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As It Was: Early Trading Post Occupies Key Jacksonville Street Corner

One of the oldest known business sites in Jacksonville is located at the corner of California and Oregon Streets, occupied today by the Scheffel’s Toys store. 
In 1852, after word of the discovery of gold spread, Kenny and Appler from Yreka started Jacksonville’s first business, a tent trading post offering tools, clothing and other mining essentials, including “blackstrap molasses” tobacco.  

By 1860, Abraham and Newman Fisher opened a general merchandise store at the location.  After fires in 1868 and 1874 destroyed the store, the Fisher brothers built a brick building still standing today.  The Marble Arch Saloon occupied the space from 1890 to 1934.

The present-day toy store is owned by Linda and Bill Graham.

Linda’s grandparents started Scheffel’s Antiques at the location.  When Linda was 10 years old, her parents took over the store.  Tiring of selling only antiques, they expanded the inventory after a visit to New York by selling high-end toys.  Linda and Bill took over the business when her parents retired in the 1990s.

Linda says when parents revisit the store with their kids, they often revert to their childhood, too.

 

Sources: “Historic Jacksonville, Inc., 29 Sept. 2015, www.historicjacksonville.org/; Block Erdmann, Paula, and Terry Erdmann. "Scheffel's Toys and More." Jacksonville Review Online, 29 Nov. 2017, jacksonvillereview.com/scheffels-toys-more/.

Luana (Loffer) Corbin graduated from Southern Oregon College, majoring in Elementary Education.  The summer after graduation she was hired to teach at Ruch Elementary, where she taught for 32 years. After retiring, Corbin worked for Lifetouch School Photography and then returned to Ruch as an aide helping with reading instruction and at the library.  More recently, she has volunteered at South Medford High.