12 The Nawi-Review, Roseburg, Ore. Mon:, Feb., 27, 1961
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UMPQUA VALLEY APPLIANCE is one of the first businesses to be built in the blast
orea ofter the Aug. 7, 1959, explosion which leveled eight blocks of the downtown
Roseburg orea. It set the trend for modern structures now springing up in the orea.
(News-Review Photo)
In The Disaster Area -Mew Buildings Spring Up
Out Of Blast
Rubble Rises
A New City
HANSEN MOTOR CO. olmost had to start from scratch in rebuilding its structure ot
the corner of SE Oak Ave. and Stephens St. It was thoroughly smashed by the blast and
fire, being only a block and a half oway from the explosion center.
g& . cr'T li" i
TROWBRIDGE ELECTRIC did marvels in creating a new store from the smashed re
mains of what had formely been Lockwood Motors, a car agency, after the blast. The
spanking new store is located at SE Oak Ave. ond Stephens St. '
Memorial Park Drain Product
In 1943 1 community project to
mine fund far a memorial to
commemorate heroes of World
War II was begun by the citizens
of Drain.
During the five-year period of
fund raising and building of the
recreational area a total of $100,
000 was gathered to bring about
the completion of the North Doug
las War Memorial playground,
which consists of swimming pool,
lighted sports field, two tennis
courts, and a picnic area with play
equipment and outdoor fireplaces.
Site Purchased
A two-acre tract, directly adja
cent to the high school, was pur
chased from Mrs. Anna Drain for
the site of the recreational area.
At the time of the purchase of
the grounds, fund-raising drives
were begun, benefit movies were
held, a donation work day was
held, with mills of the community
giving a full day's production, logs,
supplies and use of their equip
ment. Men donated their time, a
number of sizable cash donations
were received, auctions were held,
grade school children sold tags in
the area for bags of cement, house
to house canvasses were held,
sewer and pipe lines were laid by
the high school hoys under the di
rection of the school coach and lo
cal plumber.
In July of 1947 the funds which
had been gathered were depleted.
At this time eight or ten of the
citizens meeting together conclud
ed something was started that
could not be stopped. So they de
cided to contribute enough to finish
the project. A total of S8.000 was
Riven at this time.
Amount Falls Short
However, with sky rocketing
prices, this amount still fell short,
and mora carloads of lumber, do
nated by the mills, were sold. A
izahle donation was given by a
ADDITIONS EYED
Paul's TYxaco Station is located
just east of Days Creek and is
owned by Mr. and Mrs. Faul
Crume. The feed atore and weld
ing shop and connecting house
were built in 1947 by Vaughn Ben
nett. He built the station in 1949.
Paul came from Compton. Calif., in
1958. Paul plans to add a room
to the hardware and paint depart
ment which is located next to the
station, and add parking facilities.
CALIFORNIANS BUY
Milo Store, located at Milo, was
built by Mr. and Mrs. Jack Ilig
gins in approximately 1935-36. The
store Is now owned by Mr. and
Mrs. George Pike, who look over
In July 1946. The Tikea lived in
Escondido, Calif.
lumber company In Yoncalla.
On June 19, 1948 the pool was
opened and started to pay expens
es. With final comolction of tha
North Douglas Living War Memor
ial, an official dedication was held
on July 25, 1948.
During its nearly 110 years of
growth no one single event has so
greatly left its mark on Roseburg
as the Aug. 7, 1959, blast.
Out of the rubble, however, has
risen a city rich in the elegance of
modern architecture. New schools,
businesses and homes have made
their mark on the Roseburg scene,
as the people of the city work to
ward the future, determined to
make Roseburg a finer place in
which to live than it was before
the devastating blast.
Within the past year, two new
banks have been built in the down
town area. The First National Bank
of Roseburg and the Roseburg
branch of the U.S. National Bank
of Portland have both moved into
new quarters.
One of the greatest points 01
community pride is the recently
completed YMCA building. All
funds for this building are being
donated by Roseburg and area
residents and open house was held
in early January for the $250,000
plus luxury "Y" quarters.
Administration Building Built
Another community project is
the administration building at the
airport, built completely with do
nated funds and labor and then
given to the city
JThe city itself moved into new
quarters recently as the fire and
Douce deoartment building was
completed. This structure also
houses the municipal court cham
bers and City Council chambers.
New quarters for the city mana
ger. recorder and engineer's of
fice are planned for the future
New church construction saw the
completion of modern places of
worship for the Nazarene Church
and the Seventh Day Adventist
Church.
Major new business buildings in
clude Douglas Farm Bureau Corp
erative farm store and main store
the Umpqua Valley Appliance
store three new Shell Oil Co. ser
vice stations, two for Standard
Oil Co, one for Texaco and one
for Signal Co..
Supermarkets Completed
Grocery shopping is being done
in several modern supermarkets.
including Byrd s and Drive n save,
rnrA
DOUGLAS INN Work has started on construction of a
new 46-unit motel at the site bf the former Pal Motors
building on SE Stephens St. in Roseburg. It is onother new
business mushrooming in an area devastated by a $10
million explosion which leveled eight square blocks of the
city in 1959. The building is being raised by Lee C. Preston,
Riddle lumberman, and LeRoy Ladd of Roseburg. The own
ers say the building is being constructed to show off forest
products, emphasizing Roseburg os Timber Capital of the
Nation. , .
both completed during the past
year. Several smaller buildings
and a warehouse lor wuuams
Bakery are also on the new con
struction list.
In the real estate field, the big
move of recent years came last
year when Cloverdale Homes were
renovated and put on the market
by the FHA.
A new post office was built during
the past year, a new office for
the state Employment Department
is under construction, and city of
ficials are still working toward the
eventual construction of a new Na
tional Guard Armory.
A big news event in recent
months came when officials of the
Montgomery Ward Co. announced
plans to build a modern shopping
center-type headquarters in the
north end of the city.
Plans Announced
This announcement was followed
in a few days by an announce
ment by officials of a Portland
investors group who said they plan
ned to develop a shopping center
in the heart of downtown Rose
burg on,the blast-damaged Central
Junior High School property.
Plans are also in the mill for
construction of a retirement home
for senior citizens in a blast dam
45th
-Mi.
OF
OUR
SERVICE and
. "Established In
YEAR
PROGRESS
1916"
aged hotel and later the addition
of a second senior citizens home
in the area near Roseburg.
The schools are currently in the
act of completing a $1,750,000 build
ing program to provide modern
educational facilities for the dis
trict's more than 5,800 students.
All of this construction points to
one significant fact that despite
the blast and despite the current
slump in the lumber market busi
ness officials have strong faith in
me luiure ui nuseourg.
Equitable Sayings & Loan
To Occupy New Quarters
Equitable Savings and Loan As
sociation has operated in Roseburg
since J3ia wnen naipn uussell De-
came loan representative on an
agency basis. v
Russell continued to operate the
agency until the spring of 1960,
when the home office decided to
make Roseburg a full branch oper
ation and Robert Sargent, now an
asaiaiHiii vice presiaem 01 me urm,
Prunes Were Once Big -Item
In Riddle Picture
Now of relatively minor import
ance, the growing, harvesting, and
processing of orunes was I hp
principal source of cash income a
quarter of a century ago.
Then the Riddle valley was filled
with prune orchards and, at har
vesting time, all other, acliuiiios
including school, came to a halt.
As the prune market rirnnnerl anrf
other industry developed, many left
mo 1.11 ins m iavor 01 ine weekly
wage. However. acrnrHinir in nn
of the few farmers left, the farm
ers still raising prunes derive 50
per cent of their income from that
source. The other 50 per cent
comes from raising livestock, cat-
uc aim sneep.
Only two dryers, one on the
George Neuner place and one at
the Elbert Ball place are left of
the 15 to 20 that once operated
The processing nlant whir-h tn
many years provided work at in
tervals through the year for 2n.
or more employees, now oper
ates in a limited capacity mostly
as a shipping point for the fresh
fruit.
was sent here as branch manager.
Now located in the Pacific Build
ing, the firm will move about mid
year to the old United States Na
tional Bank building, Jackson St.
at Oak Ave. Earlier this month
Sargent announced the contract for
remodeling of the building had
been let, with completion scheduled
for sometime in June.
Equitable has been in the sav
ings and loan business since 1890.
An Oregon corporation.' its home
office is located in Portland. Elev
en branch offices serve the states
of Oregon, Washington and Idaho,
with one more branch being con
templated this year.
While the association makes
some commercial loans, its deal
ings . primarily are for private
dwellings. Sargent said the purpose
of the association is two-fold, to
help people save money, and to
invest those savings in home loans.
Future' Bright
The local manager said the as
sociation has faith in the future of
Roseburg as evidenced by its in
vestment in the building which will
soon serve as the new home for the
local branch office. Over the long
run, he added, the timber industry
will provide a good, steady econ
omy for Douglas County.
bquitabie Savings and Loan As
sociation is a member of the Fed
eral Savings and Loan Insurance
Corporation, an agency of the fed
eral government.
. BANKER PICKED -
City Parks Provide Recreation
For Many Of County's Residents
Recreation seekers in Roseburg
find more than 200 acres of land
set aside for various pleasure-seeking
pastimes.
The biggest and most prominent
recreation area is Stewart Park,
which the U.S. Veterans Hospital
deeded to the city in 1957. This
park, located on the northwest side
of the city, takes in about 160 acres
devoted solely to various forms of
recreation.
The fastest growing sport at
Stewart Park is golf. Completed
in time for the 1960 golf season,
the Stewart Park course offered
the club-swinging recreational out
let for more than 10,000 people in
its first season.
The Junior Legion ball park was
cbmpleted in 1959 end has already
played host to one state tourna
ment. This tournament in that year
saw the local Junior Legion come
back from the shock of the Aug. 7
blast and win the state title. The
semi-pro Roseburg White Sox and
Drain Black Sox, former national
champions, also use the Stewart
Park field.
Other facilities at this park in
clude playground and picnic areas,
PLANNED INSURANCE
To Provide The Best Coverage For You.
Prompt Adjustments
Personal Service
MORTGAGE LOANS
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
COMPLETE REAL ESTATE SERVICE
"We Know Property Values and Trends"
RANCH PROPERTIES HOMES
ACREAGES
BUSINESS PROPERTIES
ROY O. YOUNG, KENDALL 6. YOUNG
Realtors
LeNOIR KRUSE, Salesmen
TORsly;
CA wminul ASj
Growing With ROSEBURG
ROY O. YOUNG b SON
ROY O. YOUNG RENDALL G. YOUNG
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
INSURANCE & LOANS'
REAL ESTATE
DIAL OR 3-6671
PACIFIC BUILDING
733 . L CASS AVI.
P. O. BOX 1106
ROSEBURG, OREGON
SOUTH UMPQUA COMMUNITY
Sunday School at Tiller was start
ed April 24, 1949, with the assist
ance of the Rev. Arthur Kelstrup,
then superintendent of the Ameri
can Sunday School Union in the
Roseburg area. Average attend
ance is 65 now.
The present South Umpqua Com
munity Church building was start
ed in 1954 and was dedicated May
15, 1955. XMnndcnominational, it has
20 members, according to Mrs.
George Stone, secretary. Since the
resignation of the Rev. Hilton Park
last October, when he accented a
Douglas Countv State Bank Pres. oastorate in San Jose. Calif., no
ident William Garrison is this ' permanent appointment of a sue-
year's junior first citizen. He was cessor has been made and guest
given the honor by the Roseburg speakers have been filling the put
Junior Chamber of Commerce. pit.
an archery range, horseshoe pits
and a kiddies' park featuring a
surplus Air National Guard jet and
an old time steam locomotive.
The swimming pool offers rec
reation to most of the city's young
sters and many of the adults dur.
ing the summer. What children
are not wrapped up in this pro
gram usually take part in the
peewee baseball program, and the
city provides two instructors.
Courts Provided
Tennis courts are provided at
the high school and Rose School, as
well as on NE Commercial Ave.
Neighborhood parks are located
on NE Nash St., W. Harvard Ave.,
NE Fowler St., and in the W.
Laurelwood area, on SE Thomp
son St. and SE Jackson St. Gaddis
Park provides boat-launching fa
cilities on the north side.
New Idleyld Store
Completed In '60
Coinciding with the opening of
the new Idleyld Park Post Office,
was the completion of a new Idle
yld Park store the first of October
1960.
This class A fireproof building is
constructed of concrete blocks, is
56 feet in length and by 32 feet
wide. Windows extend the entire
distance across the front facing
the North Umpqua Highway.
The new Idleyld Park store is
built west of the old grocery build
ing which formerly housed the
post office.
Mr. and Mrs. William H. Buck
leased the old building in March of
1956 and operated the grocery and
market. In March 1959, the lease
expired. Buck wat joined by his
brother, C. A. Buck from Tacoma,
Wash., and they purchased the
property from Mr. and Mrs. For
rest Tyispiv ThA new huilHintf waa
'started in the summer of 1960.
GLASS
nu s
-GtA
mm
urn
FRONTS
COMMERCIAL Cr INDUSTRIAL
Pictured are a few of the recent new buildings we have been privileged to help
complete with our glass service.
il3S-IM.
UNITED STATES POST OFFICE
FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF ROSEBURG
Lur
m
DOUGLAS COUNTY FARM BUREAU
ROSEBURG YMCA
We wish to congratulate the above firms for their part in helping to build a greater and
more progressive Roseburg . . , and extend our the. ki for the opportunity to be of service.
Kosebura
ass Ca
237 S. E. MILLER AVE.
PHONE OR 2-2685