Payette's Historic Buildings
By Ron Marlow
In Payette there are nine homes or business buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This list is maintained by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior and is of properties important in the nation's history or prehistory. Buildings, structures, objects, sites and districts (contiguous buildings, structures, objects, and/or sites) can be listed in any National Register if they meet the Register’s criteria. In order to qualify for National Register listing, a property must be unaltered enough to evoke a sense of the period in which it was important. The property also must be associated with important historic events or people, or be a good example of architectural or engineering practices, or be likely to yield information in the study of prehistory or history.
Usually cemeteries, birth places, buildings that have been moved, reconstructed buildings, commemorative properties, and buildings or structures less than 50 years old are not eligible for listing in the National Register.
Listing is a several-step nomination process that can be initiated by individuals or organizations. It's a four-page form the documents the location, current appearance, historical appearance and historic importance of the property. It has to be accompanied by black and white photos, roll of colored prints and a roll of colored slides. The forms and photos are submitted to the Idaho State Historic Preservation Office which has directors from all sections of Idaho that meet three times a year to review the applications before submitting them to the National Park Service. If and when approved the nominee receives a certificate of approval for listing in the National Register.
The following are structures currently on the list of the National Register of Historic Places:
D. C. Chase House
Built in 1891 by the local Oregon Short Line Railroad agent D. C. Chase who purchased the property in 1890. It was surrounded by sagebrush. A windmill was erected on the corner to provide power to pump water to the house. The brick home has a cupola, a tower room that required stairs for access. They were burned in a warehouse fire and never reordered. A ceiling trap door and ladder are the only way to gain access to the room. The woodwork, light fixtures, doors, windows and shutters are original. When Everett and Maude Norman purchased the house in 1945. It was remodeled with new wiring, plumbing and heating. When Mrs. Norman died in 1985 her daughter Audrey and husband Jerry Carney moved in and still reside there. An American flag always flies over the residence.
N.A. Jacobsen House
Built in 1908 by N.A. Jacobsen for $2500. It was his farmhouse on 100 acres that stretched from 11th Street to 21st Street (on the hill where the armory is) and Center Avenue to 3rd Avenue North. The original house colors were white with a red roof and blue trim around the windows. All the fir woodwork is intact with slight remodeling in the kitchen. In 1969 wiring and plumbing was updated. In 1991 a new gas furnace and air-conditioning was installed. The property left the Jacobsen family in 1968. Several other absentee owners had the property. Father Paul Tracy, of the Episcopal Church, lived in the house for seven years. Ron and Charlee Marlow purchased the property in 1984. Ron still lives there today.
N.A. Jacobsen Building
Located at 40 North Main Street and built in 1904 by Mr. Jacobsen who built three other buildings on Main Street. It's a two-story brick building with a round corner room facing Main Street which originally had a tall spiral roof. Apartments were on the top floor as well as a dentist office. Mr. Jacobsen had his office downstairs and a bank for a short time. This was also the location of Payette's second Post Office. Later years it was the Apple Blossom Cafe. Now it is Boyd's Barber Shop. On the south side was Fruechtenicht's Jewelry Store. Later it became a pet shop.
A.B. Moss Building
Located at 137 North Main Street and built in 1895 with remodeling in 1926. The style is High Victorian Italinate. This general mercantile store served the needs of the Payette Valley and was one of the largest in Idaho. Mr. Moss, with brother Frank, came west from Laramie, Wyoming to supply railroad ties for the Oregon Short Line construction crews. The Moss Brothers liked the area, stayed here, got into politics, and ranching. They both played an important part in the growth of the valley. The building and adjoining building are the Payette Senior Citizens Center.
St. James Episcopal Church
Located at 110 North 10th Street and built in 1891. It was dedicated in 1892. Rev. Alfred Worthing was the first resident priest. The building was styled after early English churches. A parish hall was added in 1950. Services are still held every Sunday.
Payette Post Office
Located at 915 Center Avenue and built in 1936 by the WPA. Several years ago it was remodeled and enlarged. W. F. Masters was the first postmaster. In 1885 he was replaced by George Johnson, who had the post office in front of his harness shop. The second post office was in the Jacobsen Building at 40 North Main Street and the third post office in Jim Lauer’s Elite Opera House Building at the corner of Center Avenue and Main Street.
Payette's Post Office was a third class Post Office until 1935. That was the year that Fred Richards built and marketed the first safe electric fence. The huge volume of mail that resulted changed the status to a first class post office.
City-County Building
Located at 240 North Main Street on the east side of the street, stands the old City-County building. It's a Neo-Classical revival style that was built in 1912.
The Village of Payette was chartered on July 16, 1891. The village trustees held their meetings on the third floor of the 1st National Bank Building. Trudging up and down the stairs became a nuisance so they voted to build a new city town hall on January 20, 1900. They moved into the wooden structure August 18, 1900. The building cost $800 and was on the north end of Main Street. The present brick building was built in 1912 with a large copper dome over the bell on the roof. Constant exposure to the elements caused the dome to expand, pushing the top walls of the building outwards. It had to be replaced.
When Payette County came into existence February 28, 1917, county officials shared the same building with the city. After a few years new, larger facilities were needed. A new City Hall was built at 700 Center Avenue and city employees moved in on December 18, 1970. A new Courthouse was planned in 1971 and county employees were moved to 1130 Third Avenue North in 1972. It has been remodeled several times. The old City-County building now stands vacant.
Methodist Episcopal Church (Payette County Historical Museum)
Located at 90 South 9th Street it was built in 19041 land donated by Peter Pence. The first Church structure was frame and built in 1885 on South 9th Street.
Donations to build a brick church came from all denominations in the valley. Peter Pence drove a team of horses with wagon to outline farms asking for donations for the new building fund and for the big celebration on the churches completion.
The two beautiful stained-glass windows were given by Mr. and Mrs. R. D. Stegner and another by J. C. and I R. Woodward in memory of their mother, Jennie Woodward. The smaller windows were given by the Sunday School, Miss Carton’s class, and the Ladies Aid Society of Pleasant View, Fruitland. The original plan specified a bell tower 20 feet higher than the present, so "the bell could be heard as far away as Fruitland." It was costly, and wasn't built.
An addition was made to the building in 1908 and in 1921 a full basement was dug. The bell was moved to the present church location at 502 North 11th Street.
When the church was vacated it was purchased by the Bible Baptist Church in 1960. The Church of God was the next owner and when the Payette County Historical Society was organized in 1973 they voted to purchase the building. They became the owners in December 1975.
The stained-glass windows required extensive repair in 1976 which cost over $10,000. Building renovation is continuing at present.
The Woodward Building
The two-story brick building is located at 23 South Main Street and was built in 1908. This building housed the offices of Dr. I. R. Woodward and Dr. J. C. Woodward. They planned to open a hospital in an eight room house purchased by Dr. J. C. Woodward from Pauline Wells.
In 1928 the T.L. Masingills moved from Nampa and started the Gem Electric Company. They leased a small building on South Main Street that formerly housed the Sampson Music Company (in the Patch Building). Later they moved to next to the Woodward Building. The family lived upstairs. Mrs. Masingill was having to run down stairs to attend to business needs and then up stairs to attend to family needs. The Company moved across the street - then up on North Main Street by Meechans where a fire nearly destroyed the business in December 1957. Masingills went into the furniture business at the present location in 1958 and in 1996 in Ontario, Oregon.
Grief Music Company has been the buildings tenant since about 1954. They also have a store in Ontario, Oregon.
Two other historic Payette structures on the list of Registered Buildings met with a sad fate:
Coughanour's Elk Building at the corner of 1st Avenue North and 7th Street. It was demolished in 1985.
Grant Whitney House on 7th Avenue North between 11th and 12th Street was destroyed by fire in 1985.