Filed Under Anaconda

507 Chestnut

Goosetown Historic District

In 1896, two frame houses nestled on the front of this lot; two cabins stood behind them. By 1903, the two small cabins still occupied the back of the lot, but this gable-front-wing, brick-clad residence had replaced the earlier frame homes on the street. Queen Anne details, such as turned porch supports, stained-glass panels, and fish-scale shingles in the gable end, reflect the ready availability of mass produced architectural decoration. The home still boasts interior period decorations as well, including ornate oak molding and a linoleum rug. Produced to look like traditional rugs, linoleum rugs offered comfort, cleanliness, and durability at an affordable price. Like many Goosetown homes, this residence originally housed immigrant smelter workers. In 1900, laborer Frank Zusek and his wife Josephine rented the house, where they lived with their nine-year-old daughter and two lodgers, who also worked at the smelter. Both the family and lodgers emigrated from Austria, which then encompassed a large swath of Europe, including present-day Croatia and the Czech Republic. An Irish family of six lived here in 1910.

Images

507 Chestnut
507 Chestnut 507 Chestnut. Front view of the house, facing east on Chestnut Street. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Kim Morrison Date: Aug. 1994

Location

507 Chestnut Street, Anaconda, Montana | Private

Metadata

The Montana National Register Sign Program, “507 Chestnut,” Historic Montana, accessed March 29, 2024, https://historicmt.org/items/show/2211.