William and Rose Brennan House
Hamilton Southside Residential Historic District
Copper king Marcus Daly contracted with William Brennan to supply his Butte mines with 1.5 million feet of timber monthly in 1889. Brennan and a partner first established a mill at the mouth of Skalkaho Creek. Two years later, at Daly's direction, they moved their mill to the new town of Hamilton. Not long after Daly purchased Brennan's operation, and Brennan became a concrete and stone contractor. He and his wife Rose had this stately home constructed circa 1891. It was the first brick-façade residence in Hamilton. (Asphalt shingles have since replaced the second-story brick.) Devout Catholics, the Brennans hosted mass here—served twice monthly by a traveling Jesuit priest—until the construction of St. Francis Church in 1896. In 1909, the residence became home to Robert and Minnie Beck. Robert was a dentist, auto enthusiast, and an active participant in the Good Roads movement. Local sources credit his lobbying efforts for the construction of Skalkaho Road. The residence underwent several remodels: sometime after 1944, owners built two large additions on the north and west and converted the house into a duplex.
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