Parchen
Drug
Henry M. Parchen, about 1890
| Prussian
native Henry M. Parchen (1839-1925) was the first wholesale
druggist in Montana, and a noted civic leader in early Helena.
|
City
Directory Ad, 1891
H. M.
Parchen & Co.
Southeast Corner of South Main and Broadway
|
Pictured
above is the H. M. Parchen Co. on South Main, about 1893. Parchen
opened the doors of the first drug store in the state in a building
at the corner of Wood and Main streets in 1865. Prior to that,
he had conducted a general merchandise business at Virginia
City and at Deer Lodge.
Business in Helena grew rapidly. Parchen moved his store to
a building at the foot of Broadway, but it was soon found to
be inadequate, and a second move was made to the location across
the street at 1 South Main...
|
Interior,
H. M. Parchen & Co., circa 1892
COLLECTION
OF KENNON BAIRD • CLICK ON IMAGE TO OPEN
A BIG VERSION IN A NEW WINDOW
| The bearded
man is likely Henry M. Parchen. The man on the left has been identified
as John Schonborn (1861- ca1947). Schonborn managed Parchen's
wholesale department from 1891 to 1894, at which time he and Edward
Mitchell bought out the Paynter Drug Co., and went into competition
with Parchen... |
| John Schonborn
left Helena around 1901, and was listed in the 1902 Redlands,
California City Directory, along with his wife Emma (1869-1949).
In 1907, Schonborn passed the State of New Mexico Pharmacy Board
examination and opened a drug store in Las Cruces. He was living
in Los Angeles by 1915, and died there around 1947. |
Parchen
Drug Co., southeast corner of Main and Broadway, circa 1912
COLLECTION
OF KENNON BAIRD
COLLECTION
OF KENNON BAIRD
|
In 1921,
Parchen sold the retail drug business, along with the use of
the trusted Parchen name, to George W. Padbury. It appears from
newspaper archives that Parchen's Drug Store moved from the
Broadway location and opened in the Horsky Block, at the corner
of Sixth and Main, in 1924.
In October
of 1954, Fred Padbury (1894-1961) sold Parchen's to C. Douglas
Lindeberg (1916-1988) , who renamed the concern "Lindy's
Parchen Drug".
The following
1950s photos of Lindy's Parchen Drug are courtesy of Bob and
Susie Lindeberg...
|
Lindy's
Parchen Drug in the Horsky Block, mid-1950s
COLLECTION
OF BOB & SUSIE LINDEBERG
Magazine
Racks in Lindy's
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OF BOB & SUSIE LINDEBERG
Lindy's
Parchen Drug, With the Old Tin Ceiling
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OF BOB & SUSIE LINDEBERG
Hair
Care Department
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OF BOB & SUSIE LINDEBERG
Note the marble bases on the showcases.
Pharmacist
and Owner C. Douglas Lindeberg
COLLECTION
OF BOB & SUSIE LINDEBERG
COURTESY
OF INEZ SLAYMAN
Honeycomb Tissue-Paper Bells at the Holidays
COLLECTION
OF BOB & SUSIE LINDEBERG
1959
Remodeling
|
On April
2, 1959, this ad appeared in the Independent Record announcing
Parchen's remodeling sale. A new floor and fixtures greeted
the eager customers. There were merchandise giveaways, and a
contest to win a 32-piece set of stainless steel dinnerware
by guessing how many aspirin tablets were contained in "The
world's largest bottle of aspirin", which was on display.
There were also demonstrations of a Keystone home movie camera...
|
Helenans
at the Grand Opening Festivities
COLLECTION
OF BOB & SUSIE LINDEBERG
COLLECTION
OF BOB & SUSIE LINDEBERG
Remodeling
Sale customers browse the shelves. Note the many flower arrangements.
New
Floor and Fixtures
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OF BOB & SUSIE LINDEBERG
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OF BOB & SUSIE LINDEBERG
Product
Demonstrators
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OF BOB & SUSIE LINDEBERG
The big bottle
of aspirin is on the right.
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A Prize Drawing
The Young Man Wearing Glasses Has Been
Identified as Richard Bisson (1936-2005)
The Boy Drawing the Name from the Box is Randy Coty
COLLECTION
OF BOB & SUSIE LINDEBERG
Marjorie
Shafer Lindeberg Behind the Counter
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OF BOB & SUSIE LINDEBERG
A color view of
the giant bottle of aspirin.
Douglas
Lindeberg
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OF BOB & SUSIE LINDEBERG
Douglas
and Marjorie Lindeberg
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OF BOB & SUSIE LINDEBERG
Original Parchen Drug Building Demolished, June 1972
A Victim of Urban Renewal
COURTESY OF JUDY BAKKE
Horsky
Block Destroyed by Fire, June 18 1980
COURTESY
OF WENDI KOTTAS PETERSON
The Site
of the Horsky Block and Lindy's Parchen Drug, 2007
Now Constitution
Park
COLLECTION
OF BOB & SUSIE LINDEBERG
