John P. Gary came to Montana from Michigan with his brother, sister, and widowed mother. The Garys settled in Bozeman where John and his brother Martin opened a grocery store in 1900. Both brothers married and both established households on South Black. John built this stunning Victorian-era bungalow for his bride, Mary, circa 1904. The Queen Anne style home features a porch with classical columns nestled between gracefully rounded and octagonal bays. A central dormer above the porch offsets the asymmetry typical of the style. Original details include leaded and stained glass, a fireplace finished with oak, and an elegant turned stairway. The stylish home showcases John’s early success. Martin Gary followed his brother, building the home next door circa 1910. By 1912, the Gary brothers had branched out into the grain business and advertised their grocery as “…first-class and sanitary with goods kept free from exposure by means of refrigeration.” John and Mary, their six children, and extended family were in residence until 1921. Sheep rancher William Crowley then purchased the property as an in-town home for his large family.
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