Henry Sieben came to Montana a seventeen-year-old uneducated orphan and rose to pioneer Montana’s livestock industry. Honesty, integrity, fair treatment, and a love for animals earned Sieben a national reputation. He was a co-founder of the Montana Woolgrowers Association and although elected to the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, Sieben never owned a pair of cowboy boots. He was a “hip pocket banker” who informally aided others and helped found the Montana Children’s Home. He and his wife Alberta, who was also active in civic affairs, built this West Side home circa 1898. Constructed of local Kessler brick, the graceful curved porch, offset entry, and multiple bay windows enhance the asymmetry required of the Queen Anne style. Cherry, walnut, birdseye maple, oak, and faux leather interior finishings are exceptionally well crafted. The magnificent residence lacked a carriage house for the fine Sieben horses since telephones made it convenient to stable them elsewhere. Sieben maintained this home until his death in 1937. Today, the Sieben ranching legacy remains intact, managed by his daughters’ descendant families, the Hibbards and the Baucuses.
Images
