1956 fire burns Garden Home Grocery (aka the White Store)
Courtesy Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue from book by Ray Pitz, published by Arcadia. 2012
PHOTO NO. 182
A Beaverton Rural Fire Protection District crew mops up a fire at a grocery store in Garden Home in April 1956 as a sheriff’s deputy, back to camera, surveys the damage. The store was located on the corner of Oleson and Garden Home roads now occupied by a Dairy Queen. (Photograph by Ernie Metcalfe)
GardenHomeHistory.com 
I my family lived on 76th street. My mom and dad shopped there. He said it was a very sad day. We lost a wonderful lady who was confined to a wheel chair and lived at the store, with her parrot, in the fire. My dad was told the pot belly stove caused the fire. The man standing by the white firetrucks open door in the white shirt, I believe to my my father, Tom Ross. The man across the street from the policeman, on the right, I believe to be Mr. Babbitt. He was known to be a plumber.
I remember this well. I was riding with my grandfather, Gaylor Wilson, headed home to 71st Ave. As we drove passed the store we could see the fire. My grandfather immediately parked the car, somewhere on the other side of the fire truck in the photo, and he jumped out to help fight the fire. He had been a fire fighter earlier in his life, so he knew what he was doing. I can still remember the smell on his clothes and the black soot on his hands and face and shirt. An exciting day for a five-year-old. What I remember most about the store was the chocolate soda they sold. Loved it.
Jim I just moved onto the Frank Estate and walked up last weekend to our grade school and was interviewed by a marvelous woman about days gone by. Without a doubt the best 5 years of my life was in Garden Home. After last years night mare I decided that yes indeed you can always return home again.
“There is nothing more sacred, honest, and loving then the heart of childhood!” I look forward to my Finale Curtain call and putting pen to paper one last time. Big Irish Hugs from the sidelines…Kit
My name is Donna Oliver, maiden name Donna Arndt. My family moved to Garden home in September of 1953 as I was starting second grade. We lived in Garden Home Rd. at 71st across from where the old Methodist Church was. My brothers and I would stop at that store on the way home from school to but penny candy and pick up the mail from the Post office which was located at the back of the store. I lived in Garden Home from fall of 1953 til I got married in May of 1969. Now I live in Gig Harbor, Washington.