The history of Twenty-Fifth Street is a long and exciting history. The buildings that are left on this street have seen over a hundred years of life in three centuries ranging from the prairie pioneer days of the mid to late 1800's of Brownsville, to the railroad boom called the Junction City of the early 1900's to prohibition where underground life ruled the street hence being known as little Chicago in the 1920's, 30's & 40's to the decline of the street into ghetto, winos, bar brawls, red light hookers, buildings collapsing and the nickname “Two-bit Street” of the 50's and 60's.

And this brings us all the way to the current days of resurgence which started in the mid 70's with the master plan from Ogden City Redevelopment Agency through the 80's where funding became available for restoration of some ofthe buildings and the first seven buildings were renovated up to the 90's as businesses increased into the end of the century. And now here we are in the new century. The gradual yet climbing growth of a hardy street wants to hail big time into this third century of her life in a big way making way for the influx of visitors from the Winter Olympics and as her own residents who are now embracing her again after many decades of decline. SHE IS A SURVIVOR. Well, at least most of her. Big chunks are missing, sadly. The 60's took out an entire half block from Kiesel to Grant for the building of the Federal Building as did the cornerstone of 25th & Washington where the finest Victorian Hotel between Denver and San Francisco stood, the "Broom Hotel". They both went to modernization. Then many buildings dropped in later years like the "Healey Hotel", another fine hotel of marble, crystal and all the fineries on Wall & 25th Street to make way to a dirt lot for twenty years until the first new building on the historic street finally was built. And half of the South side of the 100 block where proud buildings like "Annabelle's Club" and "Porter and Waiters" which housed the black workers of the railroad days, all to a large dirt parking lot. Plans are underway to develop this blight, finally and bring this part of the street back to her almost original beauty thanks to Proterra Development where a proud new ten million dollar project will go underway this year. Only three buildings barely made it on this side of the street on the 100 block. Thank goodness for at least that. But barely. In 1985 I went through the two buildings furthest east and in the three story building with a Realtor and could see the sky through all three floors. The Realtor slipped through the floor and nearly fell to the basement as only one leg went through. He was very startled and that quickly was the end of our touring the building. They are both now renovated and standing proud again since their original building in 1889. As so many are also. But so many were lost. The focus must be on what we have here still and how we will save what is left. And finally that spark has been ignited again and again and it is now coming to light....again. One can feel the many decades of history on this street. And now new life and history is being made to add to the ongoing notorious history. This street lives strong with all her past still upon her. It is finally all coming together thanks to many caring people along the way. Memories of a thriving downtown lurk as buildings get restored and promise is for what could come to life. So much excitement and so much activity bustling everywhere and so many different ways by creative folks who are putting themselves and their ideas to work and the people who support their efforts by shopping and buying their goods. That's how community is built. That is how community thrives. And that is what Historic 25th Street and Downtown Ogden City is...a community.

-February 2002

-Ronsonio@aol.com

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