in Block 60, Lot 14 and bought out by R. C. Cooper in November of 1883.
Manley Davis started a livery in early 1883 that was located on Burrell (Block 61, Lots 23 & 24) opposite Thompson's Machine Office. Davis and Pickett operated this Livery and Feed Sales until April of 1885 when they converted it into a residence. The residence was bought by J. A. Lawrence in 1886.
I.E. Mills erected a livery barn 28'x 66'with 18 foot posts on Lenham Avenue just east of the Dakota House (Present day Masonic Temple site) in October of 1891. It was enlarged later. This livery barn was owned or managed by the following:
1891-I. E. Mills 1893-Hammer & Condy 1893-Archie Gorthy & Richard Bowers
1894-Bowers sold his interest to Archie Gorthy 1894-A. E. Shue, prop. of "Archie Gorthy Livery 1898-A. E. Shue
1907-A. E. Shue sold to Frank Killeran & Son
As the "Killeran Barn" it was moved to Block 75 (present site of Wil-Rich Company) when the Masonic Temple was built in 1916. Later this livery barn was owned and operated by Stromme and Graby. It was damaged by a windstorm and torn down in 1955.
Another livery was built opposite the Union House in October of 1891. It was owned by Reier Anderson. It was a 26'x 60'building known as "Reier Anderson Livery". (Block 74, Lots 11 & 12) The livery was leased by Messrs. Chirs & Syvertson and then the Moore Brothers in 1894. Other owners or managers were:
1895-"Anderson & Sundeby Livery" 1896-J. C. Thinglestad
1897-R. J. Biorn "Biorn & Sundeby Livery"
1899-George Sundeby half interest sold to Borgerson "Biorn & Borgerson"
1900-Borgerson Brothers 1900-Thinglestad
1901-Shue & L. Rhodes 1905-J.C Flynn
1909-Otto Retzlaff
1912-Erick Erickson
19t3-John Arstad
The management of various livery stables changed hands several times in the first years, but they were busy and useful until the automobile replaced the horse.
One of the first Auto Liveries was owned by Peter Larson and Charlie Hall in 1915. It was located on Burrell Avenue just west of the Palace, on the site of present Benders L.P. Gas.
Source: Cooperstown, North Dakota 1882-1982 Centennial Page 194