Ash Building

The site originally housed the Idaho Mercantile store, which was sold to the Southern Idaho Mercantile Company in October 1906. Following a destructive fire on September 5, 1910, A. D. Ash erected the present two-story commercial building in 1912.

The upper floors functioned as the Ash Rooms, a doctor's office, and later the Hotel Rupert. Connected second-floor spaces along the north side of the square served as hotels, apartments, and rooms, and banquets were also served there. A dumb waiter was constructed in the rear addition to provide rapid transport of food to the second floor; its concrete shaft is still visible above the rear addition roofline.

The ground level housed diverse businesses including drug stores, an ice-cream shop, three cafes, Ray's Sport Shop, several beer parlors with billiards and pool, and a barber shop. Later tenants ranged from photography studios to retail shops such as Calamity Jane's and Malinas, plus professional services including a computer training center and a therapy counseling firm.