History of 129 West Main Street, Walla Walla, WA
Legal Description (abbreviated):
Westerly 25 feet 4 inches of lot 5 in Block 11 of the original City of Walla Walla.
Title and Occupant History:
June 8. 1862–James Reynolds sold lot 5 in Block 11 “and a house thereon” to James Conlan for $600. (Deed Book B, Page 430, hereinafter B/430)
September 21. 1864–lsaac Revenaugh quit claim deed and conveyed his interest in the westerly 25 feet 4 inches of lot 5 in Block 11 “with the house situate thereon known as Conlans & Revenaughs Blacksmith Shop,” and with half the shop contents, to James Conlan for $1000. (0/235)
February 16, 1866–the City of Walla Walla did “bargain, sell, release, convey and confirm” lot 3 in Block 15 and 25 feet 4 inches of lot 5 in Block 11 of the original City of Walla Walla to James Conlan for $15. (ZJ434)
August I. 1885–John Manion, the duly appointed administrator of the estate of James Conlan, deceased, reported in an administrator’s deed that 25 feet 4 inches of lot 5 in Block 11 had been sold at public auction, July 27, 1885, to the high bidder, Adolph Schwarz, for $8650. (34/547)
In the 1880s Adoph Schwarz ran the Depot Saloon (the Depot for the City Brewery owned by J. H. Stahl), later Schwarz’s Saloon on the north side of Main Street near the bridge.
March 25. 1889–Party Wall Agreement between Adolph Schwarz and Miss Maria O’Rourke: the two “agree that the brick wall about to be erected by Schwarz” be on the dividing line between their properties situated on the south side of Main St. in lot 5 in Block 11, to be built half on the property of each of them. (42/527)
July 10, 1889–Lease by Adolph Schwarz to E. Le Boucher was made for the storeroom, the southerly store on the front floor of lithe building now in process of construction owned by A. Schwarz … situate on the Westerly 25 feet and 4 inches of lot 5–Block 11 of the original City of Walla Walla…” The lease was to be for 5 years starting from August I, 1889 for $40 per month. (45/420)
September 23, 1889–Lease by Adolph Schwarz to F. M. Kendall was made for the corner storeroom and celler or basement under it situated on the corner of Main and Fourth Streets. The room was described as being about 24 feet by 80 feet in the Brick Building on the Westerly 24 feet of lot 5 in Block 11 and was to be occupied by a Bank Loan Company office. The lessee had lithe right to erect at his expense a Bank Vault “to be built from the cellar floor up.” The lease was to be for 3 years starting from October I, 1889 with an option for 3 more years. The rent was $100 per month. (44/574)
Construction of the Building: from the foregoing, 1889 would be the date built. The change of tenants in the city directory supports this date also.
July 15, 1930–Mary Louise Schwarz was appointed administrator of the estate of her deceased husband, Adolph Schwarz, who died intestate July 9, 1930. The widow inherited half of the community property and their children–Adolph H. Schwarz, Catherine C. Schwarz, and Lillian E. Schwarz� -inherited one-third of the remainder each. The estate included the property in the legal description. (Superior Court case 22499)
April 27, 1931–Agreement between Mary Louise Schwarz, widow of Adolph Schwarz, and Adolph H. Schwarz, Lillian E. Schwarz, and Catherine C. Schwarz to jointly retain lands as an investment belonging to the estate of Adolph Schwarz, deceased, inherited by the parties. “Said lands to be held intact and secure against any manner of liens, or conveyances …. ” The agreement was for 10 years and Mary Louise Schwarz was to be the manager of said lands, which included the property in the legal description. The consideration was $1 “and other consideration not here named.” (#192509 in the deed books)
June I, 1935–Catherine Adams, formerly Catherine Schwarz, conveyed and quit claimed all interest in the property acquired by inheritance from Catherine E. Stahl, deceased, and from Adolph Schwarz, deceased, (including the property in the legal description) to Lillian E. Schwarz for the consideration of $1. (#214357)
May 10, 1937 –Probate was filed in the matter of the estate of Mary Louise Schwarz, also known as Lulu Schwarz, who died April 30, 1937. Her executors and heirs–Adolph H. Schwarz, Lillian E. Schwarz, and Catherine C. Adams–each received one-third of her estate, including the property in the legal description. (SC/27028)
October 3, 1938–Catherine C. Adams conveyed and quit claimed “all of her interest in and to the real property inherited by her. .. by virtue of the last will and testament of Mary Louise Schwarz, deceased, ….� to Lillian E. Schwarz, a single woman, for the consideration of $1. (#237387)
June 27, 1957–ln the matter of the estate of Lillian E. Schwarz, who died intestate June 20, 1957, her brother Adolph H. Schwarz and her sister Catherine C. Adams each inherited one-half of her estate, including the property in the legal description. (SC/43876)
August 24, 1979–ln the matter of the estate of Adolph H. Schwarz, Henry A. Schwarz, John D. Schwarz, and Richard G. Schwarz each received one�third of his half interest in the property in the legal description. (SC/67843)
December 27, 1979–Catherine Schwarz Wheeler, formerly Catherine C. Adams, conveyed and quit claimed to F. Norman Adams and Robert S. Adams a total of one-fourth interest (half of her one-half interest) in the Garden City Building and the Crescent Drug Building (the property in the legal description) with the consideration of II10ve and affection. II (#7911761)
January 2, 1980–Catherine Schwarz Wheeler conveyed and quit claimed to F. Norman Adams and Robert S. Adams the rest of her interest in the above properties. (#8000142)
November 26, 1980–Robert S. Adams in consideration of II10ve and affection and his desire to have a Management Agreement formed does … 11 convey and quit claim his undivided one-fourth interest in the Crescent Building (Blue Banjo) to F. Norman Adams. (#8009465)
December 17, 1991–Katherine Rose Schwarz, a single person, conveyed and quit claimed her interest and rights in her inheritance from Adolph H. Schwarz to Richard G. Schwarz, Henry A. Schwarz, and John D’. Schwarz in equal shares. (#9109098)
January 6, 1993–Richard Gene Schwarz conveyed and quit claimed his undivided one-sixth interest in the property in the legal description to F. Norman Adams for $10,000. (#9301037)
January 16, 1993–Henry A. Schwarz conveyed and quit claimed his divided one-sixth interest in the property to F. Norman Adams for “I’~~O. (#930136)
January 18, 1993–John Douglas Schwarz conveyed and quit claimed his undivided one-sixth interest in the property to F. Norman Adams for $/0,000. (#930138)
April 16, 1993–F. Norman Adams quit claimed an undivided one-half interest in the property to Larry Siegel for $10 and other good and valuable consideration. (#9303770)
Occupation of the Site and of the Building:
Compiled from the records above and from city directories of 1880�-1992 (several editions are missing in the collection of the Whitman College Archives).
1860s: Conlan & Co., Conlan & Revenaugh, blacksmith shop
1880-1888: Sam Lesser, dealer in fine Havana & Domestic Cigars and also furnishing goods for gentlemen; by 1883 he was advertising only clothing and gents’ furnishing goods.
1889: Edmund Le Boucher, wines and liquors. Not in the 1892 directory. 1889-1894: The Washington Bank. organized November II, 1889 with capital of $100,000; Bayard 1: Byrns, president, Frank M. Kendall, cashier. No directories for 1895-1897, not listed in 1898.
1898-1918: W. P. McKean, later W. P. McKean & Co., dealer in dry goods, clothing, shoes, gents furnishing goods. No directory for 1919.
1920-1975: The Crescent Drug Co. (had been at 127 W. Main). 1976-1977: Recreation Center.
1978-1979: Listed as vacant.
1980-1990: Blue Banjo Tavern.
1991-1992: Listed as vacant.
prepared by Michael W. Smith. 4/95
