Christie's Pioneer Store

Thomas Halvor Christie, known as T. H. Christie was born of Halvor and Mary Christie.  Halvor and Mary Christie immigrated to Windom, Minnesota from Christianna, Norway in the midst of the Civil War in 1863.  Later the couple moved to Driscoll Ridge, near the community of Huffs Gulch in 1892.  Huffs Gulch was the earliest name for what is now known as Troy.  T. H. Christie had four brothers and married Maggie Raun on February 15th, 1892.

Interior of Christie's Pioneer Store in Troy, Idaho.  Image courtesy of the Latah County Historical Society, 15-03-026.

In 1903 T. H. Christie was highlighted in the History of North Idaho: "Mr. Christie is a merchant, handling a mammoth stock of general merchandise in Troy, and he has secured by his sagacious business methods and uprightness, a large patronage."

Exterior of a sale at Christie's Pioneer Store in Troy, Idaho.  Image courtesy of the Latah County Historical Society, 15-03-027.

T. H. Christie was civicly involved in many different organizations.  Fraternally he was associated with the I.O.O.F. Lodge No. 29, the Elks Lodge of Moscow, Lodge No. 249 and the K. of P. Lodge No. 11 in Troy.

An image of Main Street in Troy, Idaho.  The sign in the center right of the image reads: "T.H. Christie's Dry Goods, Groceries, Boots, Shoes" no date.  Image courtesy of the Latah County Historical Society, 15-02-21.

In 1906 Ulrich Rietmann constructed this building, opening with Christie's Pioneer Store on the first floor with rental rooms above.  By 1909 Christie's Pioneer Store had moved to a different space and the lower floor mercantile space was vacant.  In 1927Alfred Ekhom bought the building for use as a department store and tailor shop.  In only two short years the building's use changed again to be split in two, in the northern section there was a moving picture theater while in the southern section there was a bakery.  In the 1940s the upstairs rooms were transformed into apartments while the first floor housed retail stores.




References:

History of North Idaho: An Illustrated History Embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai, and Shoshone Counties State of Idaho (Western Historical Publication Company, 1903) 665.

Julin, Suzanne, National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: Troy Downtown Historic District, August, 30, 2009.

Johnson, Stella E. History of Troy. (Troy, ID: Stella E. Johnson, 1992) 9, 163-165.