Follow the bouncing drug stores

Hannah Gross 
NLJ Correspondent  
With Leonard Cash
 
Leonard Cash has been taking us through a walk down memory lane on lot 9 of block 10 of historic downtown Newcastle, which was once home to the Fawkes Drug Store, Elk Drug Store, Sprecher Pharmacy and Newcastle Drug Store. Last week, Cash pulled out his records on the 1927 fire that ripped through Newcastle Drug, and this week he picks up the history in 1928.  
The News Journal reported on Aug. 2, 1928, that Dan Evander of Gillette became the new pharmacist at Newcastle Drug “during the absence of Herb Fowler who is
taking a much needed few weeks vacation.”  
Before Newcastle Drug bought out Johnny’s Pharmacy, the establishment was located next to Cashbox Ceramics, but according to an article from Aug. 23, 1928, a new business was already moving in. John’s Place was bringing a line of soft drink “notions,” soda fountain service and light lunches to the town.  
The Aug. 30, 1928, paper announced that D.W. Fawkes, former owner of Fawkes Drug Co., and his wife, of Los Angeles, were in the area visiting their son at
Sundance Pharmacy.  
On Feb. 28, 1929, the News Journal reported that Newcastle Drug was repainted. Ora Stitch and his partner Wade Wilson were responsible for the interior decorating, and a building was “no better found this side of the Missouri River.”  
The drug store was sold to Dan Evander and C.C. Kirkpatrick, according to the April 13 and 27, 1933, issues. Evander and Kirkpatrick purchased H.B. Fowlers’ interest, and Kilpatrick, who was associated in the jewelry business with Fowler, “will increase his holding in the company,” while Evander assumed the rest.  
An article from Aug. 10, 1933, reported that yet another fire blazed through the store, before it was quenched by the local service station 20 minutes after its initial discovery.  
“Fire threatened the heart of Newcastle’s business district early Monday morning when a blaze starting in a shed in the rear of the Newcastle Drug Co. ate its way along a fence from the shed to a rear wooden stairway, up the stairway to a second story frame porch and into the walls of the tin covered frame extension to the building occupied by Paul Keef’s confectionery store,” the
article says.  
Deposited hot ashes was the source of the fire, and damage was done to the frame extension, which would have to be rebuilt or completely replaced.  
According to an article from Dec. 6, 1934, Fawkes passed away in Pasadena, California, on Nov. 24, at the age of 79.  
More bad news came six months later in the June 19, 1935, edition of the News Journal. A “gay charivari party” thrown by the local firefighters for the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Sundstrom turned south abruptly when C.C. Kirkpatrick’s son James was riding the fire truck and slipped “in some underdetermined manner,” falling face first under the back wheel. James was in a semi-conscious condition with jaw
fractures, cuts and possible internal injuries.  
He was admitted into the Hot Springs hospital, according to the June 27, 1935, issue, but fortunately, he was improving and expected to return
home soon.  
The “fireman’s compensation fund” (administered by the state treasurer’s office of Wyoming) was helping relieve the financial burden accumulated by the Kirkpatrick family through hospital bills, reported the July 23, 1935, issue, and James was the first man to benefit from the provisions of this new program.  
“Kirkpatrick was notified that bills for doctors and hospital will be defrayed and that he qualifies for such future compensation as is provided by regulations,” the article says.  
Joyce Ward, former bookkeeper at Gray Refinery, opened a public accounting office above the drug
store, announced the Jan. 16, 1941, paper. 
Evidently, James recovered from his fatal accident and got along with his life just fine because, according to the Jan. 30, 2941, paper, he was marrying Rosemary Jane, daughter of Inez Russell of Kansas
City, Missouri.  
According to the title of an article from July 20, 1941, Newcastle Drug Co. had an “interesting window,” displaying Japanese souvenirs sent by Sgt. Mike Koski (who was in New Guinea at the time), including a Japanese flag, money, sword, shells and an American canteen with a rifle or shrapnel puncture. The canteen was “probably obtained in the Hollander invasion.” (The “Hollander invasion” probably refers to the invasion of the Netherlands by German forces on
May 10, 1940.) 
The store was being remodeled, according to the Jan. 24, 1946, paper. One of the changes, among others, included moving the soda fountain to the back of the store.  
An article from Sept. 19, 1946, announced that Evander sold his interest in the store to J. and C. Kirkpatrick. However, Evander was to remain an employee of the company. 
After 25 years, Newcastle Drug Store once again moved to a new location, around April 5, 1951, this time to the former Castle Theater building, which is the second building from the corner on block 10, Cash said. After the store closed for good, “odds and ends shops” occupied the building, and currently, it’s an empty lot.  
Because Newcastle Drug Co. moved to the old theater, Wyoming Automotive Co. (headquartered in Casper and having 10 other stores, in addition to the Newcastle branch) moved into the vacated building on lot 9, according to the July 26, 1951, issue. E.R. Shields was manager of the firm and Bryan Clark was his assistant at the time.  
Four years later, the March 8, 1955, paper reported that Wyoming Automotive relocated to South Railroad Avenue in a building owned by V.C. Thompson, and Don’s Electric moved in. An article from nearly two years earlier said that D.E. Roby and his wife sold Don’s Electric to Chester Knapp and Cyrus Dopp, former associates in an electrical business in Cody. However, despite the change of ownership, the new owners decided to operate the business under the same format and name. 
A news report from May 2, 1957, announced that Wyoming Automotive, which was founded by W.F. Wilkerson, bought a controlling interest in Auto Equipment in Denver. The combining of the two companies was hoped to produce many benefits to customers in both states. 
According to an article from Aug. 10, 1961, James Kirkpatrick’s daughter Susan was presented with an amazing educational opportunity. After completing her sophomore year of college at the University of Wyoming “in the college of arts and science,” Susan, along with 100 other American students, entered the “Junior Year in Spain” program through New York University to study abroad at Madrid University for the 1961-62 school year, in Spanish literature, history, philosophy, fine arts and more. Susan also hoped to tour Europe. 
Next week, Cash will begin wrapping up his series on lot 9 with his latest records on the drug store and a few earlier ones that were missing.