Placerville in El Dorado County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Davis and Roy News Depot / Shelley Inch Building / Placerville News Company
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, May 4, 2013
1. Davis and Roy News Depot / Shelley Inch Building / Placerville News Company Marker
Photo displayed on marker courtesy of the El Dorado Historical Museum.
Inscription.
Davis and Roy News Depot, also, Shelley Inch Building, also, Placerville News Company. . Fisher’s Oasis Coffee House and Wadsworth’s Chicago Dining Saloon occupied this site from 1851- 1855. In 1853 F.A. Bee, founder of the Placerville Herald, printed his short-lived newspaper here. Early pioneer doctors, Harvey and Sholer and businessman, Davis and Roy purchased the property in 1855 and built a wooden two-story edifice composed of two portions. The building’s western half served as a post office while Davis and Roy ran their periodical depot to the east. Davis and Roy remain best know (sic) for their 1856 lithograph titled “Birdseye View of Placerville” which illustrated over 20 buildings as they appeared before that year’s devastating fires., Later co-occupants Jacob Perkins and Shelley Inch carried on the business of selling newspapers, books a(nd) stationary. Eventually Inch acquired both portions of the property. Around 1898 he added the building’s second floor and the cast iron front to its facade. Inch then named the business The Placerville News Company., In 1912 after her husband, homesteading pioneer George Duffey Sr., died suddenly of appendicitis Christina Reeg Duffey began working in Inch’s store as a means of supporting herself and her soon to arrive child. She subsequently married John Bayne of Coloma. She assumed ownership of the building in 1923 and the family moved into the apartment upstairs. Her son George Duffey carried on the business and became one of Placerville’s most beloved merchants. He always welcomed visitors warmly and delighted them with his quiet charm. Today, his daughter, Mary Meader and his grandson Jeff, continue the family tradition of providing friendly and courteous service to their customers.
Fisher’s Oasis Coffee House and Wadsworth’s Chicago Dining Saloon occupied this site from 1851- 1855. In 1853 F.A. Bee, founder of the Placerville Herald, printed his short-lived newspaper here. Early pioneer doctors, Harvey and Sholer and businessman, Davis and Roy purchased the property in 1855 and built a wooden two-story edifice composed of two portions. The building’s western half served as a post office while Davis and Roy ran their periodical depot to the east. Davis and Roy remain best know (sic) for their 1856 lithograph titled “Birdseye View of Placerville” which illustrated over 20 buildings as they appeared before that year’s devastating fires.
Later co-occupants Jacob Perkins and Shelley Inch carried on the business of selling newspapers, books a(nd) stationary. Eventually Inch acquired both portions of the property. Around 1898 he added the building’s second floor and the cast iron front to its facade. Inch then named the business The Placerville News Company.
In 1912 after her husband, homesteading pioneer George Duffey Sr., died suddenly of appendicitis Christina Reeg Duffey began working in Inch’s store as a means of supporting herself and her soon to arrive child. She subsequently married John Bayne of Coloma. She assumed ownership of the building in 1923 and the family moved
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into the apartment upstairs. Her son George Duffey carried on the business and became one of Placerville’s most beloved merchants. He always welcomed visitors warmly and delighted them with his quiet charm. Today, his daughter, Mary Meader and his grandson Jeff, continue the family tradition of providing friendly and courteous service to their customers.
Erected by Heritage Association of El Dorado County.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1855.
Location. 38° 43.75′ N, 120° 48.059′ W. Marker is in Placerville, California, in El Dorado County. Marker is at the intersection of Main Street and Stage Coach Alley, on the right when traveling west on Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 435 Main Street, Placerville CA 95667, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on May 10, 2013, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 1,000 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on May 10, 2013, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.
