Unusual Mail Drop Off

Dec. 14, 2019

I'm sure there must be a good story in there.

Layers

Dec. 9, 2019

McCleary Post Office parking strip

McCleary ca. 1950

Oct. 22, 2019

This photo can be found on one of the pillars near the cash registers at Gordon's. It was taken from the SE corner of Simpson and 4th facing northwest. I estimate it was taken around 1950-1952.

Moving left from right in the photo--

Lumbermen's Mercantile is now the building housing Gordon's, built shortly after WWII I believe.

The buildings housing the next four establishments were constructed close in time about 1950 if I am not mistaken. Interesting that parking was head-in rather than parallel in those days. Simpson  Ave. in 1950 was also Highway 410, the main road to Elma, Montesano, Aberdeen, and the Coast. Washington SR 9 (later renumbered 8) didn't exist yet.

The Olympic Cigar Store Tavern, run by D.I. George and Earl Nobach was already an institution in McCleary before they moved to this location from a block away. Nobach was the person who donated the land upon which Mark E. Reed Memorial Hospital was constructed a few years later. For several decades it operated under a variety of owners and names such as the Waterhole, Rounders, and was it Miss Kitty's or something like that. Today this is the location of the Mexican cuisine Al Carbon restaurant which is the first time that space has been anything other than a tavern.

Next is Billie's Cafe, run by Billie Stilwell. Her Cafe was also an institution before she relocated. I remember it had a big horseshoe shaped counter with booths along the east wall. It was there until sometime in the mid to late 1960s.

The old Billie's Cafe location later became the Bear Claw Bakery in the 1970s, operated by Gene and Muriel Mullin. After that it served as a series of short-lived restaurants with names like The Feed Bag, Bear Buns, Squatty's, and Rounders. The wall between the restaurant and tavern was opened up only some time in the last 20 years or so. In between all the culinary attempts, I do recall something about a worthy try at making the area a "Kid's Club" place so McCleary youth wouldn't go crazy with boredom in this metropolis. 

Although there is no signage, the third storefront was the US Post Office. I'm not sure if the Postmaster at the time would have been Leonard McCleary (Henry's youngest brother who lived in the house next door south of the McCleary Hotel) or Leon "Jinks" Boling. The PO resided there until 1963 when they removed to their present location. That location seems to have had the most economic struggle of these storefronts. In the 1980s it was a real estate management office. In the 1990s when KGY-FM found some radio airspace here in McCleary they briefly had an office there. So far as I know KGY does not send news reporters to cover McCleary government or happenings. In McCleary, the most popular radio station is the police scanner.

Anyway, this third storefront remains sort of a funky and mysterious place. Recently I found the key to the front door lying on the sidewalk and it looked like it had been there for awhile. I flagged down one of our Boys in Blue who just happened to be driving by and handed it to him.

The last storefront was the pharmacy run by Bud Davidson. During the 1920s McCleary lost their drug store, run by a Mr. Baisch, I think. A fellow named Chuck Heslep approached Henry McCleary about opening a new drug store in the early 1930s, since this town at that time was a one-man principality. According to Chuck, Henry's German shepherd did not growl at him durng their initial meeting and Henry took that as sign that Chuck was alright.

Heslep opened his first store on the one of retail outlets that was part of the Porter Hotel Annex, roughly where today's Police Station now resides. He later started an appliance store on Simpson that is now the parking lot of the clinic.

But I digress.

Eventually Heslep's pharmacy morphed into Davidson's outfit. And then, perhaps in the late 1950s or early 1960s, a gentleman named Bart Bloom took it over. The pharmacy also doubled as the State Liquor Store. In later years the storefront became a florist shop, and then a series of restaurants including the Rose Garden, a Mexican restaurant I cannot recall the name of, and presently for over a decade Rain Country, which is apparently for sale right now.

There's a lot of history in that one little photograph. 

Blew the door off?

Feb. 27, 2019

I noticed that when I visited the Post Office yesterday the front door was rapidly being whipped open and closed by the extremely high winds. So it was no surprise there was no door to be found today. Man, that was one very cold mailbox area this morning.

Liver & Onion Dinner

Feb. 15, 2019

Seen in the McCleary Post Office bulletin board. I will refrain from any editorial comment:

Liver & Onion Dinner (Ham alternative). FEB. 19, 2019 4-7 PM Satsop United Methodist Church, 445 Ash Rd, Satsop, WA $9.00 under 6 free -- Liver & Onions, Ham, Scalloped Potatoes, Green beans, Rolls, Jello Salad & Homemade Pie

Is this you or yours?

Sept. 29, 2018

An unusual document found on the Post Office bulletin board:

"Is this you or yours?
Take me home.
I was found in a frame in a
garage sale."

This almost sounds like the lyrics to a country-western song.

Moron!

Aug. 5, 2018

Political comment found on the Post Office bulletin board. In the same handwriting the bottom of the article (snipped from the Olympian) is inscribed "traitor."

I'm shocked, shocked, I tell you, to see that someone out there ... is still reading a newspaper in hardcopy form.

The ol' McCleary vegetable tradition

July 28, 2018

McCleary has a second Food Bank other than the official one which operates out of the kitchen in Beerbower Park. This supplemental Food Bank is evident starting around this time of year when local gardeners who were ambitious in their plantings realize they produced more vegetables than they could use. So what to do with them? Leave them in the Post Office of course! A central place in town.

I don't if this would be allowed in Century 21, but back in the 1960s my brother and I would sell vegetables we raised to Ardy Lencioni and would resell them in his produce section. This was right after he sold the old Quality Market (located where Sam's Food Mart gas station is now) and revamped the grocery store that is now Gordon's.

Pink tape

July 26, 2018

Pink tape on the as yet to be inaugurated new mailboxes at Rainbow Park. I guess pink tape is better than cutting through a lot of red tape.

Buffoon & his money laundering partner

July 25, 2018

I always enjoy perusing the Post Office bulletin board. Occasionally a citizen will make their views on politics known before it is swiftly removed either by Post Office personnel or someone who disagrees.

Generally these political expressions are aimed at local governance. Milton Poulos has been gone for awhile now, but he was usually good for posting items regarding national issues as seen through a socialist lens. McCleary folks from all parts of the political spectrum have made their opinions known in this fashion over the years.

Here are the results of the Nov. 2016 presidential election in McCleary precinct 501 not counting write-ins:

663 votes
Trump, Republican: 344 - 51.88%
Clinton, Democrat: 252 - 38%
Johnson, Libertarian: 45 - 6.78%
Stein, Green: 14 - 2.11%
Castle, Constitution: 5 - 0.75%
Kennedy, Socialist Workers: 2 - 0.30%
La Riva, Party for Socialism and Liberation: 1 - 0.15%

What I found fascinating about McCleary and the 2016 election was the fact that as I walked around town I never saw one single yard sign for Trump, although I did spot a couple bumper stickers. There was only one yard sign I saw for Clinton. Jill Stein (Green) and Gary Johnson (Libertarian), on the other hand, had plenty of signs up in public intersections.

When it comes to third parties, I regard anything 5% or over as impressive, so the Libertarians did pretty well in McCleary.

Someone is wigged out

May 24, 2018

Seen on the McCleary Post Office bulletin board:

"Missing: Brown toupée, around the intersection of Simpson and Summit, due to high winds. A white dog grabbed it and ran away with the thing toward the Park.

If found, please give it to the McCleary City Hall lost and found department."

Happy New Year

Jan. 1, 2018.

The bustling live-wire central business district of downtown McCleary on New Year's morning, 2018.

Hmmm, no one seems to be up and around. Gosh, I wonder why?

Political grafitti

Oct. 8, 2017

Although they seldom stay up for long, there has been a tradition of citizens voicing their opinions on civic issues via the Post Office bulletin board. In the example above, a notice from the City regarding a public hearing for a conditional use permit for a residential treatment facility has gained comments from two different sources:

"Why in the middle of the day? when people are at work!"

"Someone getting paid for this to go through!!! 'Truth'"

Dry pasta in front of the Library

June 27, 2017

First we find Fritos dumped on the Post Office floor, and now dry pasta in front of the Library?! Apparently peanut butter was also smeared on the door.

Fritos in the Post Office

June 26, 2017.

Layers

Apr. 20, 2011. By the Post Office, if I recollect

Impressionist tree

Jan. 12, 2011. I believe this is the little tree between the Post Office and the outside mail dropoff box. There used to be a brick flower box at that spot, but it kept getting plowed over by bad drivers,  and the cycle of rebuilding/destroying/rebuilding got old fast. So now there's a tree in that location.

McCleary smallpox

Aug. 26, 2016. This poor woman's face has been on display on the McCleary Post Office bulletin for at least 4 years, maybe more. Over time her nice face has been punctured numerous times by thumbtacks.

This brings to mind the disease known as "McCleary Smallpox," a disorder which is the result being stomped on by logger boots.

Old and new PO boxes

Dec. 30, 2012. The newer boxes at the end still seem new to me, but they have probably been there for quite a spell.

McCleary Post Office trash cans

Dec. 30, 2012