By founding member Tony Edmondson

What’s that old saying about how you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone? Well, that could easily describe how we got started and what motivates us to this day.
Back in about 1983, the Intermountain Cultural Center and Museum (ICC&M) had only been operating in Hooker Hall (former Admin building for the Intermountain Institute) for several years. Previously, when incorporated as the “Washington County Museum”, it was in a downtown Weiser location which was the former site of the Vendome Hotel and is now the site of the Vendome Center. With an auditorium and abundant physical space, the museum had expanded its activities which were organized through several “committees”, including a theater committee led by Marvin Triguiero and Blake Coats.
When a fire ravaged a corner building in our downtown that fall, several of we ICC&M Board members were prompted into action hoping to save the structure which featured the last remaining turret on a commercial building in Weiser. We actively engaged with property owner Al Lightfield to save the building. Unfortunately, city officials were concerned that the unsupported second floor masonry wall posed a safety threat. We were told that the Hotel Washington fire a few years earlier that resulted in a burned-out hulk sitting empty for an extended period, was an unspoken motivation to quickly move this building into the past as well. While Mr. Lightfield was compelled to demolish the second floor, he agreed not to level it entirely and so a remnant of that building remains today.
That experience awakened us to the blossoming field of “historic preservation” which was beginning to take root across the country in the 1970’s. So much of the historic fabric of Weiser’s commercial district had already been lost or remodeled into oblivion, we decided a formalized committee of the museum would allow us to focus on saving the architectural legacy of our community. It was then the Weiser Architectural Preservation “Committee” was formed. And none too soon.
One evening in 1985, we got a call from a kindred preservationist in Payette, that UPRR had just demolished their depot and was headed to Weiser to do in ours. It wasn’t a total surprise. Our depot had discontinued passenger service years earlier and was being manned only by a skeleton crew who seemed aware of the inevitable. Fortunately, our committee now had some negotiating experience under our belts and within 24 hours, had already engaged UPRR in negotiations to preserve the depot. Simultaneously we began fundraising and contracted a professional planner to develop a site proposal we could present to UPRR. This included the park grounds you see today. We learned early that negotiations with UPRR were akin to working with a foreign country. They had their own bureaucracy and things took time. After two years of negotiations with our group, UPRR was prepared to donate the building and enter into a long-term lease for a parcel of land. However, they were unwilling to negotiate this agreement with our group. They explained some of their past depot donations to well-intentioned groups ultimately led to abandoned and derelict buildings on their right of way. Despite the 20+ year history of the museum, they would only complete the transaction with the City of Weiser.
We approached City officials who were reluctant to accept such an offer. Eventually we devised a plan whereby the City would accept the proposal and once secured, quit claim deed the property and transfer the lease to the WAPC. In 1987, the official transfer took place with the city and in the months to come, a quit claim deed and transfer of lease was completed to WAPC. There were restrictions within the agreement that challenged us through the coming years, but which were eventually overcome. We were off and running, doing fundraising, making repairs and renovations, applying for grant assistance, and even hosting community events. Soon we had historic walking tour brochures printed, conducted seasonal historic home tours, etc. All the while our depot sat quietly, waiting for its day in the sun once again. Many of us knew if ever we were to have a downtown revitalization plan, having a beautifully restored building at the foot of our commercial district could play a vital role in its realization. We couldn’t have been more right.
It was also about this time that WAPC officials approached both City and County officials to enact historic preservation ordinances for the creation of historic preservation commissions which would qualify our communities for grants to do preservation work. Since that time, many grant projects have been completed in our community with the matching funds or in-kind services provided by WAPC. Because some of WAPC’s Board members also serve on these commissions, there’s been some confusion among some about the two distinct preservation organizations. In a nutshell, the “commission” is the official government arm, and the “committee” is the private nonprofit arm of preservation in our community. We work together to achieve our kindred missions.
Unfortunately, disaster soon struck again. In 1997, fire ravaged ICC&M’s Hooker Hall. Fortunately, it was contained before too many artifacts were lost and structural damage occurred. Even so, it was a tremendous blow to the museum and its future viability. The depot among other interim locations, was used as a transfer site where artifacts could be sorted, stored, and conserved. A year or more passed with no real plan for the museum. WAPC was still active since we had both a building (the depot) from which we could base, and our mission/ work was in the community at large. Given the tenuous future of the museum, a decision was made to separate our committee from the museum and incorporate as a non-profit. WAPC now became WAPC “Inc”.
As the museum struggled to work toward a new future, the future of our commercial district was in full swing. In 2000, the City of Weiser implemented a downtown revitalization project which among other grants, included $200k specifically for street improvements at the depot location along with a new roof and exterior paint on the building itself. We were getting closer to having a viable building and a major contributor to attracting visitors to our downtown. As a part of the comprehensive revitalization taking place, the City of Weiser constructed the Vendome Center just a block from the depot on the site of the old Vendome Hotel.
It was about this time, that the Knights of Pythias chapter in Weiser decided to disband. Being one of the most notable and identifiable buildings in our community and even the state, the lodge was concerned that it’s legacy might not be preserved if the building were to pass into private hands. WAPC was approached and we excitedly accepted the donation of their building in about 1999 which we own to this day. The long-time renter of the 1st floor commercial space was Mel’s Trading Post. Mel and his business were landmarks in their own rights within our community. Regrettably, he soon retired closed his business. Being landlords has had its challenges through the years, especially trying to find a compatible and sensitive tenant for our space. We got lucky a couple of years ago when the Coopers entered into a long-term lease and established their Bee Tree educational center at that location. Of course, we’ve made our share of improvements to the building along the way, including new roof, masonry repairs, a structural engineering assessment, etc. Presently we’re about to begin repairs to damage resulting from the fire in the building next door. Fortunately it was minor, and no historic fabric or artifacts were lost.
In 2005 we completed the next phase in the restoration of our depot with a $1m grant to restore the interior, recreate and install roof dormers, and install an HVAC system. This allowed us to begin renting the building on a limited basis for private functions which continues to this day. In about 2012, we negotiated with a local organization allowing them to host an annual farmers market on the depot grounds which also continues to this day. Countless folks use the site as a backdrop for photos or even just to “flip the cookie” as young folks did in the 1950’s.
In 2020, WAPC and its calendar of community events was challenged by Covid like many organizations and businesses throughout the country. Restrictions on our depot rental as well as the suspension of our public events were implemented. Despite a less visible public presence, our Board has continued to meet monthly almost without exception for more than 35 years. We’ve kept dues affordable and continue to advance our mission objectives. 2022 is already shaping up to get us back into a more public forum, with us hosting a visit from a train enthusiast group as well as a walking tour of historic properties planned in May. We encourage owners of historic properties or those just interested in their preservation, to become a member. This year we’ve initiated a member story sharing project we hope sheds additional light on our members and a welcoming flavor to the public we serve.
You don’t have to own a historic property to join us, but you’ll certainly become part owner of two when you do! If you appreciate historic property, community history, are looking for a way to give back to community, you’ll fit right in. A membership form is available on this website!