Fort Peck Administration Building
The Administration Building was built in 1934 to house management operations for the construction and maintenance of Fort Peck Dam and Lake. Construction of Fort Peck Dam was one of the most ambitious public works projects and symbolized the New Deal in Montana. As many as 10,500 workers participated in construction activities during the 1930s, and as many as 50,000 lived in the surrounding communities. While the Swiss Chalet style popularized in the West by the National Park Service from the early 1900s to the 1920s dominates the town, the Colonial Revival style Administration Building stands eloquently apart. Front and rear porches, window shutters, and a clay tile roof with parapet and octagonal cupola embellish the austere symmetrical plan that aptly conveys the building’s significance. During intense construction of the 1930s, wood frame wings were added to house payroll offices and construction staff, while two bunkhouses on the east side accommodated workers. These temporary structures were later removed. Today the Administration Building still presides over the area, home of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Peck Lake office, and other federal agencies.
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