The Winona Republican-Herald from Winona, Minnesota • Page 35

TUESDAY, JULY 12, 1949 THE WINONA REPUBLICAN-HERALD, WINONA, MINNESOTA Years Make Many Changes More than a half century ago, the Winona Baking Company was a small independent business concern struggling for recognition in the fast growing town of Winona, Minnesota. Today, now known as the Mahlke Baking Company, it is one of the largest bakeries in town, and certainly one of the finest. 1895-1949 Ted J. Mahlke Henry Mahlke Ernest Mahlke Mahlke Baking Co. Founded 1895 JOHN MAHLKE Mr.

John Mahike was born in Osternitz, Germany, on October 7, 1863. Having spent his youth as a sheep herder in the province of Posen, he came to Winona at the age 20 and worked here for a lumber company for some time. After that, he drove a stage coach between St. Charles and Troy. Shortly after his marriage to Miss Augusta Tobe, of Hart, Mr.

Mahlke and his brother Fred moved to St. Charles and started a bakery. They returned to Winona four and one-half years later and established the Winona Fancy Bakery, which is now better known as the Mahlke Baking Company. Mr. Mahlke, who died in October, 1926, came from a family of bakers.

All of his brothers were bakers, and his four sons are now operating the bakery at 858 West Fifth Street. Founded in 1895, the business has expanded from John and Fred Mahlke's small bakery in St. Charles into a modern bakery employing over 30 people and having an annual payroll of more than $75,000. Operating with a fleet of seven trucks, the bakery serves Winona and surrounding areas within a 50 mile radius. This certainly is a radical change John and Fred started peddling their bakery goods from house to house in a selling cart drawn by a horse some 54 years in the past.

John especially liked this type of selling because it reminded him of the many times he drove the stagecoach between St. Charles and Troy in the latter part of the 19th century. When John died and Fred retired from active work, John's four sons, Theodore, Henry, Bernard and Ernest took over the bakery and shared the managerial duties since 1929. A sister, Miss Clara Mahlke, is in charge of retail sales. In addition to operating the bakery and retail store on West Fifth ttreet, the company also has a retail store at 117 East Third Street.

As it has always done in the past half century, MAHLKE'S BAKING CO. will continue to give you the freshest and most delicious bakery product! in town. FINE BREAD MAHLKE'S Welcome You to FRED MAHLKE Mr. Fred Mahlke was born in West Prussia on December 20,1872, and came to the United States with his parents when he was ten years old. The family liked Winona and decided to stay.

After starting in the baking business in St. Charles, Mr. Mahlke completed his training as a baker in Chicago, where he was employed during the year of the Chicago World's Fair in 1895. Mr. Mahlke married Helen Zaudke of St.

Charles in 1899 and the couple lived here in Winona the remainder of their lives. Mr. Mahlke retired in 1929 and his four nephews took over the bakery on a partnership basis. Mr. Mahlke died in June, 1930.

TOASTS BETTER TASTES BETTER IS BETTER! Winona's Steamboat Days Centennial.