Architects promoted the Craftsman style as ideal "for the lover of the out-of-doors." Large front porches and the use of natural material like wood shingles and cobblestones connected homes "directly to the world of nature." Such symbolic associations may seem out of place in the mining city of Butte, but Craftsman style bungalows had other virtues that assured their popularity. The design of these affordable homes emphasized "simplicity and efficiency" and architects praised bungalows for offering "the man of small means all the necessities and comforts that a mansion house could give." Built before 1916, this Craftsman style residence, with model low-pitched roof, wide-overhanging eaves, and exposed rafter tails, was the first home constructed on this block. By 1918, blacksmith Benjamin Davey lived here with his wife Dena and six children, including two daughters who worked as teachers. By 1929, the residence had become home to Howard and Julia McIntyre. Howard held several different jobs during the Great Depression, including one as a compensation representative for the WPA, a New Deal program designed to put people to work during the Great Depression.
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