The Lusk Herald, October 31, 1946

Joe Kuhn Sons Start New Shop Building Here

Joe Kuhn Sons, International Harvester dealers, are beginning construction this week of a new shop building adjacent to the present building at the corner of Second and Pine streets.

The building will face on Pine street opposite the Bonner Paint shop and will be between the Kuhn home and the present building. It will be a structure 50x52 feet of cement block construction, and when finished and equipped will provide the shop for truck, tractor, and implement repair.

Bert Gibson, son-in-law of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Kuhn, is doing the work as a building contractor here since returning from the service. He has erected a concrete block plant and has made the blocks from which the new building will be erected. By tieing concrete concrete block manufacture and contracting together, he hopes to be able to erect buildings that might otherwise be impossible for lack of materials.

Besides the concrete blocks, Joe Kuhn has purchased three barracks buildings from the Ft. Robinson prisoner of war camp, dismantled them and brought the lumber here for  use in the new building. He says it has taken his time for almost two months to get the materials necessary for the building, but that steel and all is on hand now to go ahead. 

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The Lusk Herald, February 19, 1948

Joe Kuhn Sons Open Modernized Implement Business, February 24

One of the biggest business opening events to take place in Lusk for some time will be that of Joe Kuhn Sons next Monday , Feb. 23, when they hold the grand opening of their new International Harvester "Base of Operations."

Complete details of the event were published last week in a page ad in The Herald. But there will be one addition. Everyone is asked to register when they visit the opening, and guess how many doughnuts will be served during the day. Ten prizes will be awarded to the best guessers. 

Those planning to attend the big event should remember that the auction of trucks and machinery begins at 10:00 a.m. Coffee and doughnuts will be served from noon o 1:00 p.m.

In the afternoon there will be a matinee show at the High School auditorium for the children, and then in the evening at 7:30 is the big family party, including a band concert by the High School band, the "Flying High" stage show and motion pictures. 

In Business Here 20 Years

The opening marks over 20 years of business activity in Lusk for the Kuhns. They moved here from Jireh in 1925. However it was in 1933 that Joe Kuhn first became associated with International Harvester. He and his family have been building ever since until today the opening of the new "Base of Operations" will reveal one of the finest farm machinery service centers in Wyoming.

Under construction now for a year and a  half, the old building has been greatly enlarged to provide a complete  new shop and warehouse. In fact the new layout has some 7,200 square feet of floor space. New parts bins have been added to make a total of 4,500 bins which will now accommodate some 8,00 parts, now under perpetual inventory.

Using much glass in both the shop and display rooms, the building has a modernistic as well as practical lighting effect.

Has Pontiac Agency

The firm has recently secured the Pontiac agency and will service those cars as well as International equipment in the new shop. Magneto and generator testing equipment as well as complete welding equipment has been made a part of the shop.

Another new line added is the IHC refrigeration, and in another attractive ladies lounge the new deep freeze units and other refrigeration equipment is displayed.

Even before his sons were able to participated in the business, it has been known as Joe Kuhn Sons. In recent years that fact has been accomplished and Greg Kuhn has charge of the shop, and Frank Kuhn is in charge of parts.

Still Dad and "Mom" Kuhn have a very definite part in the organization, as they  have in building it, and the boys say freely that "Mother" probably knows the parts as well as anyone besides keeping all the loose ends tied together as she keeps the books and inventory records up to date. One thing is sure, the nice new office helps in that respect.

Others who make up the present personnel include Bert Gibson who will have charge of outside service; Lester Brooks,, as magneto and generator serviceman; and Henry Hytrek as general repairman. 

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The Lusk Herald, November 3, 1949

Joe Kuhn Sons Sell Implement Business

Joe Kuhn , one of Lusk's most widely known business men, has completed nearly 25 years of active business life here with the selling of the farm implement and automotive business of Joe Kuhn Sons to Kilmer Brothers and C.D. Jennewien.

The transaction became effective November 1 and involves the International Harvester Co. farm implement, truck and tractor dealership, and the Pontiac Motor car agency y. Mr. Kuhn retains ownership  of the buildings, which the new firm will lease.

The new firm will be known as the Plains Equipment Co., and will be under the management of C.D. Jennewein. Mr. Jennewein is well known here, having formerly operated the Manville Crude Oil Co., later operating an independent refinery at Douglas, and more recently associated with the Jay Em Stone and Gemn Corporation, and Wyoming Quarries. During recent months, Mr. Jennewein has been acting manager of the Wyoming Quarries.

The entire Kuhn stock of farm implements, parts, automobiles and the shop equipment and fixtures have been purchased by the new firm. Charles Haskins will remain with the new firm as bookkeeper and Sam Leeling. as mechanic.

Kuhns Early Residents of Niobrara County

After the first of the  year, when details of the business have been cleaned up, Mr. and Mrs. Kuhn expect to go to Phoenix, Arizona, for the winter, but having their home here, will return to Lusk for the summer and maintain their residence here. 

Plans of Gregg and Frank Kuhn, who have been associated with their father are not definite.

Joe Kuhn homesteaded near Jireh in 1913, and for a time operated the Railway Express Agency there. In 1925 the family moved to Lusk and for a period Mr. Kuhn worked for the Johnston grocery. In 1926, however, he became express agent here and between Jireh and Lusk he and his son Clark held the agency 17 years.

Clark, who gave his life in the Pacific, fighting with the Marines during the late war, became express agent after graduating from Lusk High School in 1934, and continued in that capacity until enlisting in the armed forces.

Ran Trucking Firm

For several years Joe Kuhn Sons stood as a trucking firm which operated the first grocery line between Casper and Lusk, and Joe remembers that there were only 10 miles paved between the two cities at that time.

The International Harvester Implement business was established in 1928 in the former John Fernau plumbing building just north of the Silver Cliff Hotel. Later Mr. Kuhn purchased the old Tom Bell residence just across the street on the corner, and still later the Lohstein & McFarlane sheep wagon shop, the old continental bulk station and the Jackson Cafe to round out a large area for expansion.

The Bell residence is is till the family home, but the other buildings have gradually been consolidated. Two years ago the firm completed its greatest expansion when the entire building facilities were remodeled and a garage repair shop were added.

The Kuhn firm has always been operated as a family unit, with Mrs. Kuhn sharing a large portion of the responsibilities as well as the sons.

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 The Lusk Free Lance, June 5, 1952

PLAINS EQUIPMENT CO., OPERATED PAST TWO AND HALF YEARS BY KILMER CORP., SOLD TO F.E. BROOKS AND COYE JENNEWEIN

International trucks and also Pontiac agency for this territory went into new hands the first of this week. This large business, which has been owned and operated by the Kilmer corporation since Nov. 1, 1949, was sold to F. Everette Brooks and CoyeJennewein in a transaction effective June 1^st.

Sale of the business was largely due to the recent death of Willis C. Kilmer, who had had charge of operations for the corporation. Other members of the Kilmer corporation interested in the business are Roscoe E., Venus and Myron Kilmer.  Jennewein also was financially interested in the Plains Equipment under the former ownership, and has been serving as manager and in the sales department since the business was purchased from the original owners, Joe Kuhn Sons.

Jennewein will continue as business manager and on sales. It was learned and later on Brooks will assume charge of the sales division. It was also indicated that the old staff would be retained with one addition, Joe Kuhn, who will be on sales and service.

Others of the personnel include Sam Leeling, shop foreman; “Chuck” Haskins, parts department; Tony Hytrek, welding, and Bernice Bates, bookkeeper.

Brooks is a former county treasurer, and is now serving on the board of county commissioners.