During the depression there would be days that the cash register didn't even open once, so it became increasingly difficult to pay the rent on the Main Street shop. Sometime in the early 1930s, Nelson Electric Company moved into the triple car garage behind Ben's house at 816 Clark Avenue.
Chuck Nelson (father of Paul and Jerry Nelson)
and Ben Nelson with the
Dodge panel truck, circa 1938. Ben always
drove Dodge cars and trucks.
Ben Nelson is pictured in 1949 standing with his estimating table in the 816 Clark office.
April, 1951
1955 crew
Back row: Chuck Nelson, Kenny Chitty, Gary
Cannon, and Ben Nelson.
Front row from left: Paul Nelson, Gay Foderberg,
and Carl Morrison.
Gay Foderberg later became the electrical
inspector for the City of Ames.
This Tribune photo from 1956 shows the Nelson Electric fleet in the alley behind the office (right) at 816 Clark. The three car garage behind 815 Burnett (left) was used for storage. Nelson Electric also rented, from Nettie Richey, the two stall garage north of the office for additional storage. All three structures are still standing.
Nelson Electric moved to 116 Clark in 1964.
At this time Clark Avenue
did not yet cross the railroad tracks from
Lincoln Way to Main Street.
September 7, 1993
In 1995 Nelson Electric moved to a new 12,000 sq. ft. shop and office at 239 South Bell.