Golden Eagle Drug Store

The Golden Eagle Drug Company, circa 1931





The Golden Eagle Drug Store once occupied the lot at 112 West Miner Street in Yreka, California, today this spot has a small city park that is adjacent to a community art gallery and public restrooms.

Prior to the "great fire of 1871" there were reportedly several early Yreka buildings at this location, but following the fire in about 1877 a J. W. Riddle constructed a sturdy brick building. A historic plaque mounted on a post with information from the Siskiyou County Museum explains that Mr. Riddle created a basement of sandstone so he could rent storage to local farmers for their grain. By 1885 the majority of this building at the street level was being used as a saloon with a very small tailor shop on the East wall of the structure. In the rear of the building were small lodging accommodations. In 1888 the building was largely vacant with a boot-smith operating in a small area of the building, and by 1890 the boot-smith was gone and a portion of the building was home to a cobbler.

By 1897 the building had been partitioned into two distinct business buildings. With the West side of the building being a little larger than 1/2 of the structure. At this time the Riddle Building was home to a Hardware and Stove business with a Confectionery store on the smaller East portion. We discover that in 1908 the Confectionery business is gone and has been replaced by a Stage (or taxi) Office. Early in 1927 the Stage Office moved to the rear of the building where there were former lodging areas and a general office occupied its former unit. The larger portion of the building was now home to a Billiard Parlor.

In 1927 the Golden Eagle Drug Store opened for business and occupied the area where the Billiard Parlor once was. One can view the two separate entrances for the building in the image above (the tile under the windows show the division). The Golden Eagle Drug Store operated for quite some time and later became Cumming's Drug. We find Cumming's Drug Store listed in the 1949 City Directory. The two drug stores operated in this location for 56 years. The building was home to a thrift and collectibles store in July of 1990 when the building burned and was unable to be saved.

Copyright: Claudia A. Eat

Livingston and Brothers Building c. 1854

Views from today and "yesterday" on the corner of Miner and Fourth Streets. (311 - 313 West Miner St.)



Pictured above is the building known historically as the Livingston and Brothers Building. Research by Robert Noonan in 1976 indicates that this building was erected in 1854 or 1855. He explains in his work (Yreka's West Miner Street Buildings Blocks 200 and 300 1851-1900) that this lot and building, according to the first recorded property deed, as belonging to a H. S. Westbrook and J. B. Pierce who sold the building to Livingston and Brothers in May of 1855 for the sum of $7,000. Several different owners came and went until 1865 when the Forest House Fruit and Cider store conducted business in one half of the building, sharing the space with the California/Oregon Stage Company.

Following the fruit and cider store a Mr. A. E. Raynes and Postmaster C. H. Pyle operated both a bookstore and the Post Office at this location during the years from 1866 to 1898. Around 1920 a dry goods store began business here that is still remembered, Pollock's store operated until about 1955, or 35 years in this building. In the older image above if you look carefully at the store in the corner you will see the name Pollock's boldly displayed on the front of the building above the striped awning. Following Pollock's Store a specialty shop called Tic Tok's Clock Shop operated here and then for a number of years the building was home to a fine stationery store at this corner location, Tyrer's Stationery and Books. Over the years there have been other business establishments located here and they have come and gone, but the ones listed are the ones who have made their mark and are recalled in our history.

On the side of this building in the back section a fine clock shop is currently in operation known today as "Dave's Clocks". It is perhaps interesting to note that in the 1950s the same back area was home to another clock shop known as the "Tick Tock Shop". I personally recall going by the window of the clock shop and looked at the intricate movements of the clocks displayed as a child, it is fun to once again walk by the same window and see similar displays.

In 2010 the main portion of the building along Miner Street was home to Edward Jones Investments.

Information on the history of this building has been ascertained from Robert Noonan's fine research (Yreka's West Miner Street Buildings Blocks 200 and 300 1851-1900), from information scribed on a plaque provided by the Siskiyou County Museum, and from personal memories.

Copyright 2010, Claudia A. East

Montgomery Wards Building

Early view of the Montgomery Wards Building at 201 South Broadway, (formerly Second Street) Yreka, Ca


On June 7, 1929 a news article appeared in the Siskiyou Times explaining that the new "Ward Structure" was now underway as ground breaking was imminent. Local capitalist, Victor Warren was financing the building, he also constructed the large "Warren's Building" located adjacent to the Wards Building, and his sister built the Broadway Theatre as seen in the above photo as well.

The building was under the supervision of a J. P. Brennan, a Redding builder who won the contract for the job. The article explained that the building would be located on the corner of Second and Center Streets and would have an investment of approximately $50,000 ~ no small change for 1929! Further explanation of the structure said it would be one story in height with a mezzanine and have a frontage of 101 feet on Second Street and 102 feet on Center. All together the building was to provide 17,000 feet of floor space. The building completion was set for August 1, 1929. The news article further explained that to fill the store with stock it would take between 10 to 12 train carloads of merchandise! It was also anticipated that the new store would employ from 20 to 30 persons and they would be local hires with the exception of the chief executives.

Because this building project was given only 2 months to complete some "fancy footwork" had to be completed. The first was to seek a new place for the Chautauqua tent that currently occupied the spot and find a place for their next performances. The tent was subsequently removed and according to the news, the next performance was given in the Agricultural Hall which would have been right behind this lot.

Montgomery Wards came and went but served Yreka for many years, the building also served as a Rasco's during the late 1970s and early 1980s and currently serves as offices for Choices for Children and the Broadway New to You Thrift store that helps fund the Choices for Children programs. Around 2003-4 the building had some interior renovations when the Choices for Children's Program moved into the building.

For those of you who have our Yreka, Images of America book you will find other images of this store on pages 44, and 43.

Copyright: Claudia A. East

Yreka and the 1930s

Photo of Miner Street during the 1930's from the National Archives.

During the 1930s our country faced the "Great Depression", Yreka certainly had its trials, but on the whole the local economy fared better than many. During the early part of the 1930s major road work was completed through town with the widening of Highway 99 (The Pacific Highway) and many buildings along Main Street were either moved back, suddenly became very close to the road, or were demolished and new ones built. Also in the early 30s the new Highway 99 was completed through the Shasta Canyon just north of town. This was a major feat and news paper accounts of the new bridges and the road conditions were touted throughout California!

In addition to the road construction, the early 30s also brought some major commercial building to town. The new Montgomery Ward Building on Broadway opened in Sept. of 1929, the Warren's Building opened for business in 1930 as well as the new Broadway Theatre! In 1931 the new Ley Fire Station was built, and towards the end of the decade the new Lake's Building was constructed just to the south of the Broadway Theatre.

In public service we see familiar "old family" names such as A. L. Herzog, Mayor; B. F. Ackerman, Councilman; V. W. Hart, Councilman; John Goodrich, Councilman; and J. G. Goble, Councilman. Bernard Pollard was Fire Chief, and U. F. Brown was City Clerk. Charles Doggett served as Chief of Police, and R. C. Collier was Police Judge.

Reviewing the City Directory it can be learned that there were many businesses in town, at least 5 Auto Camps, 5 Auto Dealers with names like Graham-Paige, Chrysler-Plymouth, Chevrolet, Ford, and Studebaker. There were three Drug Stores, dry cleaners and laundry, furniture stores, and gold buyers, six different grocery stores including Safeway and Purity, two lumber stores, three hotels, four meat markets, and six different places to shop for millinery goods! In addition there were 11 restaurants and a host of other businesses and services!

During the 1930s the economy was fueled by gold, lumber, agriculture, and county and city government as well as travelers along the new Highway 99. People did business locally and "going to town" meant going to Yreka! The population was much smaller, an estimated 2,500 - 3,000 people within the city limits.

Copyright: Claudia A. East

Yreka Historic Preservation

The Yreka Carnegie Library Building
during construction
1915

The City of Yreka is known as the city where "History Lives On"... and much of the history available is due to the wonderful archives at the Siskiyou County Museum (located in Yreka, the county seat) as well as a multitude of local authors who have thoroughly researched and written books, articles, pamphlets and produced videos about the past and its people and the news of the day. Within many of the organizations and activities that have promoted Yreka and Siskiyou County History have been two names that, in the past, have been most prominent: Fred J. Meamber and his wife, R. Bernice Soule' Meamber. These two individuals were influential in the founding of a number of local historical groups including the Siskiyou County Historical Society (1948), the Symposium Group of Historical Societies of Northern California and Southern Oregon (1952), and the Yreka Committee for Historic Preservation Corporation, founded in 1972.

Today the Yreka Historic Preservation Corporation continues and is actively recruiting new members interested in Yreka History and Preservation! In the past they have been involved in many activities in town and nearby areas to promote historic preservation to list just a few of their accomplishments: helped fund restoration of the Carnegie Library Building, provided funding for the Randolph Collier statue at the Siskiyou County Courthouse (Collier was a local State Senator from Yreka that served Siskiyou for many years), they also helped fund restoration efforts of the Montague Train Station, and placed historic signs throughout Yreka's residential districts that show the original owner of the home and year built.



Sample of a residential home marker/sign.


The Yreka Historic Preservation Corporation holds their main purpose as "to promote the protection, enhancement and perpetuation of historical buildings within the City of Yreka". They also host on their website a photo tour of historic homes and buildings that are still standing, as well as a photo tour of vintage images. For folks that are genealogists and are researching Yreka, you will also find a listing of the homes with historic signs and information at the website.

As an aficionado of local history, preservation ~ and the author of Yreka History I encourage you to consider joining the Yreka Historic Preservation Corporation ~ your dues will help preserve our fascinating history!
Claudia East