Johnson's Drug

Mr. William M. Duthie built this building in 1916 which was originally occupied by the C. V. Johnson drugstore until 1942.  C.V. Johnson's drug store operated as more than simply a drug store, C.V. Johnson's daughter, Bernice Johnson Oliver, remembers the store as a social center and variety store.  Bernice recalled this about her father's store:

"He [C.V. Johnson] had a telephone put in the front of the store for the customers' convenience.  The daily paper was put out, much the same as the mail, and people could simply come in and find the paper under their name and pay with their monthly bill.  He handled a full line of chocolates, box chocolates, candy bars and penny candy, as well as making fresh popcorn everyday.  The drug store also had good gift merchandise: perfumes, leather goods, cut glass, etc. ... All kinds of pens, Kodaks , and stationary were for sale, and he could and did fill prescriptions. ...  There were a few nights in my childhood when the phone didn't ring or someone would come to the door with a prescription.  Dad was always more than willing to go to the store for whoever needed help."

After the C.V. Johnson moved out of this space in 1942 the main floor of the building was vacant for a decade until Willard Dyer established Moon's Grocery in 1952. The second story of the building served as a dental office for Dr. Elmer Sylvester Peterson from 1933 to 1955.  "Doc" as he was known was very involved in the community serving on the school board and city councils for several terms.  Dr. Peterson was also the beloved girls basketball coach at the Troy High School, he coached there from 1926 until at least 1952.  Legend has it that Dr. Peterson coached so long that he coached the daughters of some of his former players.


References:

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) 25-27, 216.