1899 - Commercial Building - Republic, WA - Dated Buildings and Cornerstones on Waymarking.com

The Fountain or Walt' s Fountain

The Fountain's original appearance is not known but local informants seem to agree that it was a great deal smaller than it is today and has grown by means of frequent additions.

The building as it appears presently is a rectangular structure with a modern shed roof applied over what appears to be an older gable roof. The original building appears to have been of wood frame construction but its most recent addition in the rear is built of cement blocks. The main façade, which faces Clark Ave., has probably changed less than the rest of the building and still includes a rectangular false front with cornice, shiplap siding and a recessed doorway flanked by multi-paned display windows.

The place now occupied by a fiber-glass awning was probably once held by a movable canvas one and the former transom above the door has been filled in. There have been extensive changes in the interior but the face which the building presents on the main street does not appear to have changed much.

History
The exact history of this building is not known but it must have been constructed after 1899 since at that date the site was occupied by part of the tent-topped dry-goods store of Mr. D.E. Walter. Mr. Walter burned out in June of that year and the front section of this building was probably constructed soon after.

Long-time residents recall that during its long career this building has served as a shoe store (Forten's Shoes), a meat market,a restaurant and, quite probably, a saloon. Since the late 1930s it has been occupied by a soda fountain. The Fountain was established in 1938 by Mrs. Ella Fletcher, and has been owned and operated by several different people since then. From the early 1950s through most of the '70s it was owned by members of the Walt Cornelius family. It is Republic's only "teen-age hang-out" and is well patronized by local high-school students.

Evaluation of Significance
The exact significance of this building is not known at present. The fact that it has retained its false front and ship lap finish in the front facade makes it a significant part of Clark Avenue's streetscape. As a headquarters for the town's high-school population for over forty years, it occupies a very significant place in the memories of several generations of residents.
While the quote above is from WISAARD, (the Washington Information System for Architectural and Archaeological Records Data), pages are not accompanied by a specific URL.