Building had colorful history
"News & Standard" – June 12, 1975
By Eudora Edgemon
With the "demise" of the huge theater building on Main Street, another colorful chapter in this town's past has been completed. Though not the oldest building, a greater variety of businesses and activities took place within its walls than in any other spot.
According to "old-timers" questions by this reporter, the building was built about 1913 by Dr. N. R. Gregg. It replaced a blue front frame building used a livery stable. Dick Allman was the last to run the stable.
Brick for the building was hauled from railroad cars by the Twining brothers - Alf, Tom, Bill and Dan. A Mr. Cook hauled rocks. Leo Lavin, who had just quit school and was working for George McDonald, delivered the plaster with Barney, a dray home.
Stone and brickwork were done by Hermanson and Anderson, assisted by two other "Swedes", Swanson and Larson (the later from Soap Lake). Menzo Rose of Hartline helped with the carpenter work and Fred Jeffers worked on the lathing and floors. Elmer Box, who later marred Hermanson's daughter, helped with the mortar work.
Hermanson and Anderson also built the Box Building and the lumberyard, now BUILDERS SUPPLY.
Fred Jeffers describes the making of the mortar in 6 by 12 foot boxes made of 1 x 8 inch shiplap, tightly put together so as to be leak proof. Unslacked lime and water was boiled and stirred vigorously. After cooling overnight in the boxes, sand was stirred in for the mortar. (If this description is wrong what do I know about such things?)
The new building contained businesses downstairs. On the second floor Dr. Gregg had his office. He continued doctoring until his __ __ the 1940's. Other doctors and dentists, through the years, had an office there. Most came one or more days a week from neighboring towns. In the rear was a community hall.
Dr. Yount of Wilbur and dentists, Dr. Fies of Almira and a Dr. Gookin were among those using the building. Dr. Gookin was an Indian fighter and scout. He was described by Fred Jeffers, for whom he pulled a tooth, as a "dirty old devil."
Frank Jenkin recalls that Dr. Gookin made a dental plate for Lillie and had to pick teeth out of a pile of cigarette butts in order to put the plate together!
Clyde Evans and Ellen Hughes of Almira were in a wreck 1/2 mile west of Alf Twining's home (in what is now Banks Lake). Clyde took Allen to Dr. Gregg's office. Since Allen was drunk, Dr. Gregg gave him a shot and told Clyde to get him out of there. Carl Noble assisted Clyde but the two men had difficulty getting him down the stairs.
The community hall was used for a variety of activities. Community plays, school plays, medicine shows, Christmas parties, dances, silent and talking movies, smokers (boxing matches promoted by Ed Gunther, a grocer) and in 1939 and 1940 duckpin bowling.
Mildred Scheibner's school play was held there in the mid-twenties. Henry Ewell, a small boy at the time, was impressed with Rattlesnake Smith, who ate rattlesnake meat at a public show. Adults may forget such things, but not small boys!
In 1928 a lady came through the country presenting Tom Thumb wedding. Most of the children in town in a certain age bracket were participants so their parents paid admission to proudly view them. They wore formal costumes furnished by the producer. Gladys (Pierpoint) Riddle was the little bride and Aubrey Purcell was the groom.
Gladys' sister, Theda Gordon, recalls living in the J. Ed Tucker house near the theater. Before she could read she kept asking her father, the late Alfred Pierpoint, to read the captions on the silent movies. When he would forget she urged him to continue.
Each movie program contained a chapter of a continued story to bring the viewers back the following week.
At the community Christmas trees, parents brought gifts for their children. When Santa came he took them from the tree. Theda came to one party and saw a beautiful baby doll on the tree. She was sure it was for her and was heartbroken when Santa gave it to someone else. Her mother, Mary Lavin, convinced her that since they lived so close, Santa might have brought her doll directly to her house. Sure enough, when they returned home, a doll was under their tree.
The hall contained benches similar to church pews. These were pushed back for dances. Frank Jenkin bicycled to the first dance ever held there from his home near St. Andrews. Mrs. Floyd Jolly was suffering form ulcers and Floyd asked Frank to have Dr. Gregg come out and see her. Both Dr. Gregg and a Dr. Rickard, who had an office in another part of town, were at the dance. Neither would leave the dance to make a house call. Instead Frank was given some medicine for the patient. He recalls the difficulty he had cycling and pushing the bike uphill and how tired his legs were.
At a Halloween dance Alf Pierpoint received a prize for his clown costume.
After 1935 there was little activity in the hall.
Probably the first business on the main floor was the SUNSET GARAGE run by "Sunset Charlie." The names "Smith and Snyder" were mentioned as running a garage. Perhaps Charlie's last name was Snyder. This garage continued for 4 or 5 years.
The building was vacant for a time and then Cliff Aldrich stored fruit in it. Later he processed apples. Esther Brimble and Agnes Bogart sorted fruit there, according to Fred Jeffers.
Luther Winn worked for someone in a garage about 1925 or 1926. His father carried mail with a team of horses.
About 1930 Harold Stoll opened a garage. Maurice "Mac" Scheibner worked for him and about 1936 Jim Jess became a car salesman for two years.
In 1938 Jim bought the business and ran it until 1948 when he moved to his present site. He sold Chevrolet cars and John Deere farm equipment. His body shop was managed by Don Gordon in 1938 and part time in 1939 (Don became a diamond driller that year). Harold "Shorty" Gutschmidt was head mechanic for Jim. Clarence Fields worked part of this time. Jim paid Dr. Gregg $125 a month rent for his garage.
A newspaper, THE COULEE CITY DISPATCH, was in the rear of the building for a few years.
The southwest corner of the building contained a variety store for a time, which closed in 1935. In April of that year the post office moved from the HOME MARKET to the spot formerly occupied by the variety store. Alf Twining became the new postmaster replacing Eugene Edson. Mildred Scheibner was a postal clerk who also had worked under Edson. Marjorie Pierpoint worked in the Post Office too. Alf Pierpoint was a rural mail carrier.
The Post Office eventually moved to its present site.
In 1948 Lee added the building to his theater chain and remodeled the main floor to have the theater in the rear and a shop in the front. Jack Dillon, husband of Bonnie Ewell, ran the theater for several years. In the early 1950's my children attended a cartoon show and birthday party honoring Jack and Bonnie's small son in the theater.
JIM'S CHEVROLET and PUGH & CO. held annual farm machinery shows in the theater for farmers.
Perhaps the last business in the building was the COLUMBIA BASIN REFRIGERATION with "Little Al" Aavestrud as manager.
For many years the building was in disuse, crumbling rat infested and an eyesore. And now it is no more. It's memory lives on in the minds of those who played a part in its colorful past -- both those interviewed for this article and those not, some of whom were not at home when called by the reporter.
"News & Standard" – June 12, 1975
By Eudora Edgemon
With the "demise" of the huge theater building on Main Street, another colorful chapter in this town's past has been completed. Though not the oldest building, a greater variety of businesses and activities took place within its walls than in any other spot.
According to "old-timers" questions by this reporter, the building was built about 1913 by Dr. N. R. Gregg. It replaced a blue front frame building used a livery stable. Dick Allman was the last to run the stable.
Brick for the building was hauled from railroad cars by the Twining brothers - Alf, Tom, Bill and Dan. A Mr. Cook hauled rocks. Leo Lavin, who had just quit school and was working for George McDonald, delivered the plaster with Barney, a dray home.
Stone and brickwork were done by Hermanson and Anderson, assisted by two other "Swedes", Swanson and Larson (the later from Soap Lake). Menzo Rose of Hartline helped with the carpenter work and Fred Jeffers worked on the lathing and floors. Elmer Box, who later marred Hermanson's daughter, helped with the mortar work.
Hermanson and Anderson also built the Box Building and the lumberyard, now BUILDERS SUPPLY.
Fred Jeffers describes the making of the mortar in 6 by 12 foot boxes made of 1 x 8 inch shiplap, tightly put together so as to be leak proof. Unslacked lime and water was boiled and stirred vigorously. After cooling overnight in the boxes, sand was stirred in for the mortar. (If this description is wrong what do I know about such things?)
The new building contained businesses downstairs. On the second floor Dr. Gregg had his office. He continued doctoring until his __ __ the 1940's. Other doctors and dentists, through the years, had an office there. Most came one or more days a week from neighboring towns. In the rear was a community hall.
Dr. Yount of Wilbur and dentists, Dr. Fies of Almira and a Dr. Gookin were among those using the building. Dr. Gookin was an Indian fighter and scout. He was described by Fred Jeffers, for whom he pulled a tooth, as a "dirty old devil."
Frank Jenkin recalls that Dr. Gookin made a dental plate for Lillie and had to pick teeth out of a pile of cigarette butts in order to put the plate together!
Clyde Evans and Ellen Hughes of Almira were in a wreck 1/2 mile west of Alf Twining's home (in what is now Banks Lake). Clyde took Allen to Dr. Gregg's office. Since Allen was drunk, Dr. Gregg gave him a shot and told Clyde to get him out of there. Carl Noble assisted Clyde but the two men had difficulty getting him down the stairs.
The community hall was used for a variety of activities. Community plays, school plays, medicine shows, Christmas parties, dances, silent and talking movies, smokers (boxing matches promoted by Ed Gunther, a grocer) and in 1939 and 1940 duckpin bowling.
Mildred Scheibner's school play was held there in the mid-twenties. Henry Ewell, a small boy at the time, was impressed with Rattlesnake Smith, who ate rattlesnake meat at a public show. Adults may forget such things, but not small boys!
In 1928 a lady came through the country presenting Tom Thumb wedding. Most of the children in town in a certain age bracket were participants so their parents paid admission to proudly view them. They wore formal costumes furnished by the producer. Gladys (Pierpoint) Riddle was the little bride and Aubrey Purcell was the groom.
Gladys' sister, Theda Gordon, recalls living in the J. Ed Tucker house near the theater. Before she could read she kept asking her father, the late Alfred Pierpoint, to read the captions on the silent movies. When he would forget she urged him to continue.
Each movie program contained a chapter of a continued story to bring the viewers back the following week.
At the community Christmas trees, parents brought gifts for their children. When Santa came he took them from the tree. Theda came to one party and saw a beautiful baby doll on the tree. She was sure it was for her and was heartbroken when Santa gave it to someone else. Her mother, Mary Lavin, convinced her that since they lived so close, Santa might have brought her doll directly to her house. Sure enough, when they returned home, a doll was under their tree.
The hall contained benches similar to church pews. These were pushed back for dances. Frank Jenkin bicycled to the first dance ever held there from his home near St. Andrews. Mrs. Floyd Jolly was suffering form ulcers and Floyd asked Frank to have Dr. Gregg come out and see her. Both Dr. Gregg and a Dr. Rickard, who had an office in another part of town, were at the dance. Neither would leave the dance to make a house call. Instead Frank was given some medicine for the patient. He recalls the difficulty he had cycling and pushing the bike uphill and how tired his legs were.
At a Halloween dance Alf Pierpoint received a prize for his clown costume.
After 1935 there was little activity in the hall.
Probably the first business on the main floor was the SUNSET GARAGE run by "Sunset Charlie." The names "Smith and Snyder" were mentioned as running a garage. Perhaps Charlie's last name was Snyder. This garage continued for 4 or 5 years.
The building was vacant for a time and then Cliff Aldrich stored fruit in it. Later he processed apples. Esther Brimble and Agnes Bogart sorted fruit there, according to Fred Jeffers.
Luther Winn worked for someone in a garage about 1925 or 1926. His father carried mail with a team of horses.
About 1930 Harold Stoll opened a garage. Maurice "Mac" Scheibner worked for him and about 1936 Jim Jess became a car salesman for two years.
In 1938 Jim bought the business and ran it until 1948 when he moved to his present site. He sold Chevrolet cars and John Deere farm equipment. His body shop was managed by Don Gordon in 1938 and part time in 1939 (Don became a diamond driller that year). Harold "Shorty" Gutschmidt was head mechanic for Jim. Clarence Fields worked part of this time. Jim paid Dr. Gregg $125 a month rent for his garage.
A newspaper, THE COULEE CITY DISPATCH, was in the rear of the building for a few years.
The southwest corner of the building contained a variety store for a time, which closed in 1935. In April of that year the post office moved from the HOME MARKET to the spot formerly occupied by the variety store. Alf Twining became the new postmaster replacing Eugene Edson. Mildred Scheibner was a postal clerk who also had worked under Edson. Marjorie Pierpoint worked in the Post Office too. Alf Pierpoint was a rural mail carrier.
The Post Office eventually moved to its present site.
In 1948 Lee added the building to his theater chain and remodeled the main floor to have the theater in the rear and a shop in the front. Jack Dillon, husband of Bonnie Ewell, ran the theater for several years. In the early 1950's my children attended a cartoon show and birthday party honoring Jack and Bonnie's small son in the theater.
JIM'S CHEVROLET and PUGH & CO. held annual farm machinery shows in the theater for farmers.
Perhaps the last business in the building was the COLUMBIA BASIN REFRIGERATION with "Little Al" Aavestrud as manager.
For many years the building was in disuse, crumbling rat infested and an eyesore. And now it is no more. It's memory lives on in the minds of those who played a part in its colorful past -- both those interviewed for this article and those not, some of whom were not at home when called by the reporter.
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