| Written by Mary Weber & Kathy Schutt in 11/5/1984:
The Summit Store is significant as the only remaining example of a 19th Century general merchandise store building in western Benton County. Other store buildings, such as those in Alsea, Blodgett, and King's Valley, were all built in the first quarter of the 20th Century after earlier stores were lost to fire. The store's location and association, next to the Oregon and pacific Railroad tracks and on the original route of the Corvallis-Yaquina Wagon Road, is intact. Although the building's exterior walls are covered by wood shingles, much of the original building design and materials remain.
The historical background of this building is uncertain. It appears that the building was first owned by W.C. and Katie Post, who platted the town of Summit in 1885. The store building was built in about 1890. Whether or not the Posts actually operated a store in this location is in question. We do know that in the early 1890's James Buchanan bought this store. James Buchanan also owned a store in Wren, and later owned a store in Airle. In 1896, the store was sold to L.M. Matoon, who operated the store until 1902, when it was sold to Titus Ranny. M.E. Underhill ran the People's Store here in the early years of the century, although deed records do not indicate that he owned the building. H.L. Bush and later his daughter and son-in-law, Harry and Lessie Williams, owned the store building from 1910 to 1923. In 1923 the store was sold to Edgar Plunkett. The Plunkett family had the store the longest. Alma and Victor Plunkett, Edgar's son and daughter-in-law operated and owned the store until the late 1940's.
Until recently, the building has always served as a general merchandise store selling dry goods, groceries, feed, and gasoline. |
