Early in 1852, soon after news of the gold discovery in Jacksonville spread to California, Kenny and Appler, two packers from Yreka, established the first trading post on this site. They stocked it with a few tools, clothing, boots, “black strap” tobacco, and a liberal supply of whiskey, essential items for an infant gold mining camp.
By 1856, their tent had been replaced by a wooden store and then by a brick storehouse. In 1860, merchants Abraham and Newman Fisher acquired this prime corner location for their dry goods and general merchandise store. Fires consumed their stores in both 1868 and 1874. Despite a $28,000 loss in the latter conflagration, the Fisher brothers rebuilt, and the 1874 A. Fisher & Brothers structure still stands today—although it has been through quite a few changes.
One of its longest tenants was the Marble Corner Saloon also known as the Marble Arch Saloon. The saloon occupied the building from around 1890 to 1934. The saloon was presumably named after the Jacksonville Marble Works which in 1888 was located across the street…or because the saloon’s recessed entryway was tiled with marble from its neighbor.
The Scheffel family purchased the building in 1868 and moved into it in 1871. It was Scheffel’s for the next 50 years, first an antique store then a popular specialty toy store. We’re delighted that the Kranenburg and Butler families are continuing the tradition of being a children’s toy and specialty story—especially since the Happy Alpaca is now the only one in the Rogue Valley!