As anyone who lives in close proximity to Mill Creek or the Mill Race can attest, the truest harbinger of Spring is the appearance of baby ducklings waddling in formation behind mama along the shores of this waterway.  It seems likely that the congregation of these critters were the inspiration for one Salem landmark.  Although a few generations removed from its namesake restaurant, Bob the Duck still stands on its perch above 1980 State Street.

Bob?  Yes, apparently, he has a name.[1]  Just one of the many fun facts that came from digging into the history of the sign after I was asked about its origins a few weeks ago.  Jonathan, this may be more than you bargained for, but the story of the sign and the history of this corner of Salem is marvelously eclectic.

While static today, Bob started out as a mechanized sign, which would “bob” into the pond of water in which he is sitting.[2]   He was bobbing as recently as 1999, when an act of vandalism ironically led to then owners Ron and Lisa Moore taking it down and refitting it to its former glory.  At the same time, Bob got a face lift, his new look based-off of an early menu from the Duck Inn Restaurant which he advertised.[3]

The Duck Inn Restaurant opened to the public on Saturday April 23, 1966[4] to great fanfare.  Operators Robert E. and Bertha Shaw welcomed new customers with free balloons and Merry Go Round Rides, a live radio broadcast and a special performance by the Bob Lucas Trio.  Even more exciting, the piano played by the trio was to be raffled off after a few weeks of display at the Tallman Piano store.  Although no mention is made of the iconic sign, one wonders what shape we would have seen if we were to follow the advertisement’s advice to “look for the 12 ft. balloon.”[5]

Bob witnessed many ownership and operator changes over the years.  The standard fare for most of that time was burgers, fries and shakes, at ridiculously low prices compared to today’s standards – four hamburgers for a dollar in 1972.[6]   When Victor Luey took over operations in 1971, he added Chinese food to the menu.  The former owner of the Fortune Cookie Restaurant, “will cook you the best hamburger or the most delicious Chinese food in town!”  Or apparently both, if you chose the Chop Suey Burger and Fried Rice.[7]  Also on the menu at this time were Fish and Chips, Corn Dogs or Burritos.  There are also rumors of some legendary tater tots.[8]

In addition to the food and landmark sign, the restaurant on the banks of Mill Creek had some spectacular views, a good sense of community and a lot of hard work.  Owner Katie McGee retired in 1994 after a decade, her working hours were 7 am opening to 8 pm close every day.[9]   The facility even hosted a wedding, that of Larry Foos and Mary Parmer, who had met there.   By 2001, Muchas Gracias moved into the site[10], but Bob remained.  As of this year he witnessed the opening of a new restaurant — Habaneros Mexican Food.[11]

The Duck Inn was not the first restaurant on site.  The building actually started out as a Tastee Freez – a fast growing, Joliet, Illinois-based franchise specializing in soft serve that had been started in part by a poached Dairy Queen executive.  The chain started in 1950 with one store.  By 1952, the year Salem’s store opened, they had 315 locations across the country.  They grew to 1800 locations just five years later!  What set Tastee-Freez apart was the special soft-serve machine came as part of the franchise deal.[12]  In addition to even cheaper hamburgers (5 25 cent hamburgers for just 98 cents!), the Salem store also provided chicken dinners to go, when the order was dialed into number EM 4-0702.

Besides its culinary history, the site is also really important in the story of waterpower, industry and transportation in our city.  The waterway is more than just a nice pond for ducks, it was one of the main power supplies for many industries in Salem.  The waterfall visible from the parking lot of the restaurant is created by Waller Dam.  It is the diversion point for water flowing through the millrace, a man-enhanced waterway that powered the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill and many downstream industries, including, at one point, the city’s main power plant.  Located at the site of the restaurant itself were the Salem Consolidated Railway Company’s Car Houses and repair shop.[13]  It may bend the imagination, but an electric railway line ran down State Street in the late 19^th Century from about 18^th Street out to the penitentiary, before curving northwards to service the Oregon State Hospital (then called the Oregon State Insane Asylum).[14]

Bob and his kin have sure witnessed a lot of history from that spot.

Do you have a memory of the Duck Inn you want to share?  Leave a comment below!

This article first appeared in the Statesman Journal 5 May 2019.  It is re-posted here with citations for reference purposes.  Article researched and written by Kylie Pine.

Article Citations

[1] De Carbonel, Dan. “Duck Returned to his Perch.” Statesman Journal 16 nov  1999, pg 15

[2] Kusumoto, Kay. “Duck Inn is Put up for Sale.” Statesman Journal. 23 Jun 1994, pg 16  De Carbonel, Dan. “Duck Returned to his Perch.” Statesman Journal 16 nov  1999, pg 15

[3] De Carbonel, Dan. “Duck Returned to his Perch.” Statesman Journal 16 nov  1999, pg 15

[4] Many dates have been attributed to the start of the Duck Inn Restaurant.  Later newspaper articles attribute its opening date to 1963. (see De Carbonel, Dan. “Duck Returned to his Perch.” Statesman Journal 16 nov  1999, pg 15).  However, a the grand opening announcement in the Capitol Journal 21 April 1966 pg 2, coupled with the City Directory evidence – Shows as Tastee Freez in the 1966 City Directory and Duck Inn in the 1966-1967 edition.

[5] Advertisement.  Capital Journal. 21 April 1966, pg 2.

[6] Advert. OS 3 Jan 1972 pg 11.  Hamburgers 4 for a dollar

[7] Advert.  Capital Journal . 8 Jan 1971, pg 2.

[8] Postrel, Dan.  “Owner hopes setbacks roll like water off Duck’s Back.”  Statesman Journal 19 Jun 1996, pg 3

[9] Kusumoto, Kay. “Duck Inn is Put up for Sale.” Statesman Journal. 23 Jun 1994, pg 16

[10]  Forstrom, Tom. “Midnight diners will find variety at Shari’s”  Statesman Journal. 15 Nov 2001, pg 56. This was the earliest newspaper  reference we could find for Muchas Gracias being located at 1980 State Street.

[11] Teel, Emily. ”Three Muchas Gracias restaurants in Salem close, reopen with new name, menu.” 23 Feb 2019.

[12] “Tastee-Freez.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tastee-Freez

[13] 1895 Sanborn Fire Insurance map shows buildings labelled thusly.  Do not appear in the 1915 updated version.  Do not make it on the map in the 1880 map (outside range).

[14] 1892 Map of Salem.  Union Title Abstract Co.  WHC Collections. 86.17.4