904 Walnut Street
904 Walnut Street now sits as an empty lot next to Casey's on the East end of town, but don't let its present calming green space fool you. For almost sixty years in the 20th century, this location served as the home for a wide variety of businesses forever ingrained in the "experienced" Washingtonian's memory.
In 1934, Homer Waughop built his tavern, Casino Gardens, next door at what is now 908 Walnut Street. That lot currently sits empty with a concrete scar of the building still visible.
In 1936, Waughop decided to build a 28x36 addition to his tavern. In the first few years, the additional space was used for amateur boxing matches. Washington's star amateur boxers were Ralph Aberle and Ray Birkett. The two were headliners many times in feature bouts at Casino Gardens.
In 1940, Waughop changed the entertainment at Casino Gardens. He and Earl Zimmerman partnered and constructed a 120x24 building to be called the Washington Recreation Bowling Alley on what is now 904 Walnut.
The Washington Recreation Bowling Alley, later shortened to the Casino Bowling Alley, remained in place throughout the 1940s. Two 300 games rolled there during that time by Bud Engelhart and "Cuz" Bradle.
By 1951, the alleys had closed. Don Smelz owned a lumber company nearby, a predecessor of the current RP Lumber, and he renovated the building to serve as offices and a sales room.
This sales room didn't last long. In 1953, John Diemer, music teacher at Washington Grade School, moved his Browse & Barter used furniture store from the back alley behind 116 Walnut Street out to 904 Walnut. E.O. Schaeffer purchased the business from Diemer later that year and remained through 1955.
The next business to give it a try was called Brown's Steel Building Service from 1956-57. Very little is known about this company except that it was probably owned by J.T. Brown, because in 1958 Brown renovated the building back to a bowling alley, this time called East Side Lanes.
In 1962, East Side Lanes then-owner Tom Brown constructed and opened what we now know as Plaza Lanes.
From around 1965-1967, the space at 904 Walnut became a teen hangout known as the Washington Amusement Center in some advertisements, but colloquially known as "The Refuge" to those who remember it. Live bands performed at the venue, and it had a memorable slot car racing track.
In 1967, Ray Herbst was running the Herbst Company on North Main Street, a longtime successful furniture and hardware business in Washington. He was looking for a place where he could unload some slow-selling furniture at discount prices. As a result, Herbst opened The White Elephant at 904 Walnut. Soon Herbst had several friends and acquaintances wanting to sell their items at the store, and before long, Herbst had over sixty people selling items on consignment at The White Elephant. The venture turned into more than Herbst, in his mid 60's, wanted to deal with so he offered to sell the store to his old business partner, Leonard Turvill. Herbst and Turvill had owned a store on the square called Floors & Walls in the 40's and 50's. Leonard and Evelyn Turvill acquired the business in 1969. Leonard Sr. was a traveling Armstrong Flooring representative so much of the heavy lifting at the White Elephant was done by Evelyn and her children in the first few years. As Leonard travelled his territory from Danville to Des Moines, he visited many stores like The White Elephant and purchased items for resale in the store.
In 1979, the business was turned over to sons, Leonard Jr. and Richard.
Also opening in the building around the same time was The Pantry run by Paul Thrailkill. Thrailkill had recently closed his grocery store on South Main Street which had been open for 25 years. The Pantry allowed him to continue to offer discount groceries on a smaller scale to his devoted customers.
The Pantry remained in business until 1981. It was replaced by Ullom's Upholstery in the back of the White Elephant building, and successful trade continued for many years. Ullom's originally started in the basement of 122 N. Main Street (now Brunk's) for about a year before moving.
The White Elephant and Ullom's Upholstery operated their successful businesses until 1994 when an incredible fire destroyed the building. You can read about that here.
