Neoclassical influences complement the Queen Anne style in this striking transitional home built between 1905 and 1907. A polygonal two-story bay, hipped roof with intersecting gables, and wraparound porch lend visual asymmetry characteristic of the Victorian-era Queen Anne style. Square columns and capitals, pedimented gable above the porch, and little further ornamentation reveal the twentieth-century trend toward simplicity. Originally constructed as an owner-occupied rental, the home still serves that function today. Sutton H. Draper, master mechanic for the Northern Pacific’s Rocky Mountain Division headquarters at Missoula, was its first longtime owner and resident. Draper began his railroad career as an engineer and retired in 1928 after forty-five years with the company. In 1883, he engineered an excursion train that carried passengers to witness the driving of the “Golden Spike” near Gold Creek, Montana, symbolizing completion of the line over the Rocky Mountain Division. Draper pioneered the scientific study and practical operation of the airbrake and trained employees in its use, thus making significant contributions to railroad safety.
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