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Museum building a century old! |
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July 22, 2017 |
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| Robert Spalding, in the blue
Navy cap, right, chats with museum
guests today about his time in the early
1970s when he was one of the esses when
SS&H was in the Megquire-Houck Building. |
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In the fall of 1916, Charles W. Megquier began
construction on a two story brick building on
Main Street. This was to be used as the new
Crescent Garage & Plumbing Company. Today,
members of the Boundary County Historical
Society and folks who shared parts of the
building's history regaled guests with tales
venerable century-old edifice.
As the Ford touring car dealer and distributor
of Fisk tires, Megquier had already presold
touring cars in anticipation of the new site.
Due to harsh weather, construction was postponed
to the following spring.
In 1917, construction resumed on the building
with modern amenities; a seven room residence
consumed the entire second floor, complete with
indoor plumbing, which pleased Megquier’s wife,
Annie. The street front allowed for automobiles
to pull up for gasoline, tires and tune ups.
The Crescent Garage became a booming business.
An addition to the Crescent Garage was added in
1920.
From 1917 to the present, many businesses have
occupied the space of the Megquier-Houck
building, including the Crescent Garage,
Traver’s Garage, Bonners Battery & Ignition,
Blackburn’s Electric, H. E. Clack, Co., Cook’s
Battery & Electric, SS&H, BG Auto, Lowe’s
Natural Foods, South Hill Furniture Annex, Gini
Knits, Callie’s Niche, Boundary Computer and the
Boundary County Museum.
The building has seen many changes over the
years: a lean-to addition at the back; upstairs
made into three apartments; gasoline tanks
removed; the store front enclosed; new concrete
floors poured over top of the original floors;
original doorways bricked up between the two
buildings - only to be reopened again; two
run-away truck crashes through the north wall;
roof supports installed in 1996 and 2012; just
to name a few!
In 2006, the Boundary County Historical Society,
through a bequest from the Mary Ellen Thomason
Estate, purchased the two buildings to house the
museum.
July 21, 2017, marked the 100th Birthday of the
Main Building of the Museum, and today, as with
any birthday, a party was held with cake,
camaraderie, many shared memories, and not so
usual, a special song written just for the
occasion, "An Ode to Charles Megquier" led by
Dottie Gray and sung to the tune of "Old
MacDonald Had a Farm: |
Charles
Megquier had a dream,
Yes indeed he did!
It started on a steamboat line,
Yes indeed it did! With a partnership
here
And a steamer there,
Here a lake, there a river,
Everywhere the steamboats favor
Charles Megquier had a dream,
Yes indeed he did!
He bought Howe's Transfer Company,
Yes indeed he did!
With some horses here
And some wagons there,
Here some freight, there some travelers
Every day his stage line transfers! |
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Charles
Megquier had a dream,
Yes indeed he did!
Horse and wagons were replaced,
Yes indeed they were!
As a Ford dealer here,
And a repair service there,
Here a car, there a part
Everywhere his cars ran near and far.
Charles Megquier had a dream,
Yes indeed he did!
And in that dream he saw a plan,
Yes indeed he did!
With an auto stage here and a dealership
there
Here the Bonners Ferry stage
There the Port Hill stop was made! |
Charles
Megquier had a dream,
Yes indeed he did!
To have a building of his own,
Yes indeed he would!
With a new brick shop, and a house on
top,
Here a pump, there an air hose,
Every day his business grows!
Charles Megquier had a dream,
Yes indeed he did!
And for his house he had a plan,
Yes indeed he did!
With seven rooms here
And indoor plumbing there,
Here a porch, there a view
Everything was very new! |
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Charles
Megquier had a dream,
Yes indeed he did!
The Crescent Garage became a boom,
Yes indeed it did!
With a new addition here
Some buildings had to go,
Here a showroom, there a repair shop
Everywhere his cars were tops!
Charles Megquier had a dream,
Yes indeed he did!
And then museum found a home, Yes indeed
it did!
With display cases here,
White Caribou Bar there
Here an exhibit, there a display
Everywhere our history lay! |
Charles
Megquier built our dream,
Yes indeed he did! |
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