Property: Dorchester Cooperative
Contact: Owen Public Library

Surnames: BEIL GARVUE GOESSL HEINDL HINKE KADONSKY MARQUARDT PLOCKELMAN PRESTEBAK RIDDERBUSCH

DORCHESTER COOPERATIVE

The Dorchester Cooperative was organized in 1911, with stock sold to person's who believed it for the best interest of both consumers and producers in and about Dorchester that a cooperative store and shipping company be organized. Charter members were Martin Heindl, Carl Plockelman, C. Hinke, John Goessl and John Kadonsky. At the first meeting of the board Frank Hiebsch was hired as manager.

The next few years were successful for the cooperative store. The personnel at the store in the early days included Anna and Ella Ridderbusch, Emma Marquardt, John Garvue and Frank Bell.

Then came the depression and for financial reasons many changes in the cooperative structure were necessary. The first real growth after the depression came after 1950.