The Rest of the Story

The Rest of the Story

To the editor:

Art Chives Driver

I thought you might like to hear "the rest of the story" about this photo (above, published in the Historic Baker City feature in the Sept. 1 edition of the Baker City Herald.)

The building in the background is the three story Columbia Hotel. It was located on the southwest corner at 10th and Broadway streets.

The building in the upper left corner was the Crabill Hotel, located on the northwest corner at 10th and Broadway.

The van is standing in front of the garage and office of the Railway Express office, located at 11th Street and the railroad tracks, facing Jackson Street.

The Columbia Hotel housed a cigar store and restaurant. It was used by mail clerks who rode the mail cars between Portland and Pocatello, Idaho.

Chet Smith
Printed here with the permission of Baker City Herald

Main Street

Anderson Electric was in the building on Main St., the Royal Café. Warren Spencer was an apprentice there before 1930 when we were in high school. About 1933 he and Waldo Shurtliff bought the business and started Baker Electric at 2810 Broadway, about 1938, they moved to the 2400 block on Broadway, former home of the Palace Meat Market.

At that time Andy Melville Furniture a new brick building presently owned by Leo Poe.  Baker Electric to the West and then Fred G. Rapp's Bakery then Hugh Alfrey's Mens Clothing store. Next was Morig and Fred's Ice Cream Parlor, just like the history books.

Next was Ora Hamilton, the local Nash Dealer, followed by Poe Motor Co. On the 5th St. corner was Bill Moore's Grocery Store and one third of the front was his candy store, nothing but candy. The kids from Central school walked there every noon.
 

Remembrances