Filed Under Billings

1119 North 31st Street

North Elevation Historic District

Simplicity, honesty, functionality, and efficiency were the architectural watchwords of the 1910s. Craftsman style bungalows like this one embodied the era’s minimalist aesthetic, and the style took the nation—and Billings—by storm. Characteristic of the Craftsman style, this circa 1915 home features a low-pitched roof pierced by a large dormer, leaded glass windows, and exposed rafter tails. More unique is the home’s side-gable orientation and vertical siding. The residence’s first occupant was Leslie Miller, the manager of Russell Milling Company. In 1919, Rockwood and Elizabeth Brown purchased the home, where they raised their four children. A few years later, they planted a blue spruce in the front yard, where it still stood in 2018. In 1946, on a trip to Seattle, Rockwood saw an outdoor brick fireplace with built-in oven and grill. On his return, he had a similar one constructed in the backyard. A prominent Billings attorney, Rockwood served on the State Highway Commission, the State Water Conservation Board, and the City Park Commission. Although Rockwood died in 1956, Elizabeth lived here until her death at the age of 103 in 1989.

Images

1119 North 31st Street
1119 North 31st Street 1119 North 31st Street. Front view of the house, facing northeast near the front sidewalk and driveway on North 31st Street. Photograph taken in early spring. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Unknown photographer Date: Mar. 2015
1119 North 31st Street
1119 North 31st Street 1119 North 31st Street. Side/front view of the house, facing north from the driveway on North 31st Street. Photograph taken in the early spring. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Unknown photographer Date: Mar. 2015

Location

1119 North 31st Street, Billings, Montana | Private

Metadata

Montana National Register Sign Program, “1119 North 31st Street,” Historic Montana, accessed March 29, 2024, https://historicmt.org/items/show/2684.