Arrival of the Northern Pacific in 1883 brought sweeping changes, and this elaborate 1891 business block is a grand illustration. The railroad prompted major building booms and made architectural pieces and parts readily accessible. Levi Keim, an early-day farmer and stage stop operator, worked as a Northside policeman when he built this commercial building as an investment. Originally a drug store was at street level and apartments were upstairs. Its varied tenants included the Northwest Steam Laundry in 1909 and A. W. Allen’s grocery in 1913. Keim spared no expense on the project. Romanesque arches with granite sills, a unique central gable above the roof, elegant brickwork, and a pressed metal cornice make the building a stellar example of Victorian-era commercial architecture. The mail-order cornice and plate glass windows arrived via the Northern Pacific. The availability of large commercial windows like these revolutionized advertising, offering merchants better opportunities to display their goods. Economic depression in 1893 ended construction projects and the period of flamboyant commercial architecture passed. The beautifully restored Keim Building is one of Missoula’s few surviving examples.
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