J.C. Fox Building

J.C. Fox Building. 115 S. Main St.. J.C. Fox, the original owner of the building and one of Hailey's founders, had it erected in 1920 after operating a general store three doors up the street for almost forty years. He served as mayor for two years and was vice-president of the Hailey National Bank. J.C. Fox owned the property for sixteen years before replacing its frame building with the brick Fox Building. , The building was originally heated from water piped in from the hot springs west of Hailey. The first floor housed a saloon known as the Senate Pool Hall, the First National Bank of Hailey, and a jewelry store. The second floor housed the 10-room Hailey Hospital, operated by J.C. Fox's son, Dr. Earl Wellman Fox which continued in use finto the 1960s. Many townspeople were born under the skylight, which was replicated twice more when the building was renovated in 1984. , Doctor Fox was born in 1887 and raised in Hailey. He received his education at the Barnes Medical School at the University of St. Louis and did post graduate study at the Mayo Clinic. He gave 41 years of medical service to the community. He was quite benevolent to many patients who could not afford to pay for his services in cash, often accepting a chicken, pig, cow or garden produce as payment. For his long-distance calls in winter he used the forerunner of the snowmobile, powered by an airplane engine. , The Fox building was condemned and the building to the south had been demolished. In 1983 the Fox building was restored and combined with the newly constructed Brown building to the south. In 1993 the city obtained ownership of both buildings which were dedicated for public service including city hall and the public library.