Born in Wisconsin, Al Furstnow settled permanently in Miles City in 1894 and became the major saddler in the northwest. In 1895, Furstnow commissioned Byron Vreeland to build this Queen Anne style home, unusual because the architect usually designed in brick. The previous year Furstnow opened Al Furstnow’s Saddle Shop on Main Street in a Vreeland-designed building. Credited with making the first flower hand-stamped saddles in Miles City for Britain’s Lord Sidney Paget, Furstnow outfitted Leigh Remington of Remington Arms and Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show for their Paris exhibition. The bay window heads are embellished with carved medallions in a motif that is continued throughout the interior. The residence retains the original tall ceilings and detailing, including a fan-trimmed arch and four brass and stained-glass chandeliers, one being in the form of a British Crown. Remodeling in 1910 modernized the house with Craftsman details to reflect Miles City’s financial status during the homestead boom. The home remained in the Furstnow family until the late 1980s.
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