By MATT JOHNSON
Record editor
Anyone who opens up a wall in an old building should expect a modicum of weirdness. With that in mind, is it so strange that Debbie Torget has the mummified remains of a small bat in a Plexiglass cube on her desk?
Torget, the administrator in the Goosefoot Community Fund office at Bayview Corner, received the bat as a desk ornament about two weeks ago after it fell out of a wall that was pulled apart at the Bayview Cash Store. One of about 100 old objects found during the recently-begun remodel of the turn-of-the-century building, the bat — now named “Arnie” — is part of a lost past that was found during the past few weeks.
“We like to think of him as one of our ancestors at Bayview,” Torget said.
The remodelling project, which has removed three walls and the roof from much of the Bayview Road building, is starting to turn the the former cash store and gas station into a two-story retail and office space. It’s a strange sight, giving those driving by the impression that some sort of disaster has befallen one of the best-known structures on South Whidbey.
In truth, it’s just the opposite. Working slowly to save as much of the old building’s lumber as possible for future re-use, the Goosefoot construction crew has not only been making progress the job at hand, but in preserving lost bits history.
For example, had no on run across an old certificate from the Washington Department of Agriculture entombed in a wall, how would anyone today have known that William Burk’s herd of cows were certified tuberculosis-free in 1919? Or that in April 1929 the same William Burk owed Standard Oil Company $326.99 on his account for fuel purchased that spring?
Other bits of the past were discovered in other walls, in corners and shoved up in a loft space created between the roofs of the cash store and the house structure that is home to the Smilin’ Dog Cafe. There were old newspapers, an account book from the 1930s, Wrigley’s gum rebate certificates and even an unopened, plastic-wrapped package of Lucky Strikes cigarettes from the 1970s.
None of it is treasure in terms of dollars — even the Wrigley’s certificates are nearly worthless on eBay. But, in terms of the building’s history, the objects are priceless.
It’s hard to believe some of it got lost at all. In 1923, William Gildow, who had been hurt on the job and lost 26 days of work, somehow left his settlement document with the Washington Department of Labor and Industries behind. He received $190 in compensation, but the document didn’t say what sort of work he did.
And then there was a $10 check written out by William Burk on Feb. 10, 1923. It was never cashed.
Torget said Goosefoot does not have any definite plans for the artifacts, but the organization will hold onto them.
Goosefoot expects to begin moving retailers and offices into a completed Bayview Hall in January. The building, which was remodeled up to 10 times over the years, according to Goosefoot project manager Keith Fallows, was built in stages. Some of the newest portions to be pulled down in the demolition may have been built as recently as the 1970s.
