Filed Under Miles City

Farnum House

Carriage House Historic District

Joseph E. Farnum arrived in Eastern Montana in 1883, settling in the Tongue River area. He married Minnie Parmenter in 1885 and relocated to a ranch on the Powder River. Typical of many ranchers at the time, Farnum maintained a residence in Miles City. He built a modest one-and-one-half-story Greek Revival style dwelling around 1883. In 1893, Farnum moved his family to town and shortly after completed a two-story addition in the Queen Anne style. He purchased C. A. Wiley’s insurance and real estate business in 1901 and served as City Clerk in 1912. Farnum remained a prominent figure in Miles City until his death in 1924. Recognizing the importance of Miles City as a social, political, and economic center, Farnum built his home in the city’s first affluent neighborhood and continued to alter the property to reflect the city’s growth and prominence. Anna Weber purchased the property in 1928 and fortunately converted the residence into apartments. When she lost her savings in the Crash of 1929, the rental income assured her survival.

Images

Farnum House
Farnum House Farnum House. Front to side view of the house, facing southwest at the intersection of North 12th Street and Palmer Street. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Dena Sanford and Susan McDaniel Date: 1987

Metadata

The Montana National Register Sign Program, “Farnum House,” Historic Montana, accessed March 28, 2024, https://historicmt.org/items/show/251.