78 Years Ago
The May 1, 1947 Colorado Transcript announced that Charles W. Martin was on a "Building Rampage; 6 Houses and Two Stores On Ford St."
There was a great demand for small, inexpensive houses in the years after World War II, and Martin was one of several contractors who was rushing to provide them. The Transcript article was full of admiration for the speed with which Martin churned out buildings. The interview took place on the building site.
We were sitting on a saw horse when Martin told the representative of the Transcript about his lightning speed schedule, his objectives, his present and future plans.
Workmen were busy on every side. Trucks were arriving loaded with brick, earth, lumber and cement and discharging their cargoes. A bulldozer was panting, puffing and snorting on the lower end of the lot.
Just then a big truck commenced to back toward us and Martin said, "I guess we are going to have to move my office" as he picked up the sawhorse and moved it to one side. That is the kind of a pusher Martin is. He doesn't take time to put himself up a office on the job. He says, I'll get the job done before we could get the office finished. What this country needs is more builders like Martin and his crew of expert construction men.
The store building at 23rd and Ford was to be "most modern in every respect--radiant floor heating, glass brick rounded corners, and fluorescent lighting." There would also be plenty of parking space. The store opened as "Goldendale Creamery" in February of 1948.
Walter and Jim Naas, brothers who moved here a few months ago from Winona, Minn., will operate the creamery. They will carry a complete line of dairy products and will continue operation of the milk route which they have been running recently. A specialty of the Goldendale Creamery will be their home-made ice cream in a wide variety of flavors. They also plan to deliver ice cream for parties and dinners in the city. They have complete fountain service.
The store remained a creamery (later called a dairy) until 1964. By the mid-1970s it was serving as a sheet metal shop for a heating and air conditioning company.
Dr. Sam Baron bought the building in 1984 as the home of Golden Vision Clinic and it has served as such ever since!
