first on decorahnews.com: 78 years of memories to go on the auction block this Saturday

Bernadine Cary started Bernadine's High Life Inn in Decorah in 1937.  The bar was located in the same block as Vesterheim Museum, which earlier this year reached an agreement to buy the property owned by Lyle Cary, Sr. in the same block.

The sale of the building started a treasure hunt in the second and third floors of the building--and seven workers found a lot of historic items.  There are many tools used by Cary's Machine & Welding and many signs that used to mark Bernadine's.

At 9:00 a.m. Saturday those items will go up for auction at the Community Building at the Winneshiek County Fairgrounds.  Auctioneer Mac Greentree says he has notified groups of collectors about this special auction in addition to advertising the auction locally.

Some of the items that will be auctioned off date to the 1920 and 1930s and had lain untouched in the building for decades.  There are three pinball machines from the 1940s; several restaurant seats and tables from Bernadines, old beer and pop signs and business signs.

There are even some items the auction company is classifying as "unknown"--machinery from decades ago that looks interesting, but whose use has been forgotten.

More photos of the auction items are posted at www.greentreeauctions.com

A sign from Cary's Machine & Welding

One of three pinball machines to be auctionned

Old beer promotional items