The Hailey Historic Preservation Commission
Mission
The purpose of the HHPC is to promote the historic, architectural, archaeological and cultural heritage, features and qualities of Hailey. We attempt to achieve this goal by enhancing historic Hailey’s “sense of place”, recognizing historic preservation efforts, and promoting educational outreach. We see Hailey as a vibrant, growing, evolving community but recognize the importance of integrating Hailey’s past into its future.
Join the Hailey Historic Preservation Commission!
The commission welcomes volunteers to help carry out the mission described above. Person with backgrounds or experience in the following are especially encouraged: History, Archeology, Architecture, Construction, Documentation, Journalism, Photography. The commission has recently been combined with the City of Hailey Arts Commission (HAHPC). The Hailey Arts & Historic Preservation Committee currently meets the second Thursday of each month with occasional additional subcommittee meetings. Please check the meeting schedule here.
Appointments to the commission are made by the Mayor and City Council. Interested individuals should send a letter of interest and a resume to the HAHPC c/o City Hall or via email. For more information see our website or email us! Thank you.
"There may have been a time when preservation was about saving an old building here and there, but those days are gone. Preservation is in the business of saving communities and the values they embody." - Richard Moe, President, National Trust for Historic Preservation
Bullion Block
South west corner of
Main Street & Bullion
Currently North and Co.
Most photos courtesy of the Blaine County Historical Museum.
History of the City of Hailey
Historic Old Hailey— A Nineteenth Century Town
From prehistoric times until well into the 20th century the Wood River Valley was visited in the warm weather months by Native Americans. Fur trappers roamed the inter-mountain Rockies in the early 1800s and Alexander Ross led a band of trappers into the area for a look-see in 1824. The first mining claim was filed in the Gold Belt west of Hailey in the summer of 1865.
Settlers and miners, however did not come to the area in earnest until 1879. Things got really serious in 1881, when on July 1 the first shipment of ore left Hailey. It weighed 22,000 lbs. (11 tons) and contained 154.5 ounces of silver to the ton. The mining boom continued until the mid-1800s when many of the veins played out and the bottom fell out of the silver market.
The town's founder, John Hailey, was an early pioneer in the Northwest who took part in the Boise Basin Gold Rush in 1862. He established an extensive stage and freight line and at one time controlled 2,000 miles of service.
Betting the Wood River Valley was going to be a center of mining and commercial activity, Hailey filed a homestead on the future townsite in 1879. The next year, he increased his holding with a desert land claim of 440 acres. Calling themselves the Hailey Town Company, Hailey, A. H. Boomer, U. S. Marshal E. S. Chase and W. T. Riley had the townsite surveyed April 20, 1881 and officially platted at the county seat in Rocky Bar, May 10, 1881. The speculation paid off. By July 6, $30,000 worth of lots had been sold.
In 1882, when the Town Company sold to the Idaho and Oregon Land Improvement Company for $10,000, the transaction included 2,500 acres in Quigley Gulch (east of town) and 8,000 acres in Croy Gulch, the site of the Hailey Hot Springs Hotel (west of town).
On August 24, 1882, the townsite was amended, expanding from 72 blocks to 140 blocks. This annexation process would continue sporadically throughout Hailey's history, reaching a peak with the Woodside extension to the south in the 1970s and the Northridge addition in the 1980s. The original Old Town plat, however, remains the heart of Historic Old Hailey.
The town John Hailey and his friends laid out is the quintessence of a 19th century town. In the residential part the wide tree-lined streets provide an open inviting avenue for course and discourse. The long narrow lots march back to alleys – an added living space, and by common agreement (before planning and zoning directives) homes were set back 25 feet from the street.
When Florence and J. C. Fox arrived in Hailey on May 1, 1881, they had to walk the last mile from Bellevue as the horses had given out. What they found on the wide, dusty, dirt road that would become Main Street was a hubbub of activity. Tinhorns, merchants, madams, lawyers, land agents and barkeeps hustled to meet the needs of the hundreds of miners who were working all the hills and gulches surrounding the future town.
The first thing the Foxes did was pitch their tents on Main Street. J. C. went into the grocery business in one and Florence set up a room and board establishment in another. She later wrote that the floor was dirt, which she swept with a hoe. "When rocks turned up we hoed them out." The dishes were dusted when placed on the raw plank table and dusted again when the food was served. Water was carried from the river until a town well was dug at the intersection of Main and Carbonate. J.C. showed his business acumen by charging Florence for her groceries, but taking his room and board at no charge from her. Fox finally limited his store to women's dresses and accessories, notions and dry goods. In the middle of the store was a "pretty little fountain, furnishing pure water at all times to patrons." Fox went on buying trips to the big cities and brought back the latest fashions for all the women of Hailey. After hours, he would open his store to the women of River Street, who entered by the back door, to do their shopping. J. C. finally ensconced himself in a brick building that housed his successful dry goods store, and Florence "retired" to their elegant Queen Anne home on Third and Bullion. The home has since burned and two new homes grace the lovely site. Each were built and owned by contractor and authors Arthur L. and Cynthia Thiede.
Early arrival H.Z. Burkhart opened a stationery store in a tent and guaranteed "subscriptions to any paper published in America." After unpacking his first shipment of goods, Burkhart sold the box to Frank Harding, editor of the Hailey Miner, who made his bedstead from it.
At this time, the town boasted a population of 2,700 housed in hundreds of tents plus 75 "buildings" and five saloons, where "first class liquor is sold at two bits a drink." By 1884, Sheriff C. H. Furey had issued 18 saloon licenses and 12 gambling licenses. "Round the clock" gambling, including poker, faro and roulette was de rigueur.
In the beginning, the various elements of society joined together in common purpose, working hard during the day and hurrying off to a dance at night. "Someone would pass the word along to the next one – "there'll be a dance tonight" – and in an hour or two everyone would be there." The first dance was held at the Riley and Tracy drugstore – a tent with a roof of bed ticking – at the northwest corner of Bullion and Main. The dances were later held on the upper floor of the Grand Central Hotel.
The egalitarian society continued until 1883, when in an attempt "to separate the gambling and saloon elements from social functions," a secret group was formed. Thereafter, every invitation was signed "By order of the Committee" and the gentlemen arrived at dinner and social affairs in the accepted dress attire of the day. Few knew for sure who "the Committee" was, but it was suspected that Homer Pound and his sister Florence, who was described in a local paper as "a cultural lah-de-dah," T. E. Picotte, editor of that very same paper, and members of the Republican led "Hailey Ring," had not a little to do with it. It is certain they all received invitations to all the social affairs.
From Bullion Street north on River Street were the Red Light District and some 75 "shacks" where the Chinese population lived. The alley behind the Main Street businesses and homes was the dividing line.
Though generations of youngsters would sell buckets of berries to the residents of River Street over the alley fence and neophyte newspaper boys would learn not to haphazardly toss the paper and run, but instead deliver it to the front door of each "house."
The prostitutes remained in business until 1942, when Sun Valley became a naval hospital, and they were not so politely asked to leave town. A local merchant was heard to lament, "There goes the mainstay of Hailey's business. They always paid in cash."
By all evidence, 19th century Hailey offered a varied, seldom boring, active life for all walks of life in an incredibly intimate, indelibly human atmosphere. Other boomtowns have faltered and turned to dust, but the people of Hailey have persevered.
Although there is not a 19th Century building in Hailey today that has escaped fire or the unrelenting remodel, there is still a basic integrity to the remaining buildings. Because of space limitations this brochure does not identify all the historic buildings. Rather, readers are encouraged to use this as a basis for their own quest through Hailey Old Town to recreate the 19th Century town.
Some things to look for on Main Street are the brick detail, the ornate, stamped metalwork on some of the storefronts, and the few remaining stores with stamped tin ceilings.
Some of the Jewels of Old Hailey
This section to be further developed with photos and information.
- Adaptive reuse & Rehabilitation of an older building - Robert Mitchell, Three Ten North Main...
- Saving a treasured building - Kraynick
- Sensitive remodel - Larry Butler
- Historic register process & partnering - Masonic Lodge
- What other properties would you like to learn about?
Take Pride in Idaho Award
from the Idaho Tourism Council
The Blaine County Historical Museum in Hailey received the Outstanding Historic Preservation Award. The museum is housed in a structure originally built in 1887. The museum's website features a 360-degree virtual tour of its exhibits at www.bchistoricalmuseum.org.
Orchids & Onions
Preservation Idaho is dedicated to preserving the state's historic and cultural resources through education and advocacy. Their annual Orchids & Onions awards program celebrates those individuals and organizations that have made a positive contribution to historic preservation, and in turn, to bring awareness to those projects which have shown an insensitivity to historic preservation.
Here are the Hailey winners!
2007
Contribution to Historic Preservation. Awarded to projects that have been successful in the tasteful restoration, addition, or remodel of an existing building (residential or commercial).
- Robert and Rebecca Mitchell - For the renovation of the Sun Valley Fabric Granary Building in Hailey.
Preservation-Sensitive New Construction. Awarded to new construction that enhances a historic neighborhood or historical theme (residential or commercial).
- Sun Valley Center for the Arts - For the sympathetic construction of the Castellano-Wood Family Classroom adjacent to the historic Ezra Pound home in Hailey.
- John Sofro - For the construction of Bullion Square Retail Center in Hailey.
2003
Excellence in Historic Preservation. Awarded to projects that have demonstrated outstanding adherence to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards in preservation, restoration, renovation, or adaptive reuse (residential or commercial).
- Blaine County Courthouse Stair Project - Hailey, Idaho
2002
Excellence in Historic Preservation. Awarded to projects that have demonstrated outstanding adherence to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards in preservation, restoration, renovation, or adaptive reuse (residential or commercial).
- C.B. Fox House, Hailey, Idaho
Walking Tour Download the Walking Tour Brochure
Blaine County Museum: 218 N. Main St. Built of adobe circa 1887, the building served as an armory during the Spanish American War, a meeting hall for the Knights of Labor, a dance hall and public meeting place, an opera house, a liquor store, and Hailey’s first movie house. The mural is by Hailey artist Ralph Harris. The artist used many local photographs to create the pictorial history of Wood River Valley. The ox yoke over the main entrance was made and used by freighter Ed Fleming. The property was donated by Lucille and Leon Friedman to the City of Hailey to be used as a museum in 1961.
218 N. Main St.—Hailey
Charles Harris House: Charles E. and Josephine Harris arrived in 1882 and built the house on the corner of Galena and 2nd Ave. N in in 1892. The Harrises were the great-great paternal grandparents of artist Ralph. The house features gingerbread at the gables. The bay window on the east side was added later. (See Harris Furniture Co.)
Miner's Hall/Residence: The structure was built in 1902. It housed the First Baptist Church until 1929 and has also been used by the minors, American Legion, Senior Center, Blaine County Schools and is now a residence. The foundation was recently replaced. The Zinc Spur Teacherage was moved to the back of this site in the 1940s.
S. M. Friedman Home: 3rd and Silver Sts. This homes began as a one-story cabin in 1885. It was enlarged to its present size in 1911. The front of the home features a carved entry, door and sidelights with elliptical beveled glass. Simon Moses brought the first sheep to the valley in 1881 and served on the first Board of Trustees of incorporated Hailey. He purchased Wilman & Walker's grocery store on Main Street in 1881 and renamed it the Hailey Mercantile Company in 1891. His son, Leon, and daughter, Lucille, donated the land for the airport to the city in December 1930. (S. J. and S. M. Friedman were second cousins.)
Knight Home: Brought in three sections from the now extinct town of Broadford, located south of Hailey and west of Bellevue, the home was purchased by Mrs. George Knight in 1904. The foundation stones are the same as used for the Courthouse. The home has recently been refurbished and maintains the same architectural amenities of the home. The barn is one of the last remaining in the city.
Dorr Farm: Jeanne and Jim Dorr bought this property in 1952 and are continuing the tradition of farming within the city limits, a common practice of many residents from the 1880s to well into the 20th century. Jeanne is the daughter of Frank who was the son of George.
Horne Home: 202 N. 3rd St. Built as a single-story house with a finished basement. The home features a 19th century home porch. The home was built by William Fayette Horne who was county assessor. His son Robert was mayor of Hailey in the 1930s and was the father of Roberta McKercher and Billie Buhler, both long-time residents of Hailey.
Dr. Wright's Home: Previously owned by the Brownell’s, founders of Wood River Building Supply. Dr. Robert Henry Wright was a pioneer doctor who practiced here for 60 years. He organized the rescue effort at the 1917 avalanche at the North Star Mine near Triumph in which 17 men were killed. Two original chimneys are evident at this very well-preserved clapboard house.
Snider Home: The home was originally built by Peter Snider, an Italian immigrant and owner of the Challenger Mine. His wife Maria’s ravioli rolling pin, brought in her pack from Italy, is on display at the Blaine County Museum. The home is now owned by “Beaver” Burke the portion to the right is a recent addition.
EA Worswick house: Now the Wood River Land Trust Office. The original structure was erected in 1881, one of the first in Hailey, and the log cabin is still contained within the existing building. The original lot sold to C. B. Fox for $25 by the town founder John Hailey in 1881. Between 1885 and 1919 the house changed hands six different times. It was owned by Hunter and Zeo Nelson from 1943 to 2000. Wood River Land Trust has followed a historical restoration process and turned the exterior into a turn-of-the century appearance.
Emmanuel Episcopal Church: Built on a stone foundation and Quigley Gulch bricks, this appealing church features gothic arches and two corbelled chimneys. The cornerstone was laid in July 1885 and the first services were held in the unfinished church on Christmas Eve, 1885. This is Hailey's oldest church structure.
Masonic Lodge: The original Masonic Temple burned and was rebuilt at this location by Jack Rutter in 1937.
Community Baptist Church: Built in 1886 as the Methodist Church, the Baptists took over in 1929. Frances Julia Helman, wife of Methodist Rev. C. E.
Helman, wrote in 1895: "Businessmen who never think of going into a church, pay $2 a month for each of the three preachers in town. The women have to do all the collecting of the salary and do everything about the church business." The shaped bell tower houses Schulmerick Carillon Bells donated by Joe and Lula Fund.
Zinc Spur School: This school was moved from the Zinc Spur site (south of the intersection of Buttercup Road and Highway 75) to its present location (the first house south of the Baptist Church) by Enfield “Pop” Sowers in the early 1940s.
r. J. J. Plumer Home: Dr. Plumer began the practice of medicine in 1881. Noted for his affability, he would tell patients: "It isn't the potatoes that are bad for you – it's what you put on them. And it isn't the whiskey that'll kill you – it's what you mix with it." Drs. Plumer and Fox devised a medicine, which successfully combated the dreaded Rocky Mountain Fever.
Beamer House: 202 S. 4th St. The spot of many a town gathering, this gracious home still has the original floors, moldings and etched glass windows. Beamer's lumberyard and warehouse was located behind the house.
Union Pacific (Oregon Short Line) Depot Site: A brass band, orators and much ado greeted the first train on May 23, 1883. With the railroad came the telegraph and Hailey was connected with the rest of the world. Townspeople and newspaper reporters gathered at the depot for each arrival and departure of the daily train. Trains stopped coming to Wood River Valley in 1981.
The Inn at the Ellsworth Estate: Jim McDonald, a Standard Oil heir from London had this residence built. He married a Hailey girl, Beulah Lamb. This is Jack Rutter’s, Cornwall England immigrant, first major project. He also built the Hailey Hotel, the Masonic Temple, the Liberty Theatre, Harris Building, American Legion Building and the Lone Star Store. The house was purchased by the Fox family in 1930. In 1945-61 it was used as the Mormon Church. The Ellsworth family lived there as residents. Sonja Tarney purchased, restored and converted it to an inn. It sits on two acres of park-like property.
Pound Home: 314 S. 2nd St. This home was built in 1883, the poet Ezra Pound was born here on October 30, 1885. In December, his mother Isabel took him to live in the Alturas Hotel because the house was too cold. Father Homer was registrar at the U. S. Land Office in Hailey from 1883 to 1887. The family left the valley behind the railroad’s first rotary snowplow. Ezra was 15 ½ months old. The wrought iron fence is one of the few remaining. Ezra Pound is recognized for his outstanding contribution to world literature. He has been referred to as the father of modern literature. Pound had influence on new writers like James Joyce, T. S. Eliot, and Amy Lowell. He helped Ernest Hemingway's first short story collection get published. He was accused of being anti-Semitic during World War II. Roberta McKercher owned and lived in the home until her death. It is now owned by the Sun Valley Center for the Arts.
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church: 311 S. 1st St. Built in 1913 by Rev. Nicalos F. Wirtzberger for the Diocese of Boise at a cost of $7,200, this church features an elaborate symmetrical belfry with stamped metal. St. Charles was the first parish established west of Boise and is considered the mother parish of Southeastern Idaho. The first structure was located on the site of Atkinsons’ market. A circular window from the original church may still be seen in the Reinheimer Barn along highway 75 south of Ketchum.
Blaine County Courthouse: 206 S. 1st St. The cornerstone was laid August 11, 1883. The structure features three-stories, a major stone foundation, fancy window sill trim and widow’s walk over the front steps. The building housed all the county offices, courtroom and jail. A two story vault and a jury room were added in 1907. The $40,000 cost of building the courthouse made it the most expensive in the Idaho Territory and severely strapped Alturas County when the county was drastically reduced in size in 1889. When Blaine County was created in 1895, the county’s money crunch eased a bit.
Rialto Hotel: Main St. at Croy. This building is now the Hailey Hotel. (1941) Originally a boarding house and café was on this site. It was built by Bonim brothers for Julio and Mary Astoriquia in 1934. The Hotel served as a private residence, bar and public dining room and reopened as the Hailey Hotel in 1980.
J. C. Fox Building: Built by Dr. Earl William Fox in 1920, it was heated from water piped in from the Hailey Hot springs. The first floor housed a saloon, the first National Bank of Hailey and a jewelry store. The second floor housed the 10-room hospital, which continued into the 1960s. Many townspeople were born under the skylight, which was replicated twice more when the building was renovated in 1984. Doc Fox was born in 1887 and raised in Hailey. He received his education at the Barnes Medical School at the University of St. Louis and did post graduate study at the Mayo Clinic. He gave 41 years of medical service to the community. For his long-distance calls he used the forerunner of the snowmobile, powered by an airplane engine. The Hailey Public Library and City Hall now occupies the space that formerly housed the Odd Fellows Hall, the State Theater, owned by Sonny Osborne, and the J. C. Fox Building.
J. J. Tracy Building: Built in 1906-07, it was a drugstore for 83 years. It was first owned by Tracy and W. T. Riley, then Tracy alone. Now the Barkin' Basement.
Bullion Block House: Built in 1882, now North and Company. This building was the first courthouse. The second story was destroyed by fire and never rebuilt. The jail was located in the basement. Known on the National Register as the Werthheimer Building. Previously the Vancil’s Grocery and The Sage Shop were located here.
Commercial Building: This is where the Commercial Club met. Later it was the post office, then Sears, now the American Legion Building & Wright Appliances/Cluttered Kitchen. The corner stone of this building contains ore from each of the mines that were active at the time of its construction. The building features arched brick windows with keystones inserted at the top. The white brick was brought in from Salt Lake City in 1910.
Liberty Theater: On the site of a winter ice skating rink the present building was built by Jack Rutter in 1938 for Sam. The finest cinder bricks from Burley formed the walls and glazed tiles were on the façade. Special scaffolding built in the form of a spiral allowed the finish material to be wheeled up to the ceiling in a wheel barrow. The front façade sports an art-deco neo light sign and a marquee. The building was refurbished by new owners in 1995 and still has the capacity for cinema, live theater, and community events.
W. H. Watt Bank: Corner of Main and Carbonate, now the home of Christopher & Co. Built in 1889 of hand-molded brick with a mortared stone foundation. An original sign can still be seen on the south-side of the building. It became the office of Dr. Robert Wright, who practiced in town for 60 years. Born south of Bellevue in 1881, he received his degree from Medical School American college in St. Louis. He worked in the Minnie Moore Mine west of Bellevue to earn money for school and rode the sheep trains to St. Louis. He organized the rescue effort at the disastrous avalanche at the North Star mine in 1917. Dr. Wright through the 40s.
Inchausti Home: Madam Peggy Palmer built this house. Peggy's was said to be "the best red light house in the valley" and was the sight of many a rowdy party. David and Epi Inchausti bought the house around 1941. They also owned and operated the Gem Bar across the street to the South until the west half was destroyed by fire in 1950. Epi Inchausti’s Basque cooking brought customers from Sun Valley, such as Bing Crosby, Gary Cooper, Ernest Hemingway, Janet Lee, Colonel Sanders and many other notable people.
Chinatown: The Chinese worked on the railroad construction gangs and then followed the mining camps. In Hailey, they ran laundries and restaurants, cooked in the mining camps, and worked for the prostitutes. They had gardens just south of the original city limits in what is now called China Gardens, where they grew all types of vegetables and sold them around town from a horse drawn wagon.
Historic Surveys
June 2007
Reconnaissance-level Survey
Main Street, Myrtle to Chestnut Streets Plus 4 Misc. Properties
Prepared for the City of Hailey Historic Preservation Commission
By TAG Historical Research & Consulting
June 2006
Reconnaissance-level Survey
Old Hailey
Prepared for the City of Hailey Historic Preservation Commission
By Walsworth and Associates Cultural Resource Consultants
National Register of Historic Places
The HPC will be launching a campaign to encourage eligible property owners in getting their properties listed with the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).
As a Certified Local Government, the City of Hailey and the HPC have obtained grant monies to help subsidize the cost of registering properties with the NRHP. We will be developing a program to assist interested eligible property owners to navigate and finance the process.Get involved!
These are the properties that have been deemed most eligible by the historic consultants in conjunction with the State Historic Preservation Office.
Property Name | Address |
For more information on the historic surveys of Hailey, see the National Register Page.
Blaine County Courthouse
1st and Croy Streets., Hailey
(added 1978 - Building - #78001050)
The cornerstone was laid August 11, 1883. The structure features three-stories, a major stone foundation, fancy window sill trim and widow’s walk over the front steps. The building housed all the county offices, courtroom and jail. A two story vault and a jury room were added in 1907. The $40,000 cost of building the courthouse made it the most expensive in the Idaho Territory and severely strapped Alturas County when the county was drastically reduced in size in 1889. When Blaine County was created in 1895, the county’s money crunch eased a bit.
| Historic Significance:
Architect, builder, or engineer: Period of Significance: |
Event, Architecture/Engineering Knapp, Horace Greeley Italianate Architecture, Politics/Government 1875-1899 Local Government Government Courthouse Government Courthouse |
Emmanuel Episcopal Church
101 2nd Ave., S., Hailey
(added 1977 - Building - #77000457)
Built on a stone foundation and Quigley Gulch bricks, this appealing church features gothic arches and two corbelled chimneys. The cornerstone was laid in July 1885 and the first services were held in the unfinished church on Christmas Eve, 1885. This is Hailey's oldest church structure.
| Historic Significance: Architect, builder, or engineer: Architectural Style: Area of Significance: Period of Significance: Owner: Historic Function: Historic Sub-function: Current Function: Current Sub-function: |
Architecture/Engineering Castro, J.M.B. Gothic Revival Architecture 1875-1899 Private Religion Religious Structure Religion Religious Structure |
Fox, J. C., Building
S. Main St., Hailey (added 1983 - Building - #83000279)
Built by Dr. Earl William Fox in 1920, it was heated from water piped in from the Hailey Hot springs. The first floor housed a saloon, the first National Bank of Hailey and a jewelry store. The second floor housed the 10-room hospital, which continued into the 1960s. Many townspeople were born under the skylight, which was replicated twice more when the building was renovated in 1984. Doc Fox was born in 1887 and raised in Hailey. He received his education at the Barnes Medical School at the University of St. Louis and did post graduate study at the Mayo Clinic. He gave 41 years of medical service to the community. For his long-distance calls he used the forerunner of the snowmobile, powered by an airplane engine. The Hailey Public Library and City Hall now occupies the space that formerly housed the Odd Fellows Hall, the State Theater, owned by Sonny Osborne, and the J. C. Fox Building.
| Historic Significance: Architectural Style: Area of Significance: Period of Significance: Owner: Historic Function: Historic Sub-function: Current Function: |
Architecture/Engineering Early Commercial Architecture 1900-1924 Private Commerce/Trade, Health Care Hospital Commerce/Trade, Work In Progress |
| Site of Hiawatha Hotel, also known as Alturas Hotel First Ave. and Croy St., Hailey (added 1986 - Building - #74000733) |
|
| Historic Significance: Architect, builder, or engineer: Architectural Style: Area of Significance: Period of Significance: Owner: Historic Function: Historic Sub-function: Current Function: Current Sub-function: |
Architechture/Engineering
Unknown |
Now Atkinsons’ Market. Construction began in 1883 and was completed in 1885 at a cost of $65,000. The three-story brick hotel, which featured a wood stove in every room, was billed as "the finest 82 room hotel between Denver and the West Coast." Apartments were in 1915. It burned in 1899. When rebuilt, hot water was piped from the Hailey Hot Springs west of town to heat the building and provide water for the plunge in the back where many townspeople learned to swim. A fire in January 1979 marked the final end of a proud Hailey landmark.
| Pound, Homer, House 314 2nd Ave., S., Hailey (added 1978 - Building - #78001051) |
|
| Historic Significance:
Architect, builder, or engineer: |
Person, Architecture/Engineering Knapp, Horace Greeley No Style Listed |
This home was built in 1883, the poet Ezra Pound was born here on October 30, 1885. In December, his mother Isabel took him to live in the Alturas Hotel because the house was too cold. Father Homer was registrar at the U. S. Land Office in Hailey from 1883 to 1887. The family left the valley behind the railroad’s first rotary snowplow. Ezra was 15 ½ months old. The wrought iron fence is one of the few remaining. Ezra Pound is recognized for his outstanding contribution to world literature. He has been referred to as the father of modern literature. Pound had influence on new writers like James Joyce, T. S. Eliot, and Amy Lowell. He helped Ernest Hemingway’s first short story collection get published. He was accused of being anti-Semitic during World War II. Roberta McKercher owned and lived in the home until her death. It is now owned by the Sun Valley Center for the Arts.
| St. Charles of the Valley Catholic Church and Rectory also known as Father Keys House Pine and S. 1st Sts., Hailey (added 1982 - Building - #82000321) Built in 1913 by Rev. Nicholas F. Wirtzberger for the Diocese of Boise at a cost of $7,200, this church features an elaborate symmetrical belfry with stamped metal. St. Charles was the first parish established west of Boise and is considered the mother parish of Southeastern Idaho. The first structure was located on the site of Atkinsons’ market. A circular window from the original church may still be seen in the Reinheimer Barn along highway 75 south of Ketchum. |
|
| Historic Significance: Architect, builder, or engineer: Architectural Style: Area of Significance: Period of Significance: Owner: Historic Function: Historic Sub-function: Current Function: Current Sub-function: |
Architecture/Engineering Tourtellotte & Hummel Gothic Revival Architecture 1900-1924, 1925-1949 Private Religion Church Related Residence, Religious Structure Religion Church Related Residence, Religious Structure |
| Historic Significance: Architect, builder, or engineer: Architectural Style: Historic Person: Significant Year: Area of Significance: Period of Significance: Owner: Historic Function: Historic Sub-function: Current Function: |
Person, Architecture/Engineering Unknown No Style Listed Werthheimer, Leopold 1889 Architecture, Commerce 1875-1899 Private Commerce/Trade Specialty Store Commerce/Trade |
Built in 1889 of hand-molded brick with a mortared stone foundation. An original sign can still be seen on the south-side of the building. It became the office of Dr. Robert Wright, who practiced in town for 60 years. Born south of Bellevue in 1881, he received his degree from Medical School American college in St. Louis. He worked in the Minnie Moore Mine west of Bellevue to earn money for school and rode the sheep trains to St. Louis. He organized the rescue effort at the disastrous avalanche at the North Star mine in 1917. Dr. Wright through the 40s. Then Tom Stivers’ Sawtooth Title Co. Restaurant in the last 20 years. Rec District in the back, upstairs a café, Chapter One downstairs. This is now home of Christopher & Co.
Bullion Block House (also known as the Werthheimer Building)
101 S. Main St., Hailey (added 1985 - Building - #85002160)
Built in 1882, the Bullion Block House is also known as the Werthheimer Building. This building was the first courthouse, the jail was located in the basement. The second story was destroyed by fire and never rebuilt. This building also served in the past as Vancil’s Grocery and The Sage Shop, it is now North and Company.
| Historic Significance:
Architect, builder, or engineer: |
Person, Architecture/Engineering Unknown No Style Listed |
Historic Property Designation
"We shape our buildings; thereafter, our buildings shape us." - Winston Churchill
Idaho State Code provides for the designation of Historic Properties. This would apply only to properties that meet the criteria of the National Register of Historic Properties. There are advantages to acquiring this recognition, yet no one shall be compelled to accept this designation.
What is the National Register of Historic Places?
The National Park Service provides matching funds to states to survey and nominate significant buildings, structures, sites, objects, and historic districts to the National Register of Historic Places.
What are the benefits to a National Register property owner?
- Grants
- Tax Incentives
- Building Code Variances
- Community, State-wide & National Recognition
- Business Edge
Does National Register listing restrict the use of my property or place any legal restrictions on the property?
NO.
National Register listing only regulates the use of federal funds that may affect the property and does not impose any legal requirements on the owner. Property owners wishing to make alterations to their buildings with private funds are free to do so.
Does the National Register of Historic Places protect my building and its surrounding environment?
YES.
Inclusion in the National Register, in addition to honorific recognition, provides a degree of protection from federally assisted, licensed, and permitted undertakings that might adversely affect a listed property or jeopardize the property's environment.
Entering a Property in the National Register
- Voluntary
- You can ask to have your property nominated
- Assistance provided by the HPC
- Assistance from SHPO
- State grant monies available for proper inventory
Gone by the Wayside
These properties no longer grace our fine city.
Fox Home Built in 1882-3 by J.C. and Florence Fox, this was the grandest home in Hailey. Of Queen Anne style, the house was gutted by fire in 1946 and the third story with its cupola and many-angled roof lines was not restored.
S. J. Friedman Home: A few weeks after Hailey was platted S. J. opened his general store on Main Street in a 20' x 40' tent where he sold dry goods, clothing, boots and shoes. He designed and supervised the building of his permanent store, which featured a roof covered with one foot of dirt and steel shutters attached to every window. As the 1889 raging fire wiped out four blocks of both sides of the street, Simon stayed inside his building. Both he and the building survived. In recognition of Hailey's first fireproof building and Simon's bravery the Union Insurance Company sent him a letter of thanks accompanied by a silver pitcher and tray.
Wood River Times: On Croy at Main. This location has served as the space for many early businesses. T. C. Picotte pitched a tent here in 1881 and then built a log building to house his paper and printing business, The Wood River Times. Picotte was as outrageous an editor as any on the frontier and was horsewhipped a number of times for his paper's published personal attacks. His staff followed the leader; one editor ended up with two gunshot wounds. The building also housed the first telephone exchange in the Territory of Idaho, which opened October 1, 1883. Three operators worked eight-hour shifts around the clock and were the lifeline for the community. It was a sad day in August 1963 when the system switched to dial phones. The operators were faster circulating the news than the weekly paper, and listening in on the party line was even better than gossiping at the soda fountain.
Odd Fellows Hall: Built by Dr. Earl William Fox in 1920, it was heated from water piped in from the Hailey Hot springs. The first floor housed a saloon, the first National Bank of Hailey and a jewelry store. The second floor housed the 10-room hospital, which continued into the 1960s. Many townspeople were born under the skylight, which was replicated twice more when the building was renovated in 1984. Doc Fox was born in 1887 and raised in Hailey. He received his education at the Barnes Medical School at the University of St. Louis and did post graduate study at the Mayo Clinic. He gave 41 years of medical service to the community. For his long-distance calls he used the forerunner of the snowmobile, powered by an airplane engine. The Hailey Public Library and City Hall now occupies the space that formerly housed the Odd Fellows Hall, the State Theater, owned by Sonny Osborne, and the J. C. Fox Building.
First National Bank: A stone wall from the first permanent building at this site survived the fire of July, 1889 and may be seen from the back parking lot. The original two story First National Bank was built here about 1900. Now the site is home to Wells Fargo. The present building was constructed in 1967.
Alturas (Hiawatha) Hotel Site: First Ave. and Croy Street (Now Atkinsons' Market) Construction began in 1883 and was completed in 1885 at a cost of $65,000. The three-story brick hotel, which featured a wood stove in every room, was billed as "the finest 82 room hotel between Denver and the West Coast." Apartments were in 1915. It burned in 1899. When rebuilt, hot water was piped from the Hailey Hot Springs west of town to heat the building and provide water for the plunge in the back where many townspeople learned to swim. A fire in January 1979 marked the final end of a proud Hailey landmark.
F. E. Ensign Home Site: Francis Edward and Margaret Reid Ensign purchased this property in 1881. F.E. was admitted to the law profession in 1858 in Yreka, California; moved to Silver City in 1868 he was elected to the Territorial Council of Idaho for Owyhee County and was chairman of the Judiciary Committee of that body. He came to Hailey as the attorney for the Idaho and Oregon Land Improvement Co., then the owners of the new Hailey town site. He ruled over a precedent setting court case concerning water rights in Quigley Gulch. This case set standards for water right issues that are still used today. His law career lasted 50 years.
Union Pacific (Oregon Short Line) Depot Site: A brass band, orators and much ado greeted the first train on May 23, 1883. With the railroad came the telegraph and Hailey was connected with the rest of the world. Townspeople and newspaper reporters gathered at the depot for each arrival and departure of the daily train. Trains stopped coming to Wood River Valley in 1981.
Aukema Drugstore Site: John C. Baugh was an early druggist in town. He and his wife Clara Silver Baugh built this building in 1904. Mark W. Aukema worked for him and for J. J. Tracy, and later leased the building from Baugh. Mark's son Edgar M. Andrews followed his father in the drugstore business. The building was raised and a new E. G. Willis business plaza was built by Bruce Willis and named for his father.
Snug Bar Site: Ernest Hemingway and friends frequented the location. This area was the hub of downtown Hailey businesses around the turn of the century. The site now houses the businesses of Colortime, T.J's Electronics, Mountain Paints and Basic's Plus Pet Supplies.
J. C. Fox Store: Fox finally limited his store to women's dresses and accessories, notions and dry goods. In the middle of the store was a "pretty little fountain, furnishing pure water at all times to patrons." Fox went on buying trips to the big cities and brought back the latest fashions for all the women of Hailey. After hours, he would open his store to the women of River Street, who entered by the back door, to do their shopping.
The Mint: Located on lots 15 and 16 in Block 33 of the City of Hailey is the site of the current Mint. Several former businesses, Brook's Tavern, Ensign, Davies and Ensign and the original Mint were housed on these same lots.
Idaho Electric Supply Company Site: On February 17, 1887, Hailey was the first municipality in the Idaho Territory to produce electricity. The water was diverted from the Wood River (near War Dairy) into the Trail Race Canal. Electricity was generated at a site located on the end of West Silver Street. The First business office for the West Coast Power was located on the SE corner of Croy and Main Mountain Pizza. Pearl Rockwell collected the first power bills. This building was destroyed by fire in 1888.
Basque Boarding House Site: Established c. 1910 by Eusebio and Pia Unamuno Arriaga for "Basques only." Basque sheepherders and sheepmen were guaranteed a hot bath, scrumptious dinners followed by cigars and cafe royales, a game of cards and dancing and singing to the accompaniment of guitars, concertinas and spoons.
Dot Allen's House Site: Always referred to by both names, Dot Allen was the undisputed "boss of River Street" and "handsome John Donnelly was her right hand man." Hailey folklore has it that she was a very beautiful woman – always gorgeously dressed. Other houses of prostitution north of Bullion Street and on both sides of River Street included Lizzie's, Anita's, Mary's, Gloria's, Georgia's, and Mabel's. Just before midnight September 21, 1911, during an attempted robbery, Dot Allen's piano player, M. J. Crowley, was shot dead. After an ugly investigation, compromising many stalwarts of the town, Charles Allen and Reece Clevenger were found guilty of murder and Charles Crawford and Lorenzo Swift were convicted as accomplices. Dot Allen continued in business for some years, but no one ever knew what finally became of her. In the early 1900s this became the site of the pelota (Basque handball) court. There was an adobe Basque boarding house immediately to the south.
Project List
Hailey Historic Preservation Commission Projects and Activities
Goals:
- Add more Historical Signs to buildings with historical significance
- Add to the list of Hailey properties on the National Register of Historic Places
- Increase the knowledge and recognition of historic Hailey sites, via surveys & awards
- Encourage and support preservation efforts and Hailey’s "Sense of Place"
- Maintain the Hailey Historic Walking Tour with the Blaine County Historical Museum
- Augment the Historic Preservation Commission Presence
- Interpret existing and past historic buildings and sites with plaques for recognition.
- Create an Awards/Recognition Program for Old Hailey property owners who are restoring and renovating their properties.
- Develop regular articles or a column for the local papers to build community awareness.
- Create and assist with School / Library Outreach and Education
- Develop collaborative activities and events with Blaine County Historical Museum
- Explore incentives programs, i.e. Transfer of Development Rights, Development agreements, Property Tax Relief, etc.
Accomplishments
5 Historical Signs placed on Main Street in Hailey at the following locations
- Bullion Block Site/Werthheimer Building 101 S. Main St.
- J.C. Fox Building 115 S. Main St.
- J.J. Tracy Building 111 S. Main St.
- W.H. Watt Building 120 N. Main St.
- Rialto Hotel 201 S. Main St.
Historic Inventory of Hailey Townsite: The HPC has now completed two surveys of historic properties in Hailey. While this is not exhaustive of all the properties with local historic significance and charm, it does cover most of the townsite jewels. These surveys create an inventory of historic properties that aide the City in focusing on the mission of identifying and evaluating the buildings with reflect significant heritage, features, and qualities in the City of Hailey. The full reports are on file with the City of Hailey. To view the summaries, see the Historic Surveys page.
Certified Local Government: By becoming a CLG, a community has the ability to regulate and promote historic preservation in its region. A preservation ordinance helps to preserve the visual characteristics of a historic neighborhood while providing a framework for redevelopment by stabilizing the neighborhood and increasing property values.
Furthermore, CLG status provides a process for identifying, evaluating and recognizing historic property. CLGs provide a means for planning and considering historic preservation in land use, public improvement and development decisions. CLGs should be a tool for educating not just citizens, but also government officials about the advantages of historic preservation.
Heritage City: Hailey has been designated a Heritage City. This honor is given by the Idaho State Historical Society and the Association of Idaho Cities to recognize a city such as Hailey that protects and shares information on its buildings, artifacts, photos and other historical documents.
Purpose: To encourage preservation and interpretation of the cultural heritage of the cities of Idaho through a program recognizing efforts undertaken by municipalities to protect and make available information on buildings, artifacts, records, written material, photos, and oral reminiscences that contribute to the educational offerings, pride, and history of a community.
CLG Grant Obtained: A grant was obtained that allowed the HPC to contract with an historian to perform a survey of properties that might be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. This is the funding mechanism for the Reconnaissance Survey that is being reviewed by ISHPO now.
Preservation: Recommendations on the Demolition Ordinance and Townsite Guidelines have been solicited from the HPC; these recommendations have been provided to the City of Hailey P&Z / City Council.
Website: A website was created to inform the public of Hailey’s historic values as well as the mission and activities of the HPC.
Demo Permits
In an effort to preserve a sense of the history of the community, the City of Hailey has adopted certain ordinances designed to create regulations regarding historic sites and buildings, and to preserve cultural landmarks, as part of a broader plan to promote preservation of the historic downtown area.
For this reason, a procedure for the demolition of historic structures, constructed prior to 1941, was established. This procedure involves a 120-day review period, during which the City, the Hailey Historic Preservation Commission, or any other commission, organization, or individual may negotiate with the owner and with any other parties, in an effort to find a means of preserving the structure or building for the acquisition by gift, purchase, or exchange of the property or any interest therein.
Any demolition permit for a Historic Structure shall be conditioned so that prior to demolition, the applicant shall provide the Hailey Historic Preservation Commission with all available historic information about the Historic Structure, including a) color photographs measuring at least four inches (4") by six inches (6") of at least two (2) elevations of the building at the time of permit submittal (if the building faces one or more public streets, the two (2) elevations shall be of the street facing sides); b) height, square footage, and current use of the building; and c) historical photograph, black and white or color, of the building, if feasible.
If you are thinking about demolishing a property constructed prior to 1941, why not contact us early to discuss options? Email us for more information.
Submit your Historic Demo Permit Application to the Hailey Building Department
- Historic Demolition Permit Application
- Ordinance 964 Demolition of Historic Structures
- Letter to Applicant from Hailey Historic Preservation Commission
Property Owner's Spreadsheet for Historic Demolition Application
The mailing list of all property owners within 300 feet of the exterior boundaries (obtainable at the County Assessors Office or http://maps.co.blaine.id.us) must be supplied with your application. Simply copy and paste the info from the county to an Excel spreadsheet and download to a disk or create a PDF. For assistance with this procedure you may contact the Building Department Assistant, Becky Mead at (208) 788-9815, extention 20.
2006 Public Workshops & Recommendations
During the summer of 2006 the Hailey Historic Preservation Commission (HHPC), at the request of the City Council and as directed in the City Comprehensive Plan, began to prepare a recommendation to the City Council to create an historic district. The formation of the historic district was part of the HHPC’s ongoing mission to preserve the charm and character of Old Hailey by recognition and celebration of its uniqueness. Patterned after similar districts in Boise and Pocatello, the language to create the historic district followed Idaho statutes. The initial result of the process was a set of draft ordinances that would be reviewed by the public during workshops and hearings, revised based on public feedback and then submitted to the City Council for their consideration and further public review. Following any further revisions the City Council would decide whether or not to enact the ordinances.
Idaho statues require that formation of an historic district includes a regulatory process called the “Certificate of Appropriateness.” Being sensitive to property rights issues and wishing not to burden citizens with additional regulation, the HHPC based the Certificate of Appropriateness language in the draft ordinances on the Hailey Town Site Review Guidelines currently under review by the City Council.
The draft ordinances were presented to the public at a hearing/workshop in late September and again in early October. Based on comments from the public, the HHPC decided to eliminate the Certificate of Appropriateness process from its recommendations. This also meant the recommendation to establish the historic district would be put on hold until an acceptable alternate route could be developed. The final recommendations to the City Council involve language for a demolition ordinance, an authorization for the City Council to designate important buildings as "Historic," and to further clarify the duties and responsibilities of the HHPC. These recommendations will be presented to the City Council at their October 19 special meeting. (You may download the presentation made to the City Council by clicking here.)
The Historic Preservation Commission members look forward to working with our neighbors to achieve our shared goal of preserving the quality of life we all love in Old Hailey. We would encourage anyone with questions or concerns to contact us via email.
HHPC Board
- Joan Davies
- Frank Rowland
-Both members currently serve on the Hailey Arts and Historic Preservation Commission.
HHPC Meetings
The HHPC meets at 8:05 AM on the second Thursday of each month at the Hailey City Hall, with exceptions for holidays.
"Historic preservation is more than just admiring beautiful old architecture. It's being environmentally responsible!" - Place in Time website
The Alturas Hotel
First & Croy Streets
Current site of Atkinson's market
Related Links
- Blaine County Historic Museum
- Idaho State Historical Society
- State Historical Preservation Office—SHPO
- "Preservation Idaho" The Idaho Historic Preservation Council
- National Park Service Heritage Preservation Services
- National Trust for Historic Preservation
- Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
- Historic Preservation Tax Incentives
- Why Preserve? - The Benefits
- Studies on Economic Impacts of Historic Preservation
- A Comprehensive Historic Preservation Plan for Idaho
- Rails to Trails Conservancy: Historic Preservation & Community Identity
- Office of History and Heritage Resources
- National Register of Historic Places
- National Register Information System
- Hailey Chamber of Commerce
Bullion Block
South west corner of
Main Street & Bullion
Currently North and Co.