Newcombe Building Makes Way For Fabri Furniture Store
A young Bett Newcombe in front of his "shop" Note stone building to the right. It still stands in today's buildings in the block. (Photo submitted by Charles Newcombe)
Mae Newcombe, ready to pump gas while Bert goes to get the mail. (Photo submitted by Charles Newcombe)
The property where the Newcombe property was located witnessed many changes. The original deed to the property dates back to 1876. The deed, in the form of Abstract of Title, was in the beginning a land patent used for securing homestead rights on public domain. It was granted to Samuel Woods in 1876 and was ordered drawn up by Ulysses S. Grant, President of the United States. It was recorded with the Wells Fargo Agent on April 27, 1877, in Esmeralda County.
Later in the same year there was a mortgage on the property for the amount of $571.64 which was to be paid only in gold coin of the government of the United States. The interest rate was two percent per month and was to be paid in the same manner.
The various owners throughout the years in addition to the Woods were Moses Purcell, Samuel Fogg, Henrietta Apsey and Russell Dunn. It became the property of Mr. & Mrs. Bert Newcombe in 1918.
In 1876, at the time of the land patent, the property was used as ranch land. Several years later Samuel Fogg and Moses Purcell purchased the land and Fogg conducted a carpentry shop on the site. The building to house his shop was at this time moved onto the property.
From a carpentry business, the site next housed a mortuary. The building for this enterprise was situated in a stone cellar to the rear of the lot and the carpentry shop became in succeeding years a sweet shop, post office and finally a battery shop.
In 1918 Bert and Mae Newcombe purchased the property with Bert expanding his battery business to include tires, small auto parts and the sale of gasoline. Bert continued building it up and at the time of his death had been at the same location well over 40 years.
In 1920 Bert Newcombe successfully passed an examination for a licensed wireless operator. With his equipment he was able to contact the Bay area, which was quite an accomplishment for that time.
On the first National Radio hookup in 1923, the Newcombe’s entertained guests in the shop by permitting them to listen to the program on his receiving equipment.
Marconiphone Two-Valve Receiver Type V2, by Marconi’s Wireless Telegraph Co. Ltd, 1923. This is one of the first domestic wireless broadcast receivers. A loudspeaker could be used with the addition of a two-stage amplifier.
In the early 1950’s, the Newcombe property was sold to Peter and Carol Fabri. The Fabri’s whose first order of business was to remove the old buildings on the land. Later they would build their Fabri’s Furniture Company on the land.
