The green cottage that was once home to Evergreen Crafters came down last week.  It was like saying goodbye to a beloved grandmother who'd just turned 117 and been on life support for 15 years.  The building had housed a number of enterprises over the years, but since the mid-1900s had been known as the home for Evergreen Crafters.  Everyone had favorite memories of the place, many recalling the cedar smell that permeated the air and created the perfect atmosphere for buying everything from moccasins to lamps and knives.

Evergreen Crafters had to vacate the building in 2008 when an infestation of raccoons reportedly made the building structurally unsafe.  The store, still filled with the treasures that made it a favorite, relocated across the street at the end of the big parking lot.

The building had been vacant for nearly nine years, changing from being the focal point of Main Street to being an enormous eyesore.  It was a slow and painful death for downtown merchants to witness, sporting the abandoned, disheveled look for eight years; parts of it were demolished in 2016, leaving just the portion that dated back to 1900.  A nod of appreciation goes to Jeff Bradley for finally pulling the plug.

According to an article in the Canyon Courier, the Ross-Lewis Trust plans to turn the corner into a park of some sort.  Current building codes preclude the ability to rebuild anything practical in that spot.

Photo courtesy of Beth Riser.