Remembering early Lincoln residents

Lincoln was incorporated on Aug. 7, 1890, more than 130 years by settlers who had a vision for the area beyond the Gold Rush. Their roots positively impact us today. And some of their names live on today throughout the city's buildings and parks. This week's question asks why the popular plaza on 5th and F streets in downtown Lincoln was named Beermann Plaza. If you know why or know why the Beermanns were so significant to Lincoln, please send answers by Tuesday to carolf@goldcountrymedia.com. Last week's mystery item Last week's question asked what was housed on the east side of the Bank of Lincoln Annex on 5th Street between F and G streets (615 5th St.) before 1940. There was a small, wooden building snuggled up against the expanded Odd Fellow's Building prior to the Annex being built. The building was moved by 1913 to accommodate the construction of the Annex. Several proprietors were there prior to it being moved by Charles Beermann onto his F Street property where it continues to stand. According to Lincoln Area Archives Museum docents, Beermann moved this small building to his F Street property just south of where he built his new home (the current Lincoln Area Chamber of Commerce building at 540 F St. According to Jerry Logan in his "Volume 2, 1901-1950 Western Placer County and Lincoln, According to History," the 615 5th St. building was built in 1913 for the Bank of Lincoln and was its annex. The annex was divided into two separate businesses with a petition in the middle. The west site of the building was rented by various businesses while the east side was used by the bank until the Post Office moved there in 1924. The Post Office was in the Fleming building at the northeast corner of 5th and G streets from 1814 to 1924. The Post Office was moved in 1924 to the Bank of Lincoln's Annex. Businesses on the west side of the Annex included the Vogt brothers' news stand/ice cream parlor from 1914 to 1915, Charles Vogt's news stand/ice cream from 1915 to 1924, B. H. Cohen's Workingman's Store in 1921 and Sam Goldeen's The Hub clothing store from 1922 to 1933. The Post Office moved from the Annex in 1940 to the vacated Bank of Lincoln building and remained there until 1965 when it moved into a larger building on McBean Drive and F Street. The dedication was in 1966. On March 20, 1934 Robert S. Tofft opened Bob's Electric and Sport Shop. The rent was $15 a month, including heat. In April 1936, the building was purchased by J. E. "Jute" Tofft and Robert S. Tofft. The wall dividing the building into two equal parts was removed and Tofft Hardware Store occupied the entire building. On June 14, 1940, a partnership was formed between father and son, Jute Tofft and Robert S. Tofft. The hardware store remained on 5th Street until May 1985 when Robert S. Tofft purchased the vacated Creer Brother's Market/Rainbow building and moved the business to 720 5th St. (Today, the site is home to a Dollar Tree store.) As for the 615 5th St. building, it was then rented for a short time to a bulk canned goods store, Diamond D. Western Store for a number of years, a mattress shop for three years and a Martial Arts offering that lasted three or four years. Both buildings, the Bank/Post Office Building, were sold in 2019 by John and Pattie Tofft to Randy Johnson. Presently, the Annex is under construction. The history of the Annex couldn't have been told without its history given by John Tofft . The Lincoln Area Archives Museum is temporarily closed, due to COVID-19 state restrictions.