Vista Cup demonstration of location history
There was not an ad for the Vista Cup in the 1957 telephone book, but only a listing of the name, location and telephone number.Dennis L. Clay illustrationOriginally the Vista Cup was on the right side of Valley Road and later on the left side of Valley Road. We have two people remembering the Vista Cup on two different sides of Valley Road and both were correct. The curve of the old road bed is still visible, but noted these days as an activity trail.
This is the continuation of a multi-part series about the past and present location of various businesses in Moses Lake, encouraged by a recent CBH article about visiting all of the local restaurants. Plus a letter to the editor, questioning some of the locations.
Readers will find all parties may be correct at times and incorrect at other times. Remember, my interest revolves mainly around the Columbia Basin history, but sometimes we expand to the state, national or even world level.
A most interesting and explosive bit of local history involved the Vista Cup Drive-In discussed in this column. This eatery was located near the Ephrata Highway. This column once asked readers if the Vista Cup was located on the left or right side of Valley Road.
This was the explosive side of the history lesson and points to the realization two or more people can believe they are correct. In this case two readers were adamant about the location of the drive in.
The fun part of this lesson is both parties were correct. You see, the Ephrata Highway originally headed across the Alder Street Fill and then curved around the edge of the Knolls Vista housing area. It then headed west toward Cascade Valley, curving north at the top of the hill, where the Grant County Fairgrounds are now located, and proceeding along what is now Airway Drive and on to Ephrata.
At this time, the Vista Cup was on the right side of the Ephrata Highway/Valley Road, when headed toward Ephrata, as there was not a formal Stratford Road at this time, as I understand this history.
Next imagine the establishment of a formal Stratford Road. At this point, the road went north across the fill and straight to Stratford. Valley Road connected to Stratford Road without the curve. Valley Road was a straight line from where the fairgrounds are now to Stratford Road. The Vista Cup was then on the left side of Valley Road.
We had two people remembering the Vista Cup on two different sides of Valley Road and both were correct.
A confession is due at this point: When beginning this multi-part series, Ella West was contacted. The above information was shared with her, but in the middle of reading it she commented, “I have the drive-in as the Vista Cup.”
Ella was correct, as my notes had the drive-in as the Dixie Cup. At every reference to the drive-in was written Dixie Cup.
Thank goodness for Ella. She straightened me out on this point. If not, this column would have been filled with incorrect information; Dixie Cup instead of Vista Cup. Readers, this is the type of scenario which keeps a column writer awake at night and gives a column writer nightmares.
The Vista Cup building was moved from the Ephrata Highway/Valley Road location. Where is the building now located? What was the name of the drive-in when moved?
Next week: More local eatery history.