Pomeroy's Main Street "Scene" Through time

	The Pomeroy Historic Preservation Committee Pomeroy, Garfield County, Washington
	"Scene Through Time" A review of Pomeroy's Main Street as seen by the camera
	1900 -- Devastation July 18, 1900... Most of Pomeroy's downtown burns to the ground. The shell of Elsensohn's Mercantile is to the left, propped by by timbers. The Hotel Revere and the Black Building on the corner of (then) 3rd and Main (Now 7th and Main) are all that are left. This picture shows that the story of the 1900 (north side of Main) and 1901 (south side of Main) separate fires are probably not true. (picture dated in Judge Kuykendall's History of Garfield County.) Image is linked to a larger photo, just click on it.
	Somewhere between 1900 and 1903 The cancellation on this postcard is December 30 1903, Pomeroy Wash. The cancel on the front is that of Middletown, Calif dated January 3, 1904. The stamp on the reverse is a Scott #300 issued in 1903. The legend on the card reads "EAST MAIN ST., LOOKING WESTWARD, SHOWING COURT HOUSE, POMEROY, WASH. FROM BLACK'S DRUG STORE." That looks like the post-fire courthouse behind the cancel.
	Main Street, Pomeroy WA, early 1900's Looking East on Main Street in the early 1900's. I dated this picture post fire because of the brick buildings east of (what was then) 3rd Street, but fairly early in the 1900's, because of the horses and cart and lack of automobiles. (The picture is undated in Judge Kuykendall's History of Garfield County.)
	The Hotel Revere -- 1909 Looking East on Main Street. The sign on the front of the Hotel Revere Building is for "Koenig's," a hardware store. (picture dated in Judge Kuykendall's History of Garfield County.) Image is linked to a larger photo, just click on it.
	Third and Main, Pomeroy -- Pre 1913 Looking South on what was then 3rd Street, and was changed to 7th Street in the renumbering plan during the 1950's, you are looking at (clockwise starting at left) the First National Bank of Pomeroy, The Cardwell Building, the Hotel Revere, and the Black Building. The picture is dated by the lack of the New Seeley Opera House which would have been seen just south of the Cardwell Building. The First National Bank building burned in ____ and was replaced in the 1960's by a 60ish blue building. The Cardwell Building, The Hotel Revere, and the Black Building remain to this day and are three of the primary historic buildings in Pomeroy. The other two are the Seeley Opera House and the Meyers Hardware (Pomeroy Mercantile Building).
	Prior to paving in 1916 Mailed in Pomeroy during 1917, this post card shows Main Street as it had looked prior to paving in 1916. According to Florence Sherfey (This Was Their Time), "Probably the most needed and best improvement of all up to this time, was the paving of Main Street in 1916. Before then it was a veritable summer dust cloud and must constantly be sprinkled with water to keep the dust under control. The old water wagon creaked up and down Main Street. streams of water flowing from holes in its water tank, but at best, it could only discourage the dry dirt for a short time. Even in winter, things were little better, for then endless deep, rough chuckholes were gouged out along the street making traveling difficult. "The dirt on Main Street, first cousin to the same deep, wonderful soil in the wheat fields, was never born to be trod and trampled on in such a manner. Paving was the only solution and three other streets; Arlington, Second and Eleventh were also included, making all these thoroughfares attractive, usable and clean.
	Pomeroy's Main Street in the early 1910's Taken from the roof of the Hotel Revere, this view is east along Main Street in Pomeroy. This picture was dated by approximate age of the vehicles and the use of horse-drawn wagons with the motorized automobiles.
	3rd and Main, Teens or twenties Taken from the center of Main Street westward by what is now 6th street is this Main Street view. The cars are older that the 1922 picture (below), and there are no horse-drawn vehicles, so I am guessing at a late teens (1910's) date. There is also no vertical neon sign on the Hotel, but there is the horizontal sign in front of the main doors.
	Pomeroy's Main Street in 1922. This picture on this post card was taken from one of the rooms in the Hotel Revere looking east along Main Street. It is dated from the postal cancellation on the reverse. Compare it with the picture above that is approximately 10 years older.
	The Forties, Main Street in Pomeroy Sometime in the early to mid 1940's, looking East along Main Street. Two things to notice in this picture are the Stop Light at the intersection of 7th Street and Main and the older neon vertical "Revere Hotel" sign. By 1948, the sign had been changed to that shown in the picture below.
	The Revere Hotel circa 1948 This picture was donated to the Pomeroy Historic Committee collection by Mrs. Alvin Landkammer of Pomeroy. She received it in a Christmas card in 1948 from Viola Rickman, who operated the automobile parts store in the retail portion of the building that fronted on Main Street.
	Looking West on Main Street, 1950's From the other "end" of Main Street, this picture, taken during the 50's, really makes you strain to see the Hotel Revere, located off in the distance at the left. This picture was taken from the corner of 9th Street and Main.


	The Pomeroy Historic Preservation Committee 66 South 7th Street Pomeroy WA 99347