Roe Building, Roe Automotive

Roe Auto Company was the first auto business to open its doors in Stoughton.  Organized and ready for business in January 1910 with three business partners, Carl Roe, S.M. Halverson and Gustave Roe.  The Roe Auto Co rented a part of the Sam A. Peterson building while it was located on the corner of Main and Fifth streets.  Sam sold his share to the two brothers in 1912. 

In 1912 they commenced building their modern garage and sales room on the northwest corner of Main and Fourth streets.  Gustave and Carl were sons of Ole K. Roe, who was active in the local tobacco business and had been Mayor from 1896 to 1901.  The second floor was reinforced to support cars and the second story window was originally used as a show window. 

The main entrance now appears a little altered, no longer sporting the “bullet-shaped” corner protectors that were typical of automobile related buildings of the teens through thirties.  

Roe Auto Co. handled Overland automobiles from the very first day they opened for business.  For a period of time they added other makes such as the Oakland, Paige and Jewett, and the Chandler, but by 1928 were focusing on the Overland and Willys-Knight.       

1928 saw a rapid increase in Willys-Knight sales all over the country, following the entrance of Willys-Knight Special Six, the Willys-Knight Great Six and then the new Standard Six.

Resources: 

1991 Amendment to Main Street Historic District, National Registry of Historic Buildings application 
Sunday, March 18, 1928, Madison Newspaper