The Dalles #9: Waldron Drug Store

First & Washington Streets

Waldron Drug Store on June 10, 2009

Waldron's Drug Store was built in 1867 and may be the oldest commercial building in The Dalles. H.J. Waldron was an early druggist in The Dalles. The upstairs was rented to several business, including the Weekly Mountaineer newspaper, which was founded in 1868 and was the oldest newspaper in eastern Oregon; it merged with The Dalles Times to form the Times-Mountaineer, which was eventually run out of business by the The Dalles Chronicle, which was established in 1890 and is still published today. In the 1870s, the second floor was used as a hall for the Wasco Lodge No. 15 of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. H.J. Waldron was injured in the fire of October 27, 1878 that destroyed several downtown buildings and died. The building later served as a boarding house, during which time Walt Whitman once stayed there. Later on, it became Gitchell Fire & Auto Insurance and later still it was an office of Tidewater-Shaver Barge Lines. Faded painted advertising is still visible on the building's side walls.

Waldron Drug Store on June 10, 2009

Historical Photos:
Waldron Drug Store, August 18, 1939 (OSL)
Waldron Drug Store (CGDC)
Waldron Drug Store, July 4, 1954 (UO)
Waldron Drug Store, June 3, 1978 (UO)

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