Craig Daily Press

Centennial

Information about Craig's Centennial

Courtesy photo

W. P. (Bill) Irwin in front of his Craig Drug Store.

Craig — As the town of Craig grew, residents enjoyed more of the finer things in life. Things that are taken for granted in the 21st century were major improvements in the early years of the past century.

One of those improvements was the addition of a pharmacy to supply residents with medications that had not formerly been available. By 1920, the partnership of Whiteman and Whittaker were in business, and the men decided to bring in another pharmacist. The man they chose would become one of Craig’s greatest supporters in the decades to come.

William Pitt (Bill) Irwin was born Sept. 3, 1885, in Storn Lake, Iowa, to Charles Allison Irwin and his wife, Margaret. As a boy, W.P. loved two things — dime novels featuring western characters and drugstores. The first love met with strong disfavor from his lawyer father who only believed in reading the classics. The second would become his life’s work.

By the time he was 12, Irwin got a job at the neighborhood drug store. He ran errands and did odd jobs around the store, all the while soaking up the atmosphere and knowledge he would need later in life.

In his late teens, Irwin left Iowa for the more arid West in the hope of curing a chronic bronchial ailment. His move allowed him to see the real West, which would become his home. He worked in drugstores in El Paso, Texas, and Alamagordo, N.M., before landing in Salida.

While he was working in Salida, he met a milliner named Louise Sebree and the couple was united in marriage July 5, 1909. The year after they were married, their only child, Willa Bernice, was born in Salida.

About six months after the birth of their daughter, the Irwins moved to Denver where Irwin became a partner in a drugstore on the corner of 12th and Madison streets. The couple stayed in Denver until fall 1914 when they migrated to a homestead in Moffat County.

“The first winter was spent on the Bennett place in Sand Springs, in a sturdy stone house. When spring came, a two-room frame cabin was built on the Irwin claim,” according to the Biographical Sketch of Bill and Louise Irwin, written by Willa Irwin for the Museum of Northwest Colorado in 1982.

Despite their hard work, the Irwins soon saw that their homestead would not be able to support their family, so Bill looked for another income while they continued to work on improving the homestead. They spent most winters in Steamboat Springs and Denver where he could work in drugstores. They returned to the homestead during the warmer months, building fence and outbuildings and working the arid land. Bill rode a borrowed horse to and from Craig where he worked at the drugstore while Louise and Willa stayed at the homestead.

In 1918, the Irwins bought the Martin Earley home, 611 Breeze St., and moved to town permanently. They called the house home until they retired and left Craig decades later.

By 1924, Bill Irwin had purchased the drugstore business from his former bosses. Within a few years, he moved the drugstore to 520 Yampa Ave. where it remained until his retirement.

The Irwins threw themselves into the Craig community right from the beginning. Bill served several terms on the Craig Town Council and was a member of Company A, 157th Infantry, of the Colorado National Guard. He was also a Mason.

Louise was active as a Sunday School teacher for many years. She was also a member of Anita Chapter No. 41, Order of Eastern Star, in which she served as treasurer for about 20 years. She was also a member of one of the first Craig library boards and found time to sew for the Red Cross.

One of Bill Irwin’s passions was the development of an effective drainage system for the town he had chosen as home. “It was largely due to his efforts that so much curb and gutter was installed in Craig … with federal aid and (Works Projects Administration) work,” the Empire Courier reported Feb. 15, 1939.

He eventually became the chairman of the Street and Alley Committee, which oversaw the street improvements throughout town.

The Irwins sold the Craig Drug Store in 1946 and moved to Denver. Bill died Nov. 25, 1954, and Louise died June 9, 1978.

The couple worked quietly behind the scenes to help Craig grow and prosper. Their homesteading spirit and work ethic made long-lasting impacts on our modern community.

Shannan Koucherik may be reached at honeyrockdogs@msn.com