Historic District Downtown Building Inventory
The Gammon Block all dressed up for the Christmas season by the Pomeroy City crew in 2021.
Gammon Block (Site ID 43)
Historic Non-Contributing Site
730-736 Main Street
William Gammon constructed the brick building to house Adams Grocery and Stephens Jewelry store in 1901 after the 1900 Pomeroy fire (East Washingtonian, 2 March 2, 1902). A dentist’s office was located in the back of the building for Dr. Barnes. Other owners of the jewelry store were the Cohrs who sold the business circa 1909 to the Christophersons. The family owned the businesses until 1975 when it was sold to the Bartels.
The storefront occupied by the grocery belonged to Harris A. Adams. He purchased the grocery in the late 1880s from the Allen family who started a store in Pomeroy about 1889. The grocery was destroyed in the 1900 fire, but Adams rebuilt the business in the new Gammon Building. Adams died in 1917. His son, Harry Adams purchased the store and reincorporated the business with a friend, Frank Burch. The new store was known as Burch-Adams Grocery. Adams died in 1951. Other occupants of the building have included Obenlands, Crystal and Webbs cafes, Bowen’s Shoe Store, and Darrel’s T.V.
The lot now is the home of the Downtown Pomeroy Park with picnic benches, a monument to the military veterans from Pomeroy, and travelers' rest rooms.
The majority of the building was destroyed in an October 1978 fire; only the brick storefront surrounds and the parapet survived the fire.
Description and much of the Cultural Data based on
research by Donovan & Associates
Quick Links
Adams Grocery
Even in February of 1913, Pomeroyites were interested in their coffee.
Every truly great grocer sold phonograph records (probably not yet vinyl yet) in February of 1913.
This November, 1913, advertisemen could give you ideas for Christmas. And something to play your records on.
Could I have this dance? The Castles were possibly on that thing called a radio?. Summer of 1914.
All that dancing might make you a bit hungry. Peanut butter is tasty in August, 1914.
November of 1914, When Pomeranians got to pick between Il Trovatore and Silver Threads among the Gold.
The advertisement is a bit scuffed, but it's from May of 1915. That's 108 years old at this writing!.
Bluhil Green Chile Cheese. Sounds tasty
Bowen's Shoe Service
Bowen's Shoe Service, October, 1970, advertisement
Ward's Jewelry
Grand Opening of Ward's Jewelry in April, 1956
Ward's Jewelry has a first anniversary in April, 1957.
1958 Fire
Here's a back page article from the March 22, 1979, issue of the E-W:
Volunteers clean out burned building
More than 20 persons, with six trucks, a loader and a bulldozer finished off the clean-up project at the former Bowen's Shoe Service and Darrel's TV building Saturday.
The workers removed rubble from inside the building, dumped it in a hole at Don Richardson's and covered over the front of the building with plywood.
Jim Storey, project chairman, and Rick Anthony, president of the Spinners Club, said work got under way about 8 a.m. One crew worked on the front of the building, while another removed the rubble and loaded it into trucks.
Workers included members of the Spinners, who organized the effort, farmers and other volunteers. Besides those who worked or donated equipment, many other persons had offered to help out, but the project had all the equipment and workers that it could use, Storey said.
A D-6 dozer, loaned and operated by Jim Wolf, pushed the rubble into a TD9 loader, loaned by Don Watson and driven by Carl Ingram. The loader filled up trucks loaned by Steve and George Ledgerwood, Wolf, Bill McGreevy, Don Richardson and Kenny Sorweide. Drivers were Sorweide, Richardson, McGreevy, Gary Norland, Darrel Bartels and Bill Ingram.
Two trucks got stuck while dumping at Richardson's, so Don's tractor was used to pull them out. On Sunday, Ed Bishop used Wolf's D-6 to compact and cover over the rubble that was dumped.
A fork lift loaned by Able Automotive and driven by Mike McCubbin was used to hoist sections of plywood into place, and then Spinners members nailed the plywood down.
Lunch was served at Maple Hall by Barbara Bartels, Cindy Herres and Elaine Anderson.
Workers Saturday included: Jim Wolf, Carl Ingram, Bill Ingram, Jim Storey, Jim Redman, Rick Anthony, Bob McGreevy, Kenny Sorweide, Don Watson, Larry Kniveton, Bill Pasch, Don Richardson, Burton Davis, Chuck Hindman, Rod Carey, Bob Niebel, Gary Norland, Mike McCubbin, Ed Bishop, Gordon Dixon, Bob Grim, Lee Bowen and Darrel Bartels.
The project started a week earlier when the back wall of the building was pulled down and a roadway bulldozed into the back for access. McGregor's loaned a hoist truck for removal of the signs in front of the buildings and Windy's served coffee. Don Watson loaned a truck and Wolf and Farm and Home Supply donated use of wheel tractors.
Wandering Pomeroy's Main Street
Area Traffic Cameras
Alpowa Summit
Delaney (20+ miles W on
Highway 12)
SE Washington Traffic
Alerts
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The Committee gratefully acknowledges donations of time, photographs, scans, and other
assistance from the Garfield County Museum and individual citizens of Pomeroy and Garfield County.
The Pomeroy Historic Preservation Committee
66 South 7th Street
Pomeroy WA 99347
Copyright © 2002-2022 John R. Gordon