The Pomeroy Hotel, Spring 2021
Pomeroy Hotel (Site ID 15)
Current (2021) address: 745 Main Street
1953 address: 932 Main
Classification: Historic Contributing
Henry B. and Delia Henley constructed the hotel around 1910-11. The hotel had rooms on the upper floor, and a restaurant, office, and lobby on the lower floor. The Henleys' son, Frank, took over management of the hotel in the late 1920s, and his children operated the business in the 1940s and 1950s. At the time of the Nomination, the main floor of the hotel was currently used as a restaurant and bar with the owners occupying the second floor. As of this writing, the restaurant space on the main floor is vacant.
Building Description: The Pomeroy Hotel is a two-story building with a brick parapet decorated with a corbeled cornice, one-over one double-hung wood sash windows on the upper story, fixed-pane wooden storefront windows, and a concrete foundation. Pilasters on the rusticated lower story separate the storefront and entrance bays. Double wooden doors on the east side of the front elevation lead to the second floor apartments. The main entrance is sheltered with a pedimented portico supported by tapered posts (built circa 1925). The original multi-pane transom windows above the storefront have been covered; only the multi-pane transom windows above the main entrance doors are intact. Two of the original storefront entrances (second and fourth bays from the west) have been removed and replaced with windows.
Cultural Data based on
research by Donovan & Associates
OK, this isn't the same Pomeroy Hotel as pictured above.
This the same photo I used for the top of the Stevenson Hardware building, but it's a nice 1908 shot of the Pomeroy Hotel with no portico.
From the "Down Memory Lane" column of the December 17, 1959, EW comes this bit from 44 years prior (1915):
After an illness of ten days, Mrs. Maud P. Hadley, wife of C. W. Hadley, manager of the Pomeroy hotel, died Sunday morning at 7:30 a. m. The immediate cause of death was pneumonia, developing from an attack of grippe. Mrs. Hadley was born January 16, 1874, at Baxter Springs, Kansas, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nation.
East Washingtonian advettisement from May of 1919.
Even 100 years ago, the movie industry had "tie-ins." Everywoman was a popular movie released in December, 1919. It came to Pomeroy and the Seeley Theatre in January, 1921.
(sorry about the condition (or lack thereof) of the right side).
A Spokane CPA advertising his services from the Pomroy Hotel in February 1921.
The Henleys were sure proud of their food in 1926.
Advertisements in the 1934 Treasure Chest .weren't very fancy.
This was their standard advertisement in 1936, running in almost every issue of the E-W.
From the early summer of 1936: "New Night Stage is for Public Convenience"
1944: Frank Henley spiced up the advertisements with that nifty logo.
Elmer Stone has just poured a cold Bud for a customer in the Pomeroy Hotel basement bar.
Over $100 in cash and several hundred dollars worth of stage tickets were taken from the till of the Pomeroy hotel at approximately 2 a.m. Monday morning, Mrs. Darrell Chard reports. In addition to the Union Pacific stage money several dollars was taken from Millie's Beauty Shop in the basement of the hotel.
-- Down Memory Lane column of July 31, 1958, looking back at 1948
Oops. Who set the type for this ad?
Sport Center
It's front page news that the Greyhound bus depot is returning! From the beginning of November, 1957.
Depot Is Moved To Sport Center
The Greyhound bus depot in Pomeroy was moved Wednesday to the A&M Sport Center, announces M. F. DeChenne, district sales representative for the company.
The depot was moved from Curran's Texaco Service after Joe Bob Curran, owner, decided to give up the bus stop after having it for several years.
Wes Austin, owner of the Sport Center, says he will be equipped with all information regarding tours and charters and will handle tickets and express service. Pomeroy is served by four busses [sic] daily, two eastbound and two westbound.
Pomeroy Steak House
A front page article in an April, 1978, issue of the East Washingtonian
Pomeroy Steak House & Lounge leased to partners from Spokane
Change in management at the Pomeroy Steak House took place Saturday as two couples took over operation of the restaurant and lounge from Don and Carol Squires.
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen R. Krehbiel and Mr. and Mrs. Larry I. Newkirk have a lease with an option to buy from Mr. and Mrs. Squires, who operated the establishment for the past two years.
Squires said he would return to the insurance business, and plans to continue to make his home in Pomeroy.
Krehbiel and his wife Sandra will operate the restaurant portion while Newkirk and his wife Bonnie will operate the bar, they said. The two couples plan to operate the facility in much the same manner as had been in the past, with luncheon specials and a similar menu but they will also add a daily salad bar and a weekend smorgasbord, Krehbiel said. They also plan to open the Steak House on Sundays.
Upgrading, of the type done by Mr. and Mrs. Squires, will be continued. A larger banquet room, and a new game room are planned.
Krehbiel and his wife, who are natives of Puyallup, have lived in Spokane for the past year, operating the Dinner Bell Cafe at Loon Lake. He says his father-in-law will continue to operate that restaurant. Previously, Krehbiel served as a cook in the Army for eight years, including duty in Korea and West Germany.
The Krehbiels have four children, Shawn, who will be 8 in May, Shane 6, Sonia 2 1/2 and Shelby 1 1/2.
He says his interests include fishing and "fooling around with tennis."
Larry Newkirk, age 24, is a graduate of Rogers High School in Spokane. He and his wife Bonnie were married in August 1977, and expect their first child in August. Bonnie is Mrs. Krehbie's sister.
His interests include pool, baseball and working with his car.
Mrs. Newkirk says she and her husband also "fool around with tennis." Newkirk was assistant manager for Pittsburg Paint for the four years before coming to Pomeroy.
They are presently staying in the hotel rooms above the Steak House. Krehbiel's family will move here in June, he said.
