Henry Patterson purchased Topeka Harley-Davidson® in March of 1949 from Dutch Myers. Henry (Pat) moved his wife, Leola, and their two young boys, Larry and Dennis, along with all of their possessions, in one car and motorcycle trailer from Grand Junction, Colorado to Topeka in order to take over the dealership. Pat endured many hardships in his first few years of business. Within a year of taking over at 305 Kansas Avenue, the Throop Hotel, next to his store, caught fire and collapsed on top of his building and ruined the structure. He was forced to move across the street temporarily before finding a new location at 2410 W 6th on the edge of town.
Just after the move, he found himself and his store in 3 feet of water when Topeka's largest flood in history swept through in 1951. He persevered and continued with his business and his dream through many difficult decades. After working for many years in the store by himself or with one employee, Pat was happy and surprised when his son, Dennis, joined him in the business in the mid '70s. It was perfect timing for Pat, as the Japanese motorcycles were taking a stranglehold on the market. Denny's new energy helped save the business from a sure demise. In the late 1980s, Pat's grandson (Denny's nephew), Mike, entered into the business to make it three generations of Pattersons managing the store.
