Burden's Store & Post Office
Burden's store and post office - 2015
This is a great building with which to end the tour. It was built in early 1926 on the newly-graded state highway alignment, but before the road was paved, which makes it the oldest building on this stretch of the highway.
There was a previous store owned by Postmaster Walter Trickey. In 1924 Trickey's store was mentioned in an advertisement for places around the Victor Valley area that sold Red Crown gasoline, Standard of California's brand.
The ad shows there were several commercial facilities in Oro Grande, but north of that were only Trent Penland's place in Bryman and Trickey's store in Helendale. Not much is known of the Penland operation; he probably sold gasoline from his ranch. Since no other businesses along this strip of road are listed in the newspaper of the time, it is possible that there were no commercial establishments, except for Penland's, between Oro Grande and Helendale until Pinky's Service Station (later La Delta) was built.
Newberry businessman J. W. Burden bought Trickey's store in January of 1926, and his son Charles operated it. Two weeks later it was announced that the store and everything in it had burned. The Burdens rebuilt immediately, using red bricks, so that it still stands to this day.
Charles C. Burden became the Postmaster following Trickey and, sadly, he lost his young wife to a heart ailment in 1929. His father died the following year. The store was very successful economically, and for many decades this was the center of Helendale.
END
Oro Grande Underpass
Danny's Place
The Iron Hog
La Delta
End of the Trail
Elva's Malt Shop
Potapov's Service Station
Sage Brush Inn
White Orange Cafe & Motel
Watson's Richfield
Polly Gas
Helendale Store
Burden's Store & Post Office
