FRIDAYEXTRA !
The Daily Astorian
Friday, January 16, 2015
Weekend Edition
HISTORIC
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
Courtesy Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum
This brass-encased Series 500 Nation Cash Register cash register rang up many sales at Doupé Brothers Hardware Store in Ilwaco, Wash.
CASH REGISTER REVEALS
ILWACO PROSPERITY
By AMY BOZORTH
For The Daily Astorian
I
LWACO, Wash. — It’s hard to imagine a business
operating without a cash register. Yet prior to their
invention in 1879 by saloonkeeper, James Ritty,
nothing of its kind existed. Business owners relied
on simple cash drawers and other less accurate
methods of tracking commercial transactions,
often leaving them to wonder if they operated at a
processing system that tracked individual sales. The
machines became so popular, that between 1884 and
1916, more than 1.5 million were sold.
The leading company producing these coveted ma-
chines was the National Cash Register Company (NCR).
Founded by John Patterson, a general store owner from
Courtesy Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum
cash registers. Between 1888 and 1915 NCR was respon-
sible for 95 percent of the cast-bronze encased registers
The Doupé Brothers Hardware store in downtown Il-
waco, Wash., is shown in early days.
Courtesy Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum
that period as the “Brass Era.”
Peninsula’s connection to the outside world, Ilwaco’s ide-
al location made it a perfect point of access for ships arriv-
ing from Portland and Astoria. When the Ilwaco Railroad
and Navigation Co. chose to build the narrow-gauge rail-
road in 1888, they ran it through downtown Ilwaco termi-
nating on a wharf extending out into Baker Bay. Ilwaco,
as a result, was transformed into a thriving transportation
hub, and a destination point for thousands.
The prosperity of the town, in turn, enriched local
businesses, who thrived by offering everything needed
Wash., is home to one of the stateliest of these devices.
Standing 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing approximately
300 pounds, this series 500 cash register is one of the larg-
is complete with an attached eight-drawer oak cabinet,
ornate brass work and a marble sill. Built after 1915 and
purchased from NCR sometime later, the register served
most of its active life at the center of Ilwaco’s commerce
Looking at early 20th century photographs, it’s easy to
ware store was no exception. Founded by brothers Joe and
ber community made prosperous by its active tourism and
commercial trades. As the south end of the Long Beach
lection of hardware, dry goods, and ready-to-wear items.
Ideally located at the main intersection of First and Spruce
streets, the store became so prosperous over the years they
expanded several times to keep up with the growing com-
This cash register from the Doupé Brothers Hard-
ware store in downtown Ilwaco, Wash., stands 5 feet
5 inches tall. It is now housed in the Columbia Pacific
Heritage Museum in Ilwaco.
ornate cash register used by the business.
Though eventually closing its doors, like so many oth-
er businesses in Ilwaco, the register still stands as a signif-
icant reminder of those historically prosperous times, and
the importance of Ilwaco as the historic center of com-
Amy Bozorth works in public relations for the Colum-
ts
Presen
Live at the
Liberty Theater, Astoria
Tickets $15 - $20 - $25 at the Liberty Box office & www.TicketsWest.com/
March 6 7:30 pm
His only Oregon
performance!