The Italianate style residence of pioneer businessman George Herrmann has long presided over the north slope of Tower Hill, commanding the attention of passersby on Broadway below. Herrmann, a native of Bavaria, established his cabinet shop at 201 Broadway in 1868. By 1877, the business included upholstery, furniture, undertaking, and coffin making. Herrmann built this fine home circa 1886. Architectural details typical of the period include carved window heads and a simple cornice embellished with dentils. The Herrmanns took in boarders and well-maintained frame home next door, built before 1884 and still part of this property, served as a rental. The landmark residence at the end of its narrow street and Herrmann’s business block solidly anchor the district’s northwest corner. When Herrmann died in 1910, several of his children took over the business and lived here until circa 1950. From the 1970s, this was the home and business of legislator Jerry Metcalf (1936-1995), an authority on Montana art and antiques whose renowned collections reflected his love for the state and the preservation of its history.
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