It was the horse that led the first agricultural revolution in America from around 1850 to 1950. Oxen which moved too slowly had been replaced by the draft horse. Instead of a simple ox yoke to harness its power, the draft horse required a much more complex set of harness made from tanned leather, first made in small harness shops and later in large factories in large cities.
The horses that worked all week on the farm also often would take the family to church on Sunday. They also provided transportation to courting couples at night.
Horses were intelligent animals and often had personalities and faults just like the folks who owned and drove them. When a longtime faithful horse died, the family would often grieve their loss.
The horse was more excitable than the ox and could be easily spooked. Many farmers could recall going on a runaway with his team of horses when that happened.
You may wonder where did the farmer go to purchase a new team of horses or replace one that had recently died. Many town and villages had a local horse dealer that bought, sold, or traded horses. Buying a new horse was often a buyer beware situation.
We might compare the horse dealers of the past with some used car dealers today. Many of the horses sold did not live up to the expectation of the farmers who bought them, so the reputation of some horse dealers was even worse than the used car dealers today.
Many farm boys started driving horses at a young age. Sometimes as young as six or seven years old.
Getting back to the harness shop, the shift from oxen to horses required a set of complex leather harnesses. They were first made in small harness shops of one or two skilled leather craftsmen. They would also maintain, oil, and repair them. Many harness shops also repaired leather shoes and boots.
At the turn of the century Borculo had a blacksmith shop run by Paul De Groot and also had a harness shop. The harness shop was operated by Jacob Lokers. A 1912 Farm Atlas shows the location of the Lokers and De Groot properties in downtown Borculo.
And then there was the smell of the freshly tanned leather hides and the leather dyes used to color the leather.
In 1913 Jacob Lokers decided to sell the harness business in Borculo which was making mostly leather goods for horses. He decided to go into shoe business there making and repairing the shoes for the local residents. His leather repair services were always very reasonable and he soon earned himself the nickname "Cheap Jake".
My father's account book of expenses show that he had the family's shoes repaired there in the 1930's and 1940's. Many of the shoe repairs ranged from 10 cents to a dollar.
The Lokers family continued selling shoes in Zeeland and Holland. In 2013 they celebrated 100 years of business, going back four generations.
At the time Jacob Lokers moved to Zeeland, much of the harness business in America had moved from the small shops to large factories, and the products began to be marketed through large mail order companies like Sears Roebuck & Company at lower prices.
The local harness shop then become mostly a repair and maintenance business. The harness shop in Borculo was operated by Bert Habers, who ran it for many years repairing shoes, but he also cut hair there. A few other people also worked there. In 1940 the harness shop closed in Borculo. Gradually the 100 year of the era of the horse was coming to an end and most of the farmers in Borculo had purchased a tractor to replace the team of horses.
In 1941 the vacant harness shop was purchased by the Vanden Berg Oil Co. of Holland and they converted it into an auto service station selling DX brand of gasoline. My father's farm account book of 1941 showed that he was now buying his gasoline here at six gallons for a dollar, instead of five gallons for one dollar across the street at the Borculo Garage.
In 1946 the station closed and the building was sold to Bill and Nelly Austhof. They soon converted the building into a small lunchroom and operated it there for a few years.
The last tenant to lease this building was Andy Kooienga. He operated an appliance business in this building around 1955 - 1960. He also repaired radios and appliances here. I remember buying a new television set from Andy in 1956.
In the 1960s Harold Goodyke sold the building and property to Jerry Por who tore the building down and used the property to expand parking for his restaurant next door.
In 1980 Jerry Por sold the restaurant to Vern and Wanda Bohl. They operated it until 2001, when the building and property was purchased by the Ottawa County Road Commission to realign the Borculo intersection of 96th Ave. and Port Sheldon Drive. As a result there is not much left to remind us of the era that was known as the century of the horse in America.