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About The Coquille Valley sentinel. (Coquille, Coos County, Or.) 1921-2003 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 20, 1985)
B-6--Wednesday, Feb. 20,1985-Sentinel/Herald First businesses added to aura of city By Marilee Miller Special writer Depending on perspective, a hundred years can seem like a very long time ago, or “just past the comer.” Titus Willard, who owned a strategic land claim on the Coquille River, fought as long as he could against platting a town. But that the site was indispensible to pio neer traffic soon proved right. For a place which acquired its first fledgling business — a store — in 1871, Coquille came quite a long way by the year 1885, when it was incorporated. What exactly was here in 1885? Quite a lot! O.E. Smith was dentist for the whole Bay Area. J.P. Easter practiced sur gery and obstetrics in Coquille; as also, W.C. Angell, a physician and “accouch eur.” Doctors C.W. Tower, Marshfield, and J.M. Volkmar, Myrtle Point, also ad vertised in the pages of the Herald. The City Brewery was run by G. Mehl; W. Gallier did blacksmithing and horse shoeing. Pioneer Feed Stable was oper ated by Hunt Bros.; R.E. Buck had the Coquille Feed and Livery. G.A. Brown’s “pew hack line” hauled passengers and ’baggage to meet the riverboats running on the Coquille. Our up-and-coming town had a Co quille Commercial College. Primary instruction for any age or grade cost $5 ware. George McEwan kept an estab a term. Secondary or business education lishment he called the Pioneer Hardware. could be obtained for $7 a term. Clark Dean and Huntington ran the City Boot Andrews, principal, also taught elocu and Shoe Store. Dr. S.L. Leneve owned tion and ornamental penmanship. the City Drug Store; J.H. Nosier had There was also the enterprising John the New Drug Store, and over in Myr A. Dean. As if being owner-publisher- tle Point, patrons could call at W.L. editor of the Coquille City Herald weren’t Dixon’s Drug Store. enough, Dean sold both real estate and The Robinson house had “recently tombstones. been furnished with spring beds and A.H. Wright was local watchmaker other conveniences.” Meals, served all and jeweler. C. Andrews’ “Post Office hours, cost 25 cents per plate. Mean Store” sold books, shoes, hats, station while, the Olive Hotel on Front Street ery, dry goods, ladies and gents cloth perked along under the guidance of Mrs. ing, general furnishings, groceries, C.W. Olive. Progress was in the air everywhere — canned goods, cigars and tobacco and candies. (Andrews paid the “highest and there was much in-county trafficking back and forth. Some of the other out- price for country produce.”) of-town advertisers in the Herald were G.H. Hamdell, Myrtle Point, a photo grapher who would call at every point on the river between that place and Bandon; at Norway (a small settlement above Coquille, on the river), O. Nel son sold groceries, pure wines, station ery, medicines, and paint. Jarvis, Corn wall & Co. operated the Wells Fargo and U.S. Mail contracts, running a stage (an open wagon travelling on- the beach es) between Empire City and Drain. ness; and in 1871-72, it was platted at just five blocks, acquired a post of fice and a store — a simple trading post. But just 14 years later, in 1885, bus iness seemed to be booming. Coquille must have thought it had a lot of catching up to do with town like Oregon City or Portland, founded in the 1840s and 50s. Is it any wonder those enterprising Ko-kwellers shook off the somber aura of the rough frontier to try their best to grow up as a viable community in a grand big hurry? Coquille City Heralds, Jan.- March 1885; available on micro film at the library. Ed. Note: Readers may be interested to note that Titus Willard’s tomb So, from the late 1850s until 1871, stone is still to be found in the The Whitney and O’Connell hardware store bragged on its tin, copper and sheet the future home of Coquille City was pioneer cemetery in town (Sixth iron wares; stoves; wood and willow but a convenient campsite in the wilder Street, near the “county barns”). City of Coquille On Your 100th Birthday We at McKays Market are proud to be a part of this celebration. McKay’s Market