HomeMy WebLinkAbout219 & 221 W Arthur Nomination ti
.t �M3NTANA HISTORICAL/ARCHITECTURAL INVENTORY #,29 '7
HISTORIC NAME: Graf Building
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=ADDRESS: 219-221 W. Arthur
LEGAL BOUNDARY: Butte Addition, Blk 10
Lots 13 & 14 �L
OWNER'S NAME: Donna Strand
OWNER ADDRESS: 221 W. Arthur ' "•�°`�. a
SPECIFIC DATE: c.1941
ARCHITECT: Fred F. Willson attr.
BUILDER: Unknown ,.
ORIGINAL OWNER: Eugene Graf
ORIGINAL USE: residence (duplex) g1l -P
PRESENT USE: residence (duplex) -
UTM REFERENCE: 12/496 860/5057040 y
ACREAGE: less than one '
U.S.G.S. QUAD: -Bozeman, 1953
STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: -
Applicable Criteria: C t
Number of Contributing Properties: 1
An excellent example of a vernacular interpretation of the International style, and clearly
the: best of the three examples of the style in the city, this duplex is independently
eligible for the National Register on architectural significance, and meets the exception
to the Register criteria for buildings of less than fifty years of age. The pure, block
- .masses, smooth white wall surfaces, corner windows, porthole windows, and pipe railings are
all hallmarks of the style.
The only other residential example of the style in the city is 412 W. Cleveland, which was
-built in 1936 and was designed by local architect Fred F. Willson. The American Legion
Building, a small Main Street block at 225 E. Main, within the Main Street Historic
District, is the other example of this style, and was designed by the same architect. _
Although no solid evidence has yet been found, this building also appears to be the work of
Fred F. Willson. It is very likely the duplex listed on the Fred Willson job list under
the name Gene Graf, although dated to 1944, three years after actual construction.
If designed by Willson, the building takes on added significance as a very significant
example of that architect's work during the latter part of his career. Willson had a
virtually monopolistic architectural practice in Bozeman from 1910 to the early 19501s,
although the bulk of his work was accomplished during the first two decades of that time.
By 1941, when this house was built, Bozeman's early 20th century building boom had
subsided, and all but one of the WPA-assisted buildings - all of which had been designed by
Willson - had been completed. Examples of this diverse architect's work from the 1940's
and 1950's are consequently more rare than earlier work.
Loren T. Marshall, a salesman with the Earl S. Marshall furniture store, and his wife
Leolyn Marshall, were the original occupants of 219 W. Arthur. The other half of this
duplex, 221 W. Arthur, was first occupied by Glen C. Simpkins, Division Superintendent for
the Mararch Lumber Co. , and his wife, Teresa M. Simpkins. The duplex is one of the first
structures built in the city's residential areas south of College Street.
Ilk
Graf Building (cont.)
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:This detached, two-story, double family residence has a square plan with flat-roofed
attached garages to either side. The frame construction is finished in stucco and the
windows are horizontal two-over-two double hung sash. The front entrance vestibule
protrudes from the main facade and features a pair of entrances and a balcony on the roof
of the entry vestibules. There are two porthole windows above the balcony as well as port
hole windows in the two entrance doors. Triple curved pipe railings extend up the concrete
steps to each entrance. The balcony rail appears to be strap metal. The axis of the roof
is parallel to the street, and the roof is flat.
The only alterations to the building are the seemingly random attachment of some inoperable
plastic shutters and the installation of modern anodized aluminum storm doors over the
original entrance doors.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Fred Willson Job List: 1944, Job # 4131: "Duplex - Gene Graff"
City Directories: 1933; 1935-6; 1940, p. 132; 1942, pp. 99, 136!
FORM PREPARED BY: James R. McDonald, P.C. (1983-84) ; Matthew Cohen (1985-86 revision) ;
Patricia Bick (19 87 revision) , State Historic Preservation Office, 225 No. Roberts, Helena,
Montana 59620 (406) 444-7715
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