Malta, first known as “Siding 54,” took its place along the Hi-Line in 1887 as the Great Northern Railway opened new opportunities. The railroad heavily promoted the area, and by 1910, Malta was the county seat. Longtime residents Lee Edwards and…

The need to serve World War I’s returning Veterans led the Veterans Bureau to expand its services in the 1920s and 1930s. However, by the early 1930s, Fort Harrison’s hospital (Building #2) was overcrowded and antiquated. In 1932, the Veterans…

Michael and Ellen Curry, natives of Ireland, built this cross-gable roof Colonial Revival style cottage in 1898. The Currys moved to Great Falls from Fort Benton in 1891. Initially, they rented this home to professional tenants, while living in a…

Missoula contractor Edwin S. Newton built this brick carpentry shop and office behind his home circa 1910. The building’s large size and patterned masonry along the stepped parapet reflect Newton’s prominence as one of Missoula’s leading…

Russian-Jewish immigrants Simon and Dina Bank built this well-preserved bay-front home around 1900. The Banks, members of Butte’s thriving Jewish community, had six children at home (seven by 1904), but still had room for a boarder — plumber John H.…

For centuries, the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons have offered their members support, connections, and community. These benefits spurred Montana settlers to charter Masonic lodges and Orders of the Eastern Star. Ionic Lodge No. 38 (1889), and…

Spurred by the arrival of streetcar service, the South Butte neighborhood developed from east to west between 1890 and 1900. French-Canadian immigrants Peter and Lizzie Huotte owned this Queen Anne style cottage—built circa 1895—from 1898 to 1904.…

Calls for a better Gallatin County jail came in 1886, only five years after the county’s second jail was established in the original courthouse’s basement. A grand jury found that the facility lacked proper ventilation, sewer, and security, as well…

Two years after designing the elegant Napton and Leonard apartments on Granite Street, architect William O’Brien designed this building for widow Mary O’Rourke in 1908. O’Brien, whose clients ranked among Butte’s wealthiest, designed the O’Rourke as…

When David Fratt died in 1912, he left his extensive land and livestock holdings to his wife Kate. Kate sold his cattle company and invested the proceeds, becoming one of Montana’s wealthiest women. A devout Catholic and dedicated philanthropist,…