Battered by drought and agricultural depression, Montana lost population in the 1920s. Even Missoula, which had a relatively stable economy, ended the decade 2,250 people shy of where it started. One bright economic light locally was the university, whose continued expansion influenced the surrounding neighborhood. The 300 block of McLeod saw seven homes constructed during the 1920s, including this charming one-story bungalow. Craftsman style bungalows featured low, sheltering rooflines to convey the idea of security and open porches to encourage a connection to nature. This bungalow also features the wide, overhanging eaves, exposed rafter tails, and battered porch supports common to the Craftsman style. Intersecting gables and multi-paned windows add visual appeal to the residence. Real estate agent Walton Marsh lived here in 1929. The house changed hands several times before attorney Tom Higgins purchased it in 1941. The Higgins family (Tom, his wife Ella May, and their daughter Colleen) cultivated a large "victory garden" in the backyard during World War II. Tom and Ella resided here until their deaths, his in 1985 and hers in 1996.
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