There was no sign of the impending Great Depression in January 1929. Havre had spent half a million dollars on construction the year before, and the future looked bright. Among those kept busy by Havre’s growth was prolific local builder Christ Fuglevand. Fuglevand, who built over fifty homes in Havre, constructed this single-story stucco residence in 1929 for an estimated $4,550. The house featured Craftsman-style detailing, including a low-pitched roof with wide overhanging eaves, exposed rafter tails, and a half-length porch with massive wood and cobblestone porch supports. Dan Carlin, a yardmaster for the Great Northern Railway, and his wife Clara were the home’s first owners. The couple rented the daylight basement apartment for $60 a month to a dry goods store manager and his family. An increasingly common feature in Havre after 1929, such apartments frequently provided housing for students attending the Northern Montana School. This precursor to MSU-Billings was founded in 1929.
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