Weston grocery in Saling Building. Original identifier: 101-03B. Around 1895, Isham Saling constructed a one-story brick building on the northwest corner of Main & Franklin Streets to house his merchantile & grocery store. The building adjoined the 2-story Masonic building to the west which was occupied by the Weston Post Office and Union Pacific Express Office. In 1917, it was occupied by the Weston Garage & Ford Dealership. In 1935, the building was taken by Umatilla County for back taxes. The City of Weston took ownership in 1936 and sold it to Eastern Oregon Canning Company to house employees of their cannery. It was then sold to F.G. Lamb & Co. (Lamb-Weston Co.) in 1950, which then sold it to Smith Canning & Freezing Company (now Smith Frozen Foods) in 1973. The City of Weston purchased the building in 1990 and used it for equipment storage, but their were structural problems, so the city council voted to have thebuilding demolished, which was done in January of the year 2000.
Weston Grade School. Original identifier: 130-05b. The Weston Grade School at East Wallace and South Water Streets. The first formal education in Weston started in the 1860s when Mrs. Noah Lieuallen taught local pupils in her home. In the winter of 1870, William Pruett started a subscription school, charging $6 per student for three months of tuition. The large brick public school on South Water Street was built 1892, at a cost of $14,000, for educating pupils in grades 1 though 12. In 1912, classes for high school-age students were moved to the State Normal School building at East Wallace and Broad Streets. In 1924, the Elementary-level students were also moved to the Normal School, with this building on Water Street being later demolished.
Weston fountain on Main Street, looking west. Original identifier: 101-16. Westerly view on Weston's Main Street at Franklin Street intersection - 1910.
Weston Branch, Umatilla County Public Library. Original identifier: 120-04. In 1912, Mrs Norah Watts, wife of Dr. Watts, and Mrs. George Proebstel, wife of ex-Senator Proebstel, circulated a petition for a small tax levy to finance a public library in Weston. The levy passed , and the county librarian helped in the library's organization. A tea was given, with admission being one book. Eliza Morrison was the first librarian. Locations varied over the years. Doris Barnes and Mrs. Jim Stanfield were paid librarians while it was housed in the Normal School dormitory. From there , the location moved to Dr. Watts' office on Water Street before the building was moved to its present location on Main Street. The library was enlarged in 1933, and the grounds were lanscaped. In 1955, Margaret Sutherland became the librarian, serving in that capacity for 40 years. She compiled the extensive local history collection, including the current historic photo archive. A Meyer Trust grant in 1995 provided for another expansion of the library, including a deck overlooking Pine Creek. Margaret retired in 1995, with Kathleen Schmidtgall taking over the helm to expand operations into the digital age, and continue with enhancing and expanding the photo archive.
Weston bank, store, saloon, and fountain. Original identifier: 110-11. The two-story brick building was constructed around 1890 by the Odd Fellows for their meetings as well as an opera hall on the upper floor, with the Farmers Bank of Weston occupying the lower level. The stock market crash of 1929 caused the bank to fail in the early 1930s. Today it houses the Weston City Hall and police department offices.
Watts & Rogers Hardware Store. Original identifier: 110-18. The brick structure at the Northwest corner of Franklin and Main was built around 1874 by Isham Saling, and known as the Saling Building. It housed the Saling & Reese Store, and survived the fires of 1975 and 1883. By 1890, George Proebstel had established a hardware-farm implement-lumber store there, which was later bought out by Dr. FD Watts and EC Rogers; and then around 1920, purchased by the Jones Bros who offered the same goods and services. The building survives today and is part of the Weston Historic District.
United Brethern Church, Weston, Oregon. Original identifier: 140-02. In 1853, a wagon train of United Brethern people journeyed from Iowa to Oregon, where they intended to start United Brethren churches. There were 38 oxen-pulled wagons, 98 persons, and 300 head of cattle on the Oregon Trail. The trip took five months.
