The Thayer's 

& 

Some Local History around 1895... 

Albert Augustus Thayer, affectionately known as "Gus" to his family and friends, was born in Adrian, Michigan, on December 28, 1848 to parents who were farming there. Gus' forefathers migrated from England, coming to this country on the Mayflower. They settled in Seneca, New York. When Gus was six years old, his parents homesteaded 160 acres of land, two miles east of Osseo, Minnesota.

Gus Thayer, was an entrepreneur, restless and always seeking new things to do. At age 16, he fibbed about his age and joined C. C., of the Seventh Volunteer Infantry as a drummer boy, to get in on the excitement of the Civil War.

He married Mary Colburn on July 5, 1870. Together they had two children, William and David. Sadly, Mary Colburn Thayer died January 11, 1874. 

Gus and his children were not to be alone for long.  It was in  1878, that Gus married again.  Miss Caroline Hill, who was born in Tioga County, Pennsylvania was the new Mrs. Augustus Thayer. She had come to Monticello with her parents, Horance and Eliza Hill. 

  Caroline Hill Thayer Thayer's "First Lady"

Gus and Caroline lived in Osseo, Minnesota a short while but, Gus was restless and the same year they were married, they moved to the bustling community of Fair Haven, Minnesota where opportunities abounded for a man of varied talents and interests such as Gus Thayer.   The Thayer's resided in Fair Haven, Minnesota until 1889, when Gus got restless again and moved on to Annandale.  Caroline and Gus had five children together:  Elaine, Effie, Bert, Martha and Agnes.

In Annandale, Gus and Caroline were offered the job as managers of the "Annandale House." Gus' official title was "Landlord," as managers of this kind of property were called. At the time there were two hotels in Annandale, Minnesota  each about the same size. They were located across the street from each other on main street - what is now Minnesota State Highway 55. Both buildings were shaped similar to today's Thayer, but the other building did not have Thayer's distinctive balconies.  

A big thanks to Mrs. Julia Barkley and other history minded Minnesotans who were wise enough to see that Thayer's was and still is a unique building. With their help, and determination Thayer's was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. 

The Photo below taken around 1905: Thayer's "New Hotel" 

Annandale, Minnesota in the late 1890's was a busy, frontier-type town.   Money was scarce, much bartering was done, and not too much thought was given to national affairs, less to international. Everyone was too busy trying to keep up on their personal lives and keeping up with local goings-on.

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