1113 America Avenue

This was the home of William and Otto Grimm. They built the house about 1920. A complete surprise to Mrs. P. M. Dicaire was the party held at the home of her daughter Mrs. O. W. Gwmm, 1113 America avenue Tuesday afternoon, at which she was the
guest of honor the occasion being her sixty first birthday., Mrs. Grimm was assisted by Catherine Brown. A beautiful scarf was presented to Mrs. Dicaire. (Bemidji Pioneer, Sept 7, 1922)

William Otto Grimm was born in 1896 at Muskegon, Michigan. He moved to Crookston as a boy and moved to Bemidji in 1910. On September 23, 1917, he was married to Bertha Dicaire at Bemidji. He worked as a Millwright for the Crookston Lumber Co. and later worked for the Crookston Stores until his retirement. He died at the age of 75, while still a resident of 1113 America Avenue. He was survived by two sons, William and Larry, and a daughter, Mrs. James (Helen) Gregoire.

Mrs. Bertha Grimm continued to live in the house until her death on August 3, 1982. Bertha was born to Peter Dicaire, a tinsmith and storekeeper. The family moved to Bemidji in 1902. Bertha spent her younger years helping with her father’s store at 1101 Irvine Avenue, and the rest of her adult life bringing up her family. While growing up, she witnessed many changes in Bemidji and is considered a pioneer of the Bemidji area.