Bonilla, SD  
                     by Stacey Creecy of the Plainsman

Notices have been posted in Frankfort, Miller, Arlington, Mitchell and many more towns to announce the auction of antiques and historic collectibles from the Bonilla Post Office, also known as the James Hotel, which was built in 1886.  Various other items will be auctioned off as well.

The auction will be held at the old elevator house today, beginning at 1:30 p.m. It will be conducted by Ace Realty Auction and Realty.

Ben Bartell, a Huron resident now, was working on the elevator house in Bonilla when he decided to hang on to a few items from the post office.

"I was working on the old elevator house and leaning by the back door, and I figured I might need the stuff," said Bartell.  Bartell stored the items in the elevator house after tearing them out.  Now that his cousin, Al Cirooc, is selling the old elevator, he figured it was time to get rid of all of it.

"I've got over 300 items to get rid of," Bartell said.  "This falls in good with the governor's clean-up campaign.  It also gets rid of a lot of stuff I'm not using anymore."

Bartell has a variety of items from the hotel, including tube fittings, doors from the guest rooms in the upstairs of the hotel, part of the steps from the first to second floor, light fixtures, door locks and hinges, a hand rail and the front door from the hotel.

The antique wooden window door, from th4e front of the building, has the old antique oval door panels, as well as a large window, a mail slot and two bottom panels.

"It's a little weather-beaten," said Bartell.  "It had been propped open and left that way.  The back door is in better condition than the front one."

Bartell also has plate covers from where the hold the smoke pipe went into the chimney.

The hotel is believed to be the second building built in the town of Bonilla.

Feb. 18, 2004, update: 

Early days of Bonilla Businesses Outlined in Centennial Booklet
 by Roger Kasa

    The town of Bonilla was platted in 1883, but it was never incorporated.
In a recount of Bonilla's first 100 years, published in 1984, there was a list of some of the businesses that once were located in the town.
    For example, Al Miller Hardware, Harness and Machinery was located there from 1915-25.  In later years, it was a cream station and shoe repair. 
Frank James Grocery, Hardware and Clothing Store was another business, which later included the post office.
    Harvie Peterson and Shy Swenson had a garage on the west side of the railroad tracks.  Later Marvie Cassman and Howard Miller operated on the east side of the tracks.
    Rex Gilmore operated the pool hall and barbershop and the Hank Borah Restaurant was located on the west side of the tracks.  The restaurant was moved to the east side where he continued until it was sold to Arlie Winegar.  The buildings were later the residence of the Christianson's.
    Arlie Winegar later moved the restaurant to the Gilmore building.
About 1924, Frank O'Brien had a building moved into town just east of the blacksmith shop and he operated a cream station there for several years.  Then he moved to the new addition that Rex Gilmore had built.  Charles Nesfield had a barbershop in this building after O'Brien moved out.
    Bob and Elbert Kenyon had a Pontiac and International Machinery business in the new addition to the Gilmore building.
    Frank O'Brien built a new cream station east of the town hall and later turned into a grocery store which Lawrence Radke operated for a while.
    Archie McKichan operated the first store in Bonilla.  Later George and Agens operated it and had a store just east of it.  Fred operated the bank until it closed in 1932.
    Milburn was the first janitor of the school.  He later bought the Service Station from Shy Swanson. 
    George Merklin ran the blacksmith shop, then later Bill Radke operated it.

The information was supplied by Alvin French for the centennial publication.

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