J. M. BEAN BUILDING.
(AKA BROWN'S BOOKSTORE & WATCH REPAIR, TOWLE & LEAVITT,
W.O. SLEEPER BANK, LEAVITT & WALKER, NASSAU & WALKER FANCY GOODS & FRUIT STAND,
DR. PARSONS, FRANKLIN & WOLFE FANCY GOODS, PAY ORE SALOON, MOTHER LODE ART GALLERIES,
LODE LORE STORE, TOWLE & LEAVITT.)
1851 to present
© Bancroft Library.
The Bean Building - c1855
(Northwest corner of State & Main Streets)
1851 Originally it is 5 lots owned by Bernardo Cassaretto. Stephen Stewart owned the west part and had a barber shop.
1852 September - Stewart sells to Independence L. Pearson, Francis Benze occupies the corner and Juan Questai the north part of the lot.
1853 February - Cleveland and McChesney own the corner store. G.W. Gale has a watch shop on the premises.
1854 January - Hiram McKinty buys the shop.
1854 June - Zelic Jalumstein, jeweler, buys the shop and lots.
1854 After the July fire, J. M. Bean builds a 1 story brick building with 2 stores for him. (See above image)
1854 November - Charles J. Brown opens a bookstore in the north store while Jalumstein runs a jewelry and watch shop.
1855 April - Brown sells to Harry Smith who then sells to Robert Towle and Albert Leavitt.
(Towle and Leavitt were only in business together in 1855) While Smith owns the business, he is an agent for Pacific Express.
1855 June - W. O. Sleeper opens his bank in the building sharing the Pacific Express space.
1855 August - Jalumstein sells the building to Albert Leavitt and Harvey Smith.
1856 January - Leavitt is in business by himself.
1856 April - Smith sells to Columbus Walker, watch maker and jeweler.
1856 June - Sleeper sells his interest to Leavitt and Walker.
Weekly Columbian newspaper ad - 1856
1857 Leavitt advertises dry goods and clothing. Walker was a jeweler and watchmaker, an express agency and a drugstore were in the building.
1857 August 25th - Leavitt's Building (fire-proof) was considered perfectly safe. There being no signs of fire in it, Mr. Leavitt considered that his large stock of books and stationery were safe. When he looked through the key-hole he ascertained that the inside was on fire and immediately burst open the door allowing a rush of air to fuel the flames even higher. He managed to save his large showcases of watches, jewelry, etc., while burning both hands. His reported loss was $10,000.00 (from Sacramento Daily Union - Aug. 29, 1857)
1858 April - Leavitt and Walker dissolve their partnership and continue in business independently.
1858 During the summer, E. S. Nassau moves his fancy goods and fruit stand in with Walker.
1858 December - Leavitt and Walker sell their interest in the building to Dr. M. W. Parsons.
1859 January - Nassau moves, Leavitt sold his business to D.G. Travis.
Tuolumne Courier newspaper ad - April 2, 1859
1859 April - Alexander Franklin and Anspach Wolfe move into the north store and sell cigars, fresh and dried fruits, etc.
1859 August - H.W. Reese succeeds Walker as the watchmaker and jeweler.
1860 January - Travis moves.
1860 Alexander Franklin moves to San Francisco.
1861 July - Anspach Wolfe is closed down by Sheriff. All businesses close. Later Adam Ruh moves into the north store as a tailor.
1866 August - Len E. Nelson opens a marble works.
1867 Parsons owns the building.
1871 Parsons sells to Hilton and McPherson who open a saloon, "Pay Ore Saloon".
1871 August - Hilton & McPherson. Block 15, Lot 210 - Deputy County Surveyor map by John P. Dart
1874 May - they lease the saloon to Henry Kluber.
1876 September - the building sells to James Schuler with Kluber running the saloon.
1877 April - Schuler sells to Frank Vassallo; Kluber is still running a saloon.
1879 December - J. T. Bahton opens a saloon, Eagle Restaurant and billiard room.
© George Jackson.
Main & State Streets looking north - c1890s
1880s Vassallo and son open the Big Tree Saloon.
1899 Pay Ore Saloon run by Frank Vassallo, jr.
1900 November - Will McClarron opens a store in the north part, "clothing and men's furnishings".
1902 James Allen opens a notion and confection shop.
1929 Frank Vassallo, Sr. sells to Frank Vassallo, Jr.
1929 Sells to Mrs. Christine Sartoris Martinez.
© Columbia State Historic Park.
During the depression the poles and awnings are still intact 1933
c1930 (Sometime before) Ferby McPherson operates a saloon in the building.
??? Sells to Louise Vassallo Sartoris.
1946 Cabinet shop operated by George and Jesse Holloman, they live in the building which is now (2001) the photo studio.
1949 Charles Surrendorf's Mother Lode Art Galleries. Surrendorf lives on the premises, his son is born here.
© Collection of web master.
Surrendorf's Gallery 1950
By now the only poles and awning are at the corner 1952
1954 State purchases from Martinez and Vassallo families, Surrendorf still has business in the building.
1965 Dorothy Kirkman, concessionaire, runs souvenir store.
1966 Stella Harthorne and sister, Alice Crocker, are concessionaires.
1969 Robert and Maryanne Hyde run the store.
1972 30 September - Robert Hyde has a 5 year contract to operate the Lode Lore Shop. (Park & Concessionaire report 1974-75)
1973 Lode Lore Store (per "Columbia Memories" by Lee Roddy)
1975 April - Robert Hyde's contract for Lode Lore Shop ends 30 September 1977. (Park & Concessionaire report April 1975)
1983 Maryanne Hyde is concessionaire.
1986 Maryanne Moore is concessionaire.
1994 Maryanne Good is concessionaire.
1995 Maryanne Brown is concessionaire.
2015 Maryanne Brown dies and Dave Brown is concessionaire.
© Collection of the Webmaster.
Towle & Leavitt - 2007
Contact information for
"Towle & Leavitt Gift Shop"
209 532-7306
© Charles W. Cushman Collection: Indiana University Archives (P05964).
Another great image of the Mother Lode Art Galleries, April 2, 1952
This page is created for the benefit of the public by
Floyd D. P. Øydegaard.
Email contact:
fdpoyde3 (at) Yahoo (dot) com
A WORK IN PROGRESS,
created for the visitors to the Columbia State Historic park.
© Columbia State Historic Park & Floyd D. P. Øydegaard.
