The Town That Rebuilt Itself
After the mercantile company abandoned their original townsite, the people of White Bluffs took matters into their own hands to secure a new general store.
Within the next two or three weeks, the Produce Company, which has headquarters in this city and which operates branch stores in Prosser and others, expects to open a new branch in White Bluffs. The new store will be managed by F. J. Bonn, who has had years of experience in the mercantile business in The Dalles and who, until a recent change in ownership, was employed by the White Bluffs Mercantile company. General manager E. M. Sly said: 'The idea of putting in a branch originated not with the directors of our company, but with the people of White Bluffs, who after the mercantile company's store had passed from the town and had been moved to the new townsite, came to us and asked that we open a branch store.' Mr. Bonn experienced no difficulty in meeting the company's demand for a stock subscription of $2,500; in fact, the subscription totals $2,700. The stock holders number more than 40 heads of families.
“The idea of putting in a branch originated not with the directors of our company, but with the people of White Bluffs.”
This story highlights the fragility of company towns in the early 20th century, where a single business entity leaving could essentially 'kill' a settlement. Today, rural communities in Benton County still grapple with the loss of anchor services, though the 'subscription' model of community investment is now largely replaced by digital commerce and state-funded infrastructure.
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