‘It has a story to tell’

The building started life in 1922-’23 as a pharmacy. Over the years, it has housed a doctor’s office, a laundromat, the Post Falls Police Department, and most recently, the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.

In a few weeks, the old Chapin’s Drug store, one of the few historic buildings remaining in Post Falls, will become home to the new Post Falls History Museum.

The building, at the corner of Fourth and Spokane streets near the new city hall campus, is being restored with funds raised by the Post Falls Historical Society, said society President Bob Frazey. The ultimate goal, aside from a spiffy new museum, is to have the building placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

“(The building) just has character. It has a story to tell,” he said. “Everybody has a story to tell about this building.”

Work began just few weeks ago, with Ginno Construction doing the remodeling work at cost. Work should last for just a couple more weeks. Then it’s up to the society and its members to come in, get the place cleaned up and the displays ready for opening day.

“We’re very excited about how fast it’s coming together,” he said.

So far, Frazey said, there have been no unpleasant surprises. The building appears to have been well cared for, he said.

“The building has had quite a few tenants over the years,” he said. “It seems like everybody has taken really good care of it.”

Workers recently pulled up old flooring and found the original wood planking in good, restorable condition. Additionally, they’re taking out the old plaster to reveal the original brick walls. Soon, new windows and a corner entryway will be installed – with labor donated by Post Falls Screen and Glass – in an attempt to bring the building to as close to its original state as can be, as required for inclusion on the registry.

The historical society and the city’s Historic Preservation Committee hope to have the museum open in May. The main entry area will sport a number of displays, and Frazey said plans are in the works to install an ice cream/soda fountain, a feature of the original Chapin’s Drugs. Offices located toward the back of the building will house several themed rooms, including those dedicated to the military, antique kitchens, farming life and the school room. The room that served as the office of Dr. McCauley during the Chapin’s era again will become a doctor’s office, Frazey said.

“We have the old antique wheelchair and the antique medical apparatus,” he said, “so we’re going to make it the doctor’s office like it was years ago.”

The building is owned by the city and the society will rent it, Frazey said. The society has been housed in donated modular building on Railroad Avenue for the past couple of years, with many artifacts in storage. The new museum should allow for more objects to be displayed.

“It’s a win-win situation for everyone,” Frazey said.