A. 1860-1920
[1] Dayville Hotel
The hotel that now stands in Dayville was built by Andy Litch. The first part
was built in 1904. The east part, which is the good part of the building, was
built in 1913. Gladys Munjar was one of the various people to run the hotel. After
World War I, Margaret Glover bought the building and had Bob Ervin build a sizeable addition
to form the T-shaped building it is today. She moved her business several blocks east from
where she had been running Glover's Cottage to the enlarged hotel building. Eugene Roope, a
successful rancher acquired the building through mortgage and rented it to several
managers.
When Aleen Grindstaff returned to Dayville from Canada in 1943, her father, Eugene Roope, was only
renting a few rooms and was not serving meals. Dayville's population had decreased.
People driving trucks and cars went on through instead of stopping as the team
traffic had done.
Gladys retired after her many years of feeding and caring for people. Aleen
continued to care for regular occupants, but the hotel was not open to the public.
In 1960, after 17 years there, Aleen sold the hotel to Mr. and Mrs. Shull of Portland who ran
it until after his death when she retired due to illness and died. Since the Shulls'
daughter closed the hotel, it has not been in use.
2. Store
The old store, which is now Ripa's Merc was built in 1896 by Billy Stewart. In
1898, the saloon part of the store was built by Joe Jackson. The lumber used in
building the store was acquired from Flat Creek, which was a lumber camp. The windows
were shipped in by mule team. The store is still in its original place, and is
open for business.
3. Chevron Station
Mr. and Mrs. Misener owned the station first, which at one time was a bar. The
station is now owned by Grace Laughlin.
4. Dayville Community Hall
The old hall was built in 1920 and was finished in 1921. The lumber came from
Flat Creek, and the windows were shipped in by mule team.
5. Library
The building that is now the Dayville Library, once was the Dayville City Hall.
It consisted of an office in the front, and two jail cells in the back. It was
built in 1898.
6. Post Office
The Dayville Post Office was, until 1916, located at the Snow house. When the Snows
moved away, it was taken over by Edith Wyllie, then by Mr. Walter Mascall. The
Post Office was then moved to where it is today.
7. Telephone
The first telephone came to Dayville in 1896. The line ran in the Post Office,
which at the time was run by Mrs. Snow.
8. Livery Stable
The Dayville Livery Stable is still standing on the property of Thomas Hurd. It
was built in 1880 and ran for quite a number of years. The date it closed down
is unknown.
B. 1920-1973
1. Grocery Stores
By 1920, Everett Knox already had a grocery store built in Dayville. It was run
for many years by the Knox family. Then in 1967, the Knoxes sold the store to Don
and Lola Ripa, who in turn sold it to Mark and Elayne Reasoner in 1973.
Chester Jones had a grocery store built by Ed Chinouth across from where the Post Office
now stands. This was built in 1922. The store was closed and then reopened by
Melton & Payne, Inc. The store burned in 1968.
Merrill's Grocer Store, built in 1931, was located in the building which was once
known as the "Beehive". Later, the "Beehive" was made into an apartment house and in
1966, was torn down to make way for a new highway.
Wray Abel owned a small grocery store which was made out of a garage in 1928. The
store was also torn down so the highway could be put through.
B. 1920-1973
2. Sawmills
In 1940, Bud Graham opened a sawmill about a mile up the Cottonwood Creek road. Mr. Graham sold
it to a man named Wells in 1942. Mr. Wells sold it to Hudspeth in 1947. In 1950 the mill moved to
John Day. This mill also had a box factory during World War II, located in the Community Hall building.
Ezra Mash started a mill in the early forties, but the mill did not fare too well and was closed in the
late forties.
B. 1920-1973
3. Hotels and Motels
Mrs. Margaret Glover opened the Dayville Hotel in the early 1920's. The hotel changed hands
many times throughout the years. It was closed in 1968 but the building still stands.
In 1944, Dick Mascall opened 2 motel units in back of what is now the Post Office.
Although Dick moved, the motel is still in use.
Mr. Eugene Roope built some cabins in 1923 and a hotel in 1932 just parallel to the Dayville Hotel. No definite date
was available as to when these buildings closed.
Chester Keeton built some rooms around his cafe in 1941. The boarding house closed about 1963.
B. 1920-1973
4. Service Stations
In 1920 a gas station was put next to what is now Ripa's Merc by Bert Cummings.
In the first building west of the Post Office there once was a service station built by Burt Fine.
The station changed hands many times before it finally closed down in 1970.
The Shell Station at the west end of town was built and once run by Leslie Martin in 1939. The station is now run by
Richard Coalman.
In 1971, Darrel Knight built a gas station across the street from the old liquor store. The station closed in 1972.
Wray Abel had a service station built by JOhn Vigas and Bill Taylor in 1928. Due to the death of Mr. Abel, the station closed in 1964.
In 1935, Clyde and Grace Laughlin started running the two stations that Mrs. Laughlin still runs.
B. 1920-1973
5. Liquor Stores, Saloons, & Taverns
In 1956, Fay Jones made a liquor store out of what is now the library. The store later moved to the building next to
the library. Then in 1972, it went into the grocery store, Ripa's Merc.
Jim Gogle made a saloon out of the building next to the Chevron station in
1920. The saloon ran until probation was voted out.
The Dayville Tavern was built about 1956 next to Melton & Payne Groceries. The tavern burned in 1968, along with
the store.
In 1973, the Coffee Cup Cafe was changed into the Blue Mountain Tavern, which is
now owned and managed by Vern Seaman.
B. 1920-1973
6. Electrical Engineering
There was a Telephone Office next to the Community Hall, which later moved to the Damon Building. Due to the
new telephone system, the office was closed down.
Tom Conlee owned a radio repair shop in what is now the old Arco Station.
In the late 1930's, Ray Williams owned a power plant behind the library.
B. 1920-1973
7. Meat Shops
In 1944 Dick Mascall opened a meat market and rented lockers. It closed in
1948. Gordon Wyllie ran a meat shop in the Dayville Hotel in 1933.
B. 1920-1973
8. Plumbing
In a building that once stood near the Sam Pambrum residence, Mr. Bill Bock had a plumbing shop.
B. 1920-1973
9. Freight Lines
In 1930, Gus Owens opened a Freight Line near the Vernon Amis residence. George, Frank, Marion,
and Bob Owens all drove trucks for their father. The lines closed in the late 1930's.
B. 1920-1973
10. Saw Filing
In 1940, Al Graham opened up a saw filing shop at his home, which is now the Ray Quilling
residence. At first he dealt mainly with crosscut saws. Later on he filed powersaws until his shop
closed in 1950.
B. 1920-1973
11. Carpentry
Tom Pullen opened a business of General HOme Repair in about 1920. The shop was still in
business until his death in 1955.
B. 1920-1973
12. Beauty Salons
Vena Martin opened her first beauty salon in 1961 in the Dayville Hotel. In 1962,
she moved to the present location.
B. 1920-1973
13. Shoe Shops
Ed Watkins opened a shoe shop next to Grace Laughlin's Chevron station.
B. 1920-1973
14. Avon
Avon was first introduced to Dayville in 1935 by Lorraine Wyllie and Wilma Amis,
(Larkin), the first Avon agents in Dayville.
THE END
©1998 Roxann Gess Smith
All Rights Reserved
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