Rio Area Historical Society

Rio Area Historical Society Preservation of the history of Rio and the surrounding area

This was the first class to graduate in 1913 and the second is the 1918 class. I think you can see why I think the othe...
09/06/2026

This was the first class to graduate in 1913 and the second is the 1918 class. I think you can see why I think the other one with no names and no date or school name is between these two. My guess would be 1915 because I have seen no sport or any other high school photos of 1914. There are also not very many seniors in the photo. Just a guess on my part and I am hoping maybe someone will recognize a grandparent or great grandparent in the other one and we can narrow it down. thanks for any assistance.

I have a few really early class photos from Rio. We have the one of the 5 in the original graduating class in 1913 and ...
09/05/2026

I have a few really early class photos from Rio. We have the one of the 5 in the original graduating class in 1913 and I am wondering if this could be 1914 or 1915 or 1916 or 1917. I know it is early because they put no names on the photos and no school or year. I have one from 1918 and by then they kind of had their act together a little better and put the year and the school. Do you recognize anyone or have any idea? Ten students and the principal.

1964 Basketball trophy's. Just a fun photo that I came across and though I would share. Jerry Reierson was in my clas...
09/05/2026

1964 Basketball trophy's. Just a fun photo that I came across and though I would share. Jerry Reierson was in my class and the rest a year or so behind. Good Memories.

Obituary for Dick Benzine: He contacted me a few weeks ago with a few items for our Historical Society. I also spoke t...
09/04/2026

Obituary for Dick Benzine: He contacted me a few weeks ago with a few items for our Historical Society. I also spoke to his daughter who brought them yesterday. I was surprised and sad to learn that since then he had passed. Our condolences to the entire family.

Richard K. “Dick” Benzine Obituary
MONONA / SUN PRAIRIE- It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Richard K. “Dick” Benzine, 82, of Sun Prairie/Monona, Wis., on August 19, 2026. He will be remembered as a beloved and devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend.

Richard was born on December 12, 1943, in Columbus, Wis., son of Louis and Hilda Benzine. After graduating from Rio High School, he met his wife, Judy, of 48 years and graduated from Madison Business College. While attending business college, he took a job with the business office at Prescription Pharmacy. He was a loving father that raised three children with Judy. He retired in 2006 to help his wife at the St. Stephen's Food Pantry. When Judy passed in 2012, he became the administrator of the food pantry until 2023, when illness from cancer forced him to resign, but he continued on the food pantry board.

Richard was a long-time member of St. Stephen's Lutheran Church in Monona. He served on the church council and finance committee. He also served as treasurer, financial secretary, deacon, usher, greeter, lector, and sang in the choir.

Richard was an avid Wisconsin sports fan, thoroughly enjoying going to sporting events for the Badgers, Brewers, and Packers. He also enjoyed camping with family and friends, and playing games- especially a heated card game of Euchre. Above all else, Richard loved his family and friends and cherished the time he spent with them.

Richard is survived by his children, Jim (Mary) Benzine, Jenifer (Wayne) Engelbrecht, and Jerry (Holly) Benzine; grandchildren, Annie (Ryan), Michele (Kyle), Lauren, Maddy, Matthew, Sydney, and Brooke (Brady); great-grandson, Logan; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, John and Chris Porter, Karen Kronberg and Gene and JoAnn Benisch; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Judy; sisters, Ethel Uttech, Joyce Reierson, and Judy Benzine; brothers, Lyle Benzine and Ralph Benzine; brothers-in-law, Carl Uttech, Merlin

Reierson, and Bob Kronberg; and sisters-in-law, Oma Benzine, Shirley Benzine, and Ruth Porter.

A funeral service will be held at ST. STEPHEN'S LUTHERAN CHURCH, 5700 Pheasant Hill Road, Monona, at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, August 28, 2026, with Pastor Elisa Brandt presiding. Burial will follow at County Line Cemetery in Lodi. Visitation will be held at the church from 8 a.m. until the time of the service on Friday.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be gifted in Richard’s name to St. Stephen's Food Pantry or St. Stephen's Lutheran Church.

The family would like to thank Richard's daughter, Jenifer, Dr. Goldrosen, and UW Health Medical and Oncology staff for their compassionate care. Dad we love you and you will be missed. We will cherish all the memories we have made.

Here is another gem that George shared with me of his Dad Vernon with the gas truck he drove for George at the lumber ya...
09/02/2026

Here is another gem that George shared with me of his Dad Vernon with the gas truck he drove for George at the lumber yard in the 1940's. Vern looks very dapper with his long coat and stylish hat. I hope you enjoy this little piece of Rio History.

This is a picture of the wooden gate that was in the office of the Scott Lumber Company. At that time it was natural wo...
09/02/2026

This is a picture of the wooden gate that was in the office of the Scott Lumber Company. At that time it was natural wood and George still has it. I would love to find a photo of it where it was inside of the building if anyone has one please share it with us.

1964 -Rio Farmers Co-op buys the lumber company out and later Landmark Cenex bought out the Rio farmers Union Co-op. I ...
09/02/2026

1964 -Rio Farmers Co-op buys the lumber company out and later Landmark Cenex bought out the Rio farmers Union Co-op. I don't have the date but they closed the lumber yard in about 2003 and closed the store in 2006.

This is what the lumber company looked like when Scott sold it to the Rio Farmers Co-op in 1964.

Thanks to George Scott I have photos of the Scott Lumber Company. 1941-1964-George Scott Lumber Yard. George bought th...
09/02/2026

Thanks to George Scott I have photos of the Scott Lumber Company.
1941-1964-George Scott Lumber Yard. George bought the Fuller-Goodman Co.in 1941

Rio Area Historical Society · ·AuthorIn 1906 C.E. Berg had a lumber office in his Bean Warehouse. I mentioned that in th...
09/02/2026

Rio Area Historical Society
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Author
In 1906 C.E. Berg had a lumber office in his Bean Warehouse. I mentioned that in the previous post but here is a photo. You may recognize it as the same thing as the Opera house with good reason because it is the same building. When Mr. Berg left town in 1907 he sold all of his holdings here including his two stores on Lincoln and other properties including this one. This then became the Opera house and a bean warehouse which included a roller skating area on the 3rd floor. It burned in 1908, You can read the name on the front but if you look at the later photo's of it they say Opera House so you know they were 1907 or later.

I would like to give you a little history lesson about the various Lumber yards in Rio over the years. Yes Rio had a lu...
09/02/2026

I would like to give you a little history lesson about the various Lumber yards in Rio over the years. Yes Rio had a lumber yard until the Cenex pulled out of Rio and closed everything including the Lumber yard.
In the winter of 1864-65, -Robert Williams and Kennedy Scott established the first lumberyard in Rio
In 1864-James Scott-furnished the lumber for the Congregational church
1882- 1898- David Robertson
1895 -David Robertson sells half interest of lumberyard, John Caldwell and Wilson
1898-1926-Cleve C. Gates became acquainted with Charles P. Caldwell and they bought the lumberyard of David Robertson. Mr. Caldwell was president of the company, Mr. Gates secretary/treasurer and manager. His brother, J.I. Gates was vice-president.
In 1900, they were located near the railroad tracks.
In 1901 on Christmas Day, Mr. Gates married Charles’s sister, Martha Caldwell.
In 1906 C.E. Berg had a lumber office in his Bean Warehouse which he sold and it later became an Oprah House and burned in 1908.
1926-1941-The Caldwell & Gates Co. sold to Fuller- Goodman Co., George Scott was an employee.

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126 Lincoln Avenue/P. O. Box 164
Rio, WI
53960

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