Explore Pocatello's East Side Historic District
Opera House, Old Hotel Illustrate Commercial, Cultural Sides of City
Sep 4, 2009
Just east of Pocatello's Downtown Historic District, another area offers additional glimpses into the city's past. Across the Union Pacific railroad tracks, Pocatello's East Side Downtown Historic District is accessed through a vehicular subway that runs under them,
Older than the Downtown District, which attracts tourists to its shops, restaurants and art galleries, the East Side was an area of ethnic enclaves, auto repair shops, grocery stores and creameries. It stretches almost two blocks along East Center Street and includes a one-block area along North Second Street and a half-block along South Second.
Pocatello’s East Side Ethnic Communities and Architectural Integrity
The district’s historical significance derives from its association with Pocatello’s several ethnic communities and with the city’s development as a major commercial center in southeast Idaho. It is also important for its architectural integrity – the streetscape from the period from 1900 to 1940 with its representation of local styles and architecture from that time period is virtually intact.
Two of the district buildings were designed by Pocatello architect, Frank H. Paradice, Jr. The Church-White Building (northeast corner of Center Street and Second Avenue) is an example of the architect’s early work during the period when he favored the Renaissance Revival style developed in a three-part Sullivanesque fashion. By contrast, the City Building (Center Street and First Avenue), is an example of his later work, in which he used terra cotta to create Art Deco ornamentation around doorways and along cornices. The latter building is also significant because it was part of the PWA (1933-1936) and WPA (1935-1943) programs, which provided money for construction and public works projects throughout the United States. Paradice was also the architect for several buildings listed in the National Register as part of the Pocatello Historic District west of the railroad tracks.
Demolition Survivors Include Elkhorn Creamery, Opera House and McNichols Building
Before 1912, the East Side had few brick buildings and most of them have been demolished. However, survivors include the 1900 Auditorium Opera House, Citizens Bank (1902-05) and McNichols Building on E. Center Street and the Elkhorn Creamery on Second Avenue between Center and Lewis Streets. Pocatello Auto (First Avenue and E. Clark Street), Howards Garage on Second Avenue and the Universal Garage at Second Avenue and Clark Street represent the use of the area after 1910 when automobile production increased.
Remaining Ethnic Community Buildings
As the city developed as a junction point of the Oregon Short Line and the Union and Northern lines, the East Side Downtown and nearby residential area (bounded by E. Clark Street, Seventh Avenue and the railroad tracks) became a multi-ethnic neighborhood. African-Americans, Greeks, Italians and Japanese became neighbors of the Chinese railroad workers who had lived in the area since about 1885. Near the residential area, an ethnic sub-economy developed to take care of the immigrants’ everyday needs. Along with specialized grocery stores and butcher shops, ethnic-specific clubs such as The Mikado pool hall and barber shop, the Greek club room on E. Center Street and social rooms for African Americans were built.
By the 1940s, many of the buildings in this area had been demolished or rebuilt for commercial use. Among those that remain are the G. Cavacas Grocery (Center Street between Second and Third Avenues), the Idello Hotel (southwest corner of Second Avenue and Center Street) and the Church-White Building.
Self-guided tour maps of both Old Town and the East Side are available at the Pocatello Old Town office (420 N. Main Street).
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