Parchen Drugs For Paint
PARCHEN DRUGS FOR PAINT
Henry Parchen was a druggist and entrepreneur who moved to Helena in 1865 after spending a year in Virgina City working as a bookkeeper. He was a focused businessman who responded strategically in an opportunistic time in Montana’s history. Through various business relationships he positioned himself to own his own store which he named “Parchen and Company.”
Mr. Parchen billed his business as the “Oldest and Leading Drug and Paint House In The State.” His Helena store as well as a branch store in Deer Lodge was not without challenges, all suffering fires. The fires in Helena, one in 1869 and the other in 1874, required extensive repair but did not deter his drive to rebuild and move his business forward eventually creating great wealth. Later Parchen Drug and Paint became one of the independent drug stores under the United Drug Store consortium and after World War I became part of the Rexall chain of drug stores.
Mr. Parchen’s extensive influence led him to multiple positions in the legislature. His obituary in the October 7, 1925 publication of the Helena Independent newspaper was front page news, directly below “ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT BROAD PLEA FOR PEACE AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.”
GENERAL ARTHUR CIGARS – KERBS, WERTHEIM AND SCHIFFER
If you see a ghost sign identifying an old drug store you may just see a faded cigar sign on the side tempting gentlemen to pop in and spend 5 cents for their favorite smoke.
Kerbs, Wertheim & Schiffer, cigar manufacturers, produced General Arthur Cigars, which was one of the country’s more widely advertised cigars in the late 1890’s and early 1900’s. A faint emblem can be seen in the middle left side of this wall advertisement. It is the label of General Arthur with Kerbs, Wertheim and Schiffer imprinted on the lower border. A Google search will reveal several good examples of the General Arthur label on signs and boxes- mostly e-bay and auction references – and will round out the visual of the ghost sign.
Kerbs, Wertheim and Schiffer became part of United Cigar Manufacturers who ultimately became part of General Cigar Corporation. This sign was most likely painted between 1900 and 1909 but definitely prior to 1917 when the brand was discontinued. Luckily an excellent apparition of the sign exists in its original form.
In: Uncategorized · Tagged with: apparition, General Arthur Cigar, Henry Parchen, Kerbs Wertheim and Schiffer's, Parchen Drug and Paint, Rexall
on December 28, 2010 at 6:52 pm
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You remind me why I love photographing ghost signs! They all tell a story of the people, passion and work they have chosen in their lives. Thank you.
on December 28, 2010 at 2:27 pm
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Fun read! My late father-in-law was C. Doug Lindeberg, who purchased Parchen Drug & renamed it Lindy’s Parchen Drug. As you may know, that particular building burned (1980′s?) and has since been replaced by Constitution Park. We don’t live in Montana, so I never saw the Lindy’s Parchen Drug building. But I’ve visited there, many times, with my husband & have spent much time reading, in Constitution Park.
Also have eaten at Broadway a few times, too!