The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Within each Historic District there are both contributing and non-contributing buildings. What makes a district is that there is a clear majority of buildings that contribute in a major way to the period of significance, which in the case of the Downtown Historic District is 1879 to 1949.

The purpose of the design reviews conducted by the Dayton Historic Commission is to ensure that this balance of contributing building verses non-contributing continues, by reviewing any proposed work on the exterior of the structures within the district.

This week we are showcasing both a non-contributing and a contributing building. Moose Creek just went before the commission for approval of an additional entry toward the back of their parking area which will lead to outdoor seating under an arbor type structure.

The approval given by the commission was based on whether the proposed changes would have a positive, negative or neutral impact on the District. The finding was that it would not have a negative impact.

Courtesy Photo

The Moose Creek building as it looked when it was home to Freddie's Market for several decades

The Guensey/Sturdevant Building was restored in 1993 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as an individual historic property before the district was formed in 1999. This insured that all of the exterior restoration work followed the Secretary of the Interior's Guidelines for Historic Preservation.

In 1993 it was mentioned in the Preservation Washington's winter issue as "the best preserved example of the Italianate commercial buildings that once lined Dayton's Main Street. Following an extensive rehabilitation, the building is once again a reflection of the city's prosperous 19th century heritage." Of course the following year would see the Columbia County Courthouse restoration completed.

The Wenaha Gallery is an original tenant providing quality framing and original art to shoppers in Dayton. We are all looking forward to the opening of Chase Hudson's coffee house in the retail space next door. It's looking fantastic.