This is Floyd Wynne with THE VIEW FROM HERE

This is Floyd Wynne with THE VIEW FROM HERE.

Downtown Main Street has had quite an up and down history.

When I came to Klamath Falls back in 1948 it was a very bustling area.

The Winema Hotel was the center of most of the area. The place where all the service clubs met, where all the banquets were held.

Some of the main features as one went down the street included a the Balsiger Motor building, the Medical dental building that was really the medical dental center. The Payless Drug on one side….and J.C. Penny on the other. The Corner Store, First National Bank, First Federal Savings and Loan in a smaller building with Hal’s Sport Shop and Bells Hardware and LaPointes on one side with Millers on the other and the old courthouse on one side and the Elks club on the other, just to name a few of those that have since disappeared.

Then K Mart made the first departure from downtown, and shortly thereafter the first shopping center appeared. Moving from downtown were J.C. Penney, Sears and Montgomery Ward...the three big stores.

After that came Jefferson Square and further departures from the Main Street.

Things began to look a bit deserted in the downtown area. But the ingenuity of the building owners and occupants rose up with their own plans for revitalization and it began to come back.

Then the earthquake destroyed the Courthouse. The Courthouse committee was given the task of relocating it. After much discussion it was decided that it still belonged downtown and the end result after three or more years was construction of the two new county structures and a new lease on life for the area.

Today the Main Street is just that...still the Main Street of the Community despite the business stretch on South Sixth Street….and the further expansion of Washburn Way.

And the entire area is blossoming. The new shopping center is going to be a great addition with Gottschalks and Thunderbird Market already in their new buildings and more to come.

In addition Jefferson Square stores have moved up front and Safeway and Ross make great partners at each end of the area.

The old Safeway area is now home to new businesses

· It’s true that the departure of the Herald and News to their own semi-shopping center and the current status of the old Balsiger building will leave that end of Main street looking vacant, but they will recover.

· And the TimberShores proposed development at the other end of Main Street will give the area another boost.

· So...despite all the ups and downs the downtown is still thriving with smaller stores and specialty offerings. It’s remains the heart of the community.

This is Floyd Wynne and that’s THE VIEW FROM HERE.

Text Box: This is Floyd Wynne with THE VIEW FROM HERE.
             Downtown Main Street has had quite an up and down history.
             When I came to Klamath Falls back in 1948 it was a very bustling area.
The Winema Hotel was the center of most of the area. The place where all the service clubs met, where all the banquets were held.
             Some of the main features as one went down the street included a the Balsiger Motor building, the Medical dental building that was really the medical dental center.   The Payless Drug on one side….and J.C. Penny on the other. The Corner Store, First National Bank, First Federal Savings and Loan in a smaller building with Hal’s Sport Shop and Bells Hardware and LaPointes on one side with Millers on the other and the old courthouse on one side and the Elks club on the other, just to name a few of those that have since disappeared.
Then K Mart made the first departure from downtown, and shortly thereafter the first shopping center appeared. Moving from downtown were J.C. Penney, Sears and Montgomery Ward...the three big stores.
After that came Jefferson Square and further departures from the Main Street.
Things began to look a bit deserted in the downtown area. But the ingenuity of the building owners and occupants rose up with their own plans for revitalization and it began to come back.
Then the earthquake destroyed the Courthouse. The Courthouse committee was given the task of relocating it. After much discussion it was decided that it still belonged downtown and the end result after three or more years was construction of the two new county structures and a new lease on life for the area.
Today the Main Street is just that...still the Main Street of the Community despite the business stretch on South Sixth Street….and the further expansion of Washburn Way.
And the entire area is blossoming. The new shopping center is going to be a great addition with Gottschalks and Thunderbird Market already in their new buildings and more to come.
             In addition Jefferson Square stores have moved up front and Safeway and Ross make great partners at each end of the area.
             The old Safeway area is now home to new businesses
· It’s true that the departure of the Herald and News to their own semi-shopping center and the current status of the old Balsiger building will leave that end of Main street looking vacant, but they will recover.
· And the TimberShores proposed development at the other end of Main Street will give the area another boost.
· So...despite all the ups and downs the downtown is still thriving with smaller stores and specialty offerings. It’s remains the heart of the community.
This is Floyd Wynne and that’s THE VIEW FROM HERE.