New Moscow
The newest town in Stevens County, Moscow, was started in the
fall of 1912. The town got its start in a small frame building
which was moved there by Coleman Downing and Charles Stull with
their teams and wagons. The building, which had in earlier times
been the Post Office at the of Old Moscow, was moved from the
ghost town and put nearby it. The farm buildings of Archie Cooper
are now located diagnolly across from the site of the old town.
The first postmaster, who was named Joseph Rouse, claimed
Moscoso was the correct name. When the petition for the post
office was sent to the postal department, the proposed name was
spelled "Mosco," but Joseph Rouse said, a "higher power" at
Washington D.C., added the letter "w" on, and that has been the
name ever since. That had been legally the spelling of the newly
established post office in the 1880's.
The building that Stull and Downing moved in was on the north
side of the railroad trackat first, but soon when the townsite was
platted, they moved the house to its new location, where Maurice
McCue's home now stands.
Coleman Downing was the first man to spend the night in this
new town of Moscow. Later on, Stull built a two-story frame
combination store, post office, living quarters, and some offices,
annexing the original building.
In the Spring of 1913, when the railroad was finished, the
town started to grow at a very fast rate. Many of the stores,
lumber yards, business places, and homes were established quickly.
Upstairs in the Chaffin Grocery was used for the community hall.
Dances, parties, and showers were held in this place. Kerosene
brackets and hanging lamps were used for the lighting. Some of
the songs current in this time were "The Garden of My Heart,"
"The Rosary," and "The Bird on Nellie's Hat." The schottische
and waltz were popular dances. The favorite tune of this time
was "Over the Waves."
For a short time, there was a newspaper known as the "Moscow
News." This was printed on a little handpress. The newspaper has
gone to join the other ghosts years ago.
There was a twenty-four room hotel on that was located on the
corner of Cook Street and Kelly Street. This was built by Charles
Dudley, but it is no longer standing.
Between the city hall and the post office, there were two
bank buildings. One of the buildings was just a frame structure,
and the other became the post office, but is now an apartment
building.
The bell that once hanged on the first Methodist Church now
hangs in the belfry of the present day Church. This is the third
one to be built in the town.
The first school building to be standing in Moscow was a three-
room frame where the grade school now stands. While it was being
built, the future students were taken to Zella (which is an old
ghost town) schoolhouse two and one-half miles south of Moscow.
Having buses around isn't anything new to the the days back
then. The only difference is the equipment on new buses that is
different from wagons and the teams that were used then. The
driver put on extra sideboards, and the pupils stood up. They
were ready and out of the wagon before it was able to stop in the
yards.
The first high school classes were taught by Mrs. Emily
Hoelcel. Some classes were held at the first grade schoolhouse,
and others at different buildings all over town until the
proposed new high school building was finished.
This New Moscow was named after the Old Moscow.
