All aboard: Trolley takes folks on a tour of Lewiston history

The doors to the Heritage House in Lewiston open and a blur of purple-and-red-clad women make their way inside, eager to step back in time. Their conductor for this trip is Garry Bush, who owns and operates Idaho History Tours. A tall, charismatic storyteller clad in a black trolley conductor's uniform and hat, Bush ushers two groups of the Red Hat Society into one of the oldest homes in the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley.

Heritage House, 0310 Third St., next to the Nez Perce County Museum in Lewiston, is the starting point for this tour. As Bush moves through the home pointing out interesting relics and antiques, his vast knowledge of the area and years of research quickly become evident. Stopping at a Steinway piano, Bush asks if anyone knows how it made its journey from New York City to here. The women eagerly guess, the competition adding to the joviality of the June afternoon.

"It started out in New York City, went to sea along the Atlantic Ocean, around the tip of South America, entered the Pacific Ocean, and continued on its way to Portland, Ore," Bush says. "From there, two steam ships brought the piano to Wawawai, where the Columbia and Snake rivers meet. At this point, the piano was put onto a cart and made its final leg into the L-C Valley. It arrived in 1876."

Lively hand gestures and the excitement in Bush's voice holds his audience enthralled. There are dozens of questions, which Bush confidently answers.

He shares with the group his desire to dig for treasure in the home's backyard. One woman enthusiastically raises her hand and announces she will help. With a sly smile, Bush asks if she knows what kind of treasure they'll be hunting. She hesitates. Bush explains that he wants to find the outhouse.

"They used to throw all their trash down in the outhouses back then. There is a wealth of items down there." He smiles, enjoying the reactions to this news.

The women explore the home until, Bush, conductor-like, glances at his gold watch, and shouts, "Ladies, let's get on the trolley and begin our tour." The women file on; he passes out water bottles and makes sure everyone is comfortable. Then he climbs behind the wheel of his green 1998 trolley bus, reminiscent of the trolley cars that traversed Lewiston's Main Street in 1915, and they're off.

* * * * *

Winding through the streets of the original center of town - stretching along Beachey, Capital, and D Streets from First through Fourth streets - Bush begins weaving a narrative of the city from the time of its inception to the Lewiston of today.

"Did you know that most second and third floors of these old buildings in downtown Lewiston, during the early gold rush days, were inhabited by ladies living in female boarding houses you know, ladies of the night, soiled doves " Bush pauses. Laughter erupts. The two Red Hat clubs are aboard the trolley tour: The Scarlet O'Hatters and the Ladies of the Night.

"It was perfectly legal back in that time. In fact, these houses had to be called boarding houses in order to keep everything legal. It was interesting that each of the women in the female boarding houses was charged $7 tax each year to be paid for their business endeavors. Whenever they did not pay the tax, they were arrested, and then released. They went back to work after they paid the tax."

In 1847, Bush said, the Lewiston City Council banned prostitution within city limits, which sent the women who lived on the second and third floors looking for new digs.

"At that time, the Orchards had not been incorporated yet, so the women took their trade in that direction," said Bush. One of the women noted that many moved into the Clarkston area as well.

* * * * *

The trolley passes slowly by the site of Lewiston's former railroad station. Storage buildings now sit adjacent to the spot where people looking for gold first encountered Lewiston, arriving in droves by rail or steamboat.

The tour turns along D Street, and parks across from the Lewiston City Library which, Bush explains, used to be Erb's Hardware. Holding with the custom of the day, the building housed a female boarding house as well as a secret room.

"After Erb passed away, his nieces took control of the building and decided to put in an interior decorating business there. They went into the upstairs and began cleaning everything out. After moving a lot of boxes and doing a lot of cleaning, they eventually found a locked door. When they finally found the key and unlocked the room, they found a bedroom, with slippers sitting under the foot of the bed. There was a 1959 TV with rabbit ears and men's clothing hanging in the closet."

After a pause, Bush continued: "Erb had a night watchman, and this was his room. One night Erb came to his store and tried to get in, and the night watchman and he got into it. Erb became so angry that he went upstairs and locked the night watchman's room and the night watchman was never seen again."

"What happened to him?" asked a woman near the front of the trolley.

"He was probably escorted down to the train and given a ticket and asked to leave," Bush stated. "Whatever happened though, he was never seen again."

* * * * *

A few blocks away, Bush halts on Main Street where the now-vacant Liberty Theater building had its start as the Beehive Furniture Store.

"Look up at the top of the building, and you will see a raised structure resembling a beehive. That was originally built for the furniture store," Bush said.

Lewiston was a hub for vaudeville acts and performances in the 1920s and 1930s, with big names coming to the Liberty or Mason's Theater, formerly located along Main Street. Bush pulls out playbills advertising Al Jolson, Bing Crosby, Arthur Godfrey, Fatty Arbuncle and Judy Garland (who visited in 1934 as a member of the Gum Sisters). Chatter breaks out on the bus, and the questions begin.

"What brought all the stars here to Lewiston," asks one woman.

"You have to understand that this was the end of the line for steamboats bringing people all the way to the gold fields. Back in the day, the steamboats first went to Cascade Falls, and then went to Celilo Falls, and finally to Lewiston," Bush said. During the gold rush days, it was common to see numerous steamboats in port at one time. "There are pictures that show as many as 11 steamboats in the Lewiston port during that time period."

* * * * *

As the trolley moves methodically through the streets of downtown Lewiston, Bush continues the thread of interesting stories, including one featuring another furniture store. The original Vassar Rawls building, 141 Ninth Street, was first located along Sixth Street, Bush said. "They cut the house in two and then laid logs in the road and pushed the house along its route to this new location." Vassar and Rawls originally sold furniture, with a sideline of caskets. That is how they got into the mortuary business.

"A funny story," said Bush: "The local police called Vassar one night and asked him if he knew where his hearse was. Vassar stated that it was parked in his driveway. 'Are you sure about that,' asked the officer. Vassar checked and acknowledged that the officer was correct; it was missing. 'I know,' said the officer. 'Your son is drag racing it down Main Street right now.' " The women erupt in laughter; the trolley moves on.

* * * * *

The scenery shifts from the flat to Sixth Avenue near Lewis Clark State College. The Red Hat Ladies ooh and ahh as Bush points out the original homes of the valley's elite to the right and the left.

Who was the only president to ever visit Lewiston, Bush quizzes. Guesses are shouted out. Bush nods at a woman who answers "Taft," and he begins another story.

"Taft was a heavy man. It was estimated that at the time he was here, he weighed approximately 350 pounds, maybe more. The city had planned a meet-and-greet event at Pioneer Park, and they tried to take Taft up the Fifth Street Grade to the event, but the car wasn't powerful enough, and they had to find another way. They eventually ended up taking him up the Prospect Grade instead."

* * * * *

After a brief pit stop at Prospect Park, the tour is rolling once more.

Rie Walker, the group's oldest member at 92, wants to know the location of the Disney wedding. Bush obliges, steering the trolley to the former home of Sydney Bounds, located at 918 3rd Street, in Lewiston. Turning off the engine, Bush turns and tells of the Spalding girl who grew up here and eventually stole Walt Disney's heart - the young Lillian Bounds.

"I knew her name started with an 'L,' " Walker said. "I just couldn't remember."

The couple married here at the home of her brother, Sydney. Bush displayed marriage photos showing family members grouped in front of the small home.

The Disney Foundation paid for a state-of-the-art track for Lapwai students, Bush said. The house has since changed hands.

* * * * *

Bush jokes as the tour draws to a close.

"I better get you back. You've been sitting there long enough. At this point, I'm going to have to give you a shot of whiskey to get you off the trolley."

"If we sit here long enough will you give us a shot?" a woman shouts out. Laughter echoes through the trolley.

Bush pulls into the parking lot next to the Heritage House. The tours ends in a round of mutual appreciation from the tour guide and his audience. Thanks and goodbyes are exchanged as women exit one by one. A glance into the trolley shows several women still seated, taking their time as they gather their belongings and perhaps waiting for their shot of whiskey.

A former Lewiston High School History and Photography teacher, Bush started Idaho Discovery Tours following the death of his friend, Tom Campbell, Jr., who had conducted tours in the area.

"As a tribute to him, I started doing these tours," Bush said. His second career has blossomed. He now employees 10 people to conduct Valley tours for local groups and Empress Cruise Lines passengers when the ships pull into the Lewiston port. In addition to the trolley tours, Idaho History Tours offers walking ghost tours, which explores the historic downtown area by foot and delves into the paranormal past of the area.

"I have always loved history and teaching history. It is what I was meant to do. Everyone should have a job where what they are doing doesn't feel like a job, but like they are getting paid to do what they love," Bush said.

* * * * *

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Romine is a freelance writer and an adjunct instructor in the Humanities Division at Lewis-Clark State College who is working on her master's degree in investigative journalism. She drew on information provided by Bush and the Nez Perce County Historical Society and Museum for this article.

Idaho History Tours: Two regular tours are offered: the walking ghost tour and the historical trolley tour. Specialized trolley tours are available upon request. More information is available at http://idahohistorytours.com or by contacting Bush at (208) 790-1257 or garrylbush@gmail.com.