History of Rt. 3, Box 287 Powerline Road – Walla Walla, WA
Legal Description
Lots 1 & 2 in Block 6 of Brookside Acres (abbreviated).
Title and Occupant History
September 18, 1872 — United States of America, by president U. S. Grant. Granted 160-acre homestead including the property to Alexander Cameron in Homestead Certificate No. 24, application 699. (Deed Book L, Page 602, hereinafter L/602)
Alexander Cameron was a native of Scotland who immigrated to Quebec in 1852 and to Walla Walla County in 1863. He was a farmer and was elected to the state legislature in 1893. (W. D. Lyman, An Illustrated History of Walla Walla County, State of Washington, published by W. H. Lever in 1901)
November 14, 1872 — Alexander and Jenet Cameron, husband and wife, sold the N.E. quarter of the S.W. quarter of Section 4 in Township 7 N., Range 36 E.W.M. to A. W. McKee for $400. (K/183)
W. McKee is listed as a farmer with a residence at 424 Dr. Newell St. in the 1883-84 city directory; from 1893-1901 directories list him at 504 Lincoln, the 1900-01 directory notes this should be 804.
February 2, 1903 — Philena McKee, widow. of A. W. McKee, and their children and grandchildren quit claim deeded all title and interest in several tracts of land, including the property, to Marvin Evans as trustee in the matter of the estate of A. W. McKee for $1 “and other valuable considerations.” (87/173, see also 90/232 and 90/235 for other heirs quit claims in favor of Marvin Evans).
The 1902 city directory lists Marvin Evans as an attorney at law with offices at 27 1/2 Main and residing at 427 E. Main.
August 17, 1903 — Marvin Evans, as trustee in the matter of the estate of Alexander Williamson McKee, deceased, sold tracts of land in section 4 in Township 6 N., Range 36 E.W.M. to Francis Foley and George Foley.
The 1904 directory lists George Foley as a county taxpayer.
November 1, 1906 — George Foley, a bachelor, and Francis and Hannah Foley, husband and wife, sold several tracts of land in section 4, T. 6 N., R. 36 E., including the property, to J. L. Sharpstein and Max Baumeister for $23,000. (106/342)
J. L. Sharpstein came to Walla Walla in 1865 with his father and mother. He later joined his famous father, B. L. Sharpstein, in the law firm of Sharpstein and Sharpstein. (W. D. Lyman, Lyman’s History of Old Walla Walla County, Vol. 11, Chicago: S. J. Clarke, p. 27)
Max Baumeister was for many years a prominent figure in real estate, insurance and loan circles in Walla Walla. He came to Walla Walla in 1862 and ran a barber shop with his brothers before going into real estate and other businesses. One of the foremost citizens of Walla Walla, he is associated with several prominent structures including the Die Brucke Building. (W. D. Lyman, Lyman’s History of Old Walla Walla County, Vol. 11, Chicago: S. J. Clarke, p. 838-9)
April 1, 1907 — John L. and Adna Sharpstein, husband and wife, and Max and Alvine A. Baumeister, husband and wife, sold 10.11 acres “more or less” (869 feet along Hill Rd. by 507 feet along Powerline Rd.) to David J. Fry for $3500. (108/104)
The 1907 and 1908 directories list David J. Fry as a gardener with a home at 10 Pomona.
September 16, 1907 — David J. Fry, a bachelor, sold the above 10.11 acres to John F. Danaher for $3200. (110/136)
The 1907 directory lists John F. Danaher as a wagon maker located at 12 S. Palouse with a home at 112 E. Chestnut. The 1908-1912 directories list him as a wagon maker at 12 S. Palouse with a home 2 miles south of the city limits. In 1918 his home is listed on RD 3, S. Park extension.
November 6, 1920 — J. F. and Anna Danaher, husband and wife, sold the 10.11 acres to W. E. Bishop for $7000. (Deed #112632)
The 1921-22 directory lists W. E. Bishop as residing on RD 3. He is not listed in 1923-24, 1926, 1937 or 1939. In 1946 he is listed as having a home at 525 E. Alder.
February 4, 1946 — W. E. and Cassie C. Bishop; husband and wife, and C. E. and Laura M. Lawson, husband and wife, sold the 10.11 acres to O. P. and Vera Burnham, husband and wife, for $10 “and other good and valuable considerations.”
The records do not show how the Lawsons got an interest in the property and they are not listed in the directories of the 1920s to the 1940s. O. P. Burnham is not listed in the 1946 directory.
September 9, 1946 — O. P. and Vera Burnham sold the 10.11 acres to E. C. and Ada R. Rogers, husband and wife, for the listed consideration of $10. (#296207)
C. Rogers is listed in the 1946 directory as having a home at 1219 Figueroa, no occupation is listed. He is not listed in 1948.
March 6, 1947 — E. C. and Ada R. Rogers sold the 10.11 acres to Chester E. and Martha Powers, husband and wife, for the listed consideration of $10. (#300840 and #300841)
Chester E. Rogers is not listed in the directories for 1948-1955.
April 23, 1954 — Chester E. and Martha Powers, husband and wife, sold the 10.11 acres to Lew and Clara G. Putman, husband and wife, for $10 “and other valuable consideration.” (#370453)
Lewis L. Putnam is not listed in the 1955-58 directories; in 1960 he is listed as a wheat farmer residing on route 3 “Powerline Rd.” with [a new] wife Jessie.
February 4, 1966 — Lewis L. and Jessie I. Putman, husband and wife, sold the 10.11 acres to Carl E. and Frances L. McLaughlin, husband and wife, for $37,500. (#474798)
The 1966-1972 directories list Carl E. McLaughlin as a comptroller employed by Rogers-Walla Walla Cannery and residing at Rt. 3, Box 311 Powerline Road.
January 5, 1973 — Carl E. and Frances L. McLaughlin sold the property as described in the legal description (tracts A & B) to Daniel N. and Barbara Clark, husband and wife, for $32,500. (#527244 and #568397)
The 1973-1977 directories list Daniel N. Clark as an attorney in the firm of Ringhoffer and Clark.
September 1, 1977 — Daniel N. Clark sold the property in the legal description to James Allen Burgess and Annie May Burgess, husband and wife, for $70,800. (#568396)
The 1978 directory lists James A. Burgess as a veterinarian at the Blue Mountain Veterinary Hospital and Ann Burgess as a registered nurse employed at the Walla Walla Clinic, both residing at Rt. 3, Box 287 Powerline Road.
August 8, 1979 — James A. and Annie May Burgess sold the property in the legal description to Timothy L. and Carolyn A. Dinkmeier, husband and wife, for $92,000.
Timothy Dinkmeier is not listed in the 1980 and 1981 directories.
April 28, 1983 — Timothy L. and Carolyn A. Dinkmeier sold the property in the legal description to William I. and Gail R. Jordan for the consideration of “assumption of mortgage indebtedness only.” (#8302875)
The 1984 directory list William Jordan as principal of Garrison Junior High School and Gail Jordan as a teacher at Blue Ridge Elementary School, both residing at Rt. 3, Box 287 Powerline Road.
December 27, 1985 — Gail Ray Jordan quit claim deeded the property-in the legal description to William I. Jordan for the following consideration: “transfer of property pursuant to a Property Settlement Agreement incident to dissolution of marriage.” (#8508991)
May 29, 1987 — William I. Jordan quit claim deeded the property to William I. and Kathryn Eileen Jordan “to create a community property.” (#8704112)
October 22, 1987 — William I. and Kathryn E. Jordan, husband and wife, sold the property to David A. and Carol M. Wallace, husband and wife, for $94,000. (#8708027)
The 1988 directory lists David A. Wallace as a teacher of mechanical engineering at Walla Walla College.
April 10, 1991 — David A. and Carol M. Wallace sold the property to Peter W. and Kristen J. Harvey, husband and wife.
Construction of the House
W. E. Bishop’s son Harold Bishop, who now lives in Milton-Freewater related the following information to me about the house. The original structure on the land was the “homestead” built by Alexander Cameron. This was located where the garage is now. When the Bishops moved to the property in 1920, they lived in a two-story house whose front porch was located where the back porch of the current house is now located. In 1929 a new house, the current structure was built by laborers who were paid day to day and the old house was torn down. Most construction work was done by William “Billy” Morrison.
Although the city directory lists John F. Danaher’s wagon shop at 12 S. Palouse, Harold Bishop remembers him having a wagon making shop on the 10-acre property.
