The railroad was completed to Dassel on July 4, 1869, and a celebration was held to honor the event. A few more buildings were put up that year. In 1870, the real boom started. Store buildings, many houses, and a schoolhouse were built, some of the houses are still in use. Jonas Rudberg, brother of John and Louis mentioned before, came in 1869 and lived on his brother John's farm. In 1872, Jonas moved into town and opened a drug store, which he ran until his death in February 1885. James Patterson came in 1870. Peter Anderson had a son, Elias L., who was born in Dassel on July 1, 1870. After working for the railroad as a carpenter, Louis Rudberg, brother of John and Jonas, came in 1872, and he joined John in the mercantile business until his death in January 1884. In 1876, he was elected a member of the Minnesota State Legislature and served one term. Luther W. Leighton came in the fall of 1872 and, in the spring of 1874, he opened the first wagon making shop in town. He continued with that until 1881 when he entered into the hardware business with John M. Johnson until January 1, 1887, when, after selling his interest to his partner, he entered into the new co-partnership in the firm of Osterlund & Leighton, a general merchandise store.