Filed Under Eureka

Eureka Community Hall

Eureka and the Tobacco Plains area are timber country, and it is fitting that the Community Hall here is made of logs, carefully crafted by local workers into this Rustic Style structure in 1942. As the fortunes of the logging industry rose and fell during the twentieth century, so did those of this area. During the 1920s and 1930s, economic depression thinned Eureka’s population but, as a local historian noted, “citizens … never thought of their town as a ghost town.” After the elementary school (which itself had done double duty as a community center) on this site burned down, a variety of groups began working toward this building—their goal not realized for seven years. The Grange, Vets’ Club, American Legion, Little Theater Guild, Community Club, Farmer’s Union, and the Town of Eureka all joined the effort. Just when the logging industry boomed again, this building arose, proving that faith in their community had not been misplaced. Once again, this site was a meeting place for entertainments, celebrations, lectures, and political discussions—a place for Lincoln County residents to set aside the isolation of their rural lifestyle.

Images

Eureka Community Building
Eureka Community Building South elevation Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Eric Newcombe Date: July 7, 2022
Eureka Community Center
Eureka Community Center West Elevation Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Eric Newcombe Date: July 7, 2022
Eureka Community Hall
Eureka Community Hall Interior Ceiling Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Eric Newcombe Date: July 7, 2022
Eureka Community Hall
Eureka Community Hall Historical photo Source: National Historic Register Creator: Montana State Historic Preservation Office

Location

101 Julian Drive, Eureka, Montana | Public

Metadata

The Montana National Register Sign Program, “Eureka Community Hall,” Historic Montana, accessed March 29, 2024, https://historicmt.org/items/show/837.