Filed Under Billings

1024 North 31st Street

North Elevation Historic District

One of only a few Colonial Revival style homes in the historic district, this side-gable, two-story residence dates to circa 1913. Clapboard siding, a centered entry, windows with shutters, and an enclosed side porch are Colonial Revival style hallmarks. Queen Anne style spindles encircle the porch and square columns with Italianate-inspired brackets support the front entry, illustrating the eclectic mix of architectural elements common in the early 1900s. The first documented residents were the William and Laura Lawson family. William pioneered Montana’s sugar beet industry, managing the Billings Sugar Company. He later was vice president of the Colorado-based Holly Sugar Company. The Lawsons hosted many parties and were avid bridge players. By 1930, Peter and Beulah Rowan owned the home. Peter was the owner of the Billings Chrysler-Plymouth dealership and very involved in civic affairs. He was a director of the Deaconess Hospital, a twenty-five-year member of the YMCA board, helped found the Billings Community Concert Association, and was a longtime member of the Kiwanis Club and Chamber of Commerce. The Rowan family retained ownership until the 1980s.

Images

1024 North 31st Street
1024 North 31st Street 1024 North 31st Street. Front view of the house, facing southwest from the front sidewalk on North 31st Street. Photograph taken in early fall. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Unknown photographer Date: Sept. 2009

Location

1024 North 31st Street, Billings, Montana | Private

Metadata

Montana National Register Sign Program, “1024 North 31st Street,” Historic Montana, accessed March 28, 2024, https://historicmt.org/items/show/2703.