HomeMy WebLinkAbout137 E Main 1984 MONTANA HISTORICAL AND
ARCHITECTURAL INVENTORY I Site>Y _
Legal Description:Original Townsite Lots Portion 10, all 11/Blk E
Address: 137 East Main
Ownership:name: Gallatin Lodge #6, A.F. & A.M.
private address: Box 35 Roll N 82 Frame# 27
j`I '/>✓� 11�F I,�L�— jyt ' Historic Name: Masonic Temple — Gallatin Lodge
Y r #6 A.F. & A.M.
L' �RARY
.� Common Name:
❑ estimated
1 Date of Construction: 1883 ® documented
Architect' llnknnwn
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� — Builder: llnknown
�f I OriginalOwner— Gallatin Lodge #6 A.F. & A.M.
Original Use: Bozeman National Bank:
I ( �
Masonic Hall on second floor
Present Use:-------G9ntn' r_r_i
Research Sources:
T— ❑ abstract of title ❑ city directories
I { ❑ plat recordslmaps ❑ sewerlwater?ermits
I
I I 1 ❑ tax cards ❑ obituaries
❑ building permit LJ biographies
— ® Sanborn map_ i 1884
Z � I � � s—dales:
Bibliography:
Li Li
j I > f I Matt Alderson
Q I L Q ! Avant Courier, 5-10-1883
.8 A 9 Ca
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Describe present appearance of structure/site,then contrast and compare that with it's original appearance,
noting additions,alterations,and changes in materials.Discuss significant architectural features.
This attached two-story commercial structure has a rectangular plan with a
flat-roof overhang protecting the front entrance. The symmetrical facade consists
of an off-center front entrance with storefront windows on the street level ,
and the original windows on the second level have been covered with three
vertical stucco panels. There is a decorative metal cornice above and the
side of the building features 2/2 fixed windows with metal arches and limetstone
sills. The brick construction is finished in stucco and has a cut stone
foundation and flat built-up roof, which lies perpendicular to the street.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Justify how the persons,important events,and/or historical patterns associated with the structure/site
and surrounding area lend the property significance.
This property is significant because it is associated with the early commercial
development of Bozeman. 6?hen the Masonic Temple was completed, it cost an
estimated $20;000. The Masons occupied the upper floor and leased part of
the lower floor to the Bozeman National Banta. Other portions were leased to
the Northern Pacific Railroad Company as express and ticket offices and by
Frank W. VanAllen as a jewelry store.
This structure is an intrusive element within a potential historic district.
INTEGRITY: Assess the degree to which the structure/site,and surrounding area accurately convey the historical associations of the
property.
The historic integrity of this property has not been retained due to change
in original design and materials.
INFORMATION VALUE: Explain how the extant structure/site may demonstrate or yield information about its historic use or construc-
tion.
None.
FORM PREPARED BY: GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION:
Name JAMES R. MCDONALD ARCHITLCTS P C Acreage
Address: P. 0. BOX 8163 USGS Ouwt,
Date. MISSOULA, MONTANA 59807 UTM's:
AUG 1934 REVILED
Matthew A. Cohen
Bozer an, Montana
Alt.`V- DECEMBER 1985
137 EAST MAIN
The Masonic Temple (Gallatin Lodge #6 A.F. & A.M. ) , a large,
Italianate style corner block , is , despite significant altera-
tion , the grandest of the several brick buildings erected in the
district during the early 1880 ' s building boom which accompanied
the arrival of the railroad . In 1888 , the Grand Master of the
Masonic Lodges of Montana commented that : "The temple is an
elegant one and an honor to the fraternity as well as to the ter-
ritory of Montana" (Burlingame , 1972 , pp 7-8) .
The building terminates a group of three 2-story buildings
that progressively increase in height, all built between 1882 and
1883 (131-137 E. Main) , that appear to have been consciously
planned for an impressive effect.
It was built for the first of two Masonic Lodges to be
formed in Bozeman , Bozeman Lodge #18 having splintered from this
one in 1872 as a result of a rift based on Civil War sympathies .
Several small businesses have rented space in the building from
the Masons over the past century, including the Gallatin State
Bank , from its organization in 1902 , until 1908 , when the bank
built its own office building , presently standing at 2 West Main .
The most significant alterations to the building involve one
of the hallmarks of the Italianate style - the once elegantly-
proportioned , elongated windows . On the front facade, the cast
iron hood moldings over the windows have been removed , and the
three recessed bays entirely filled in with smooth stucco . All
eight windows of the east facade have been reduced to half their
original length, the stone sills having been moved up, and the
bottom halves having been filled in with brick . Other alterations
have included the remodeling of the storefront , and the removal
of an ornate Cornice pediment and two end finials (according to
Bill Beasley, at least one of these i� presently stored in the
basement) .
One potentially significant alteration was the installation
in 1968 of the present revolving horse sign which rises from the
marquee of the Country West clothing store . The sign , which has
been leased from the Billings Neon Company for 17 years , was
originally installed by Morris Brodie when Steve ' s Country Store ,
another clothing store , occupied the ground floor space.
Gallatin Lodge No. 6 was chartered on October 4 , 1866 , and
was located upstairs in one of Bozeman ' s earliest structures , a
log business building constructed in 1866 on this site. Both
Osborne ' s Drug Store (see 229-231 E. Main) and The Willson Co .
(see 101 E. Main) got their start in this building at different
times. The present Italianate style lodge was built on the site
of that log building .
1
Conflicts among immigrants from the eastern states over
Civil War sympathies caused a division among Bozeman ' s earliest
Mason ' s , those sympathetic with the North sarcastically claiming
that even Jesus Christ would have been denied membership to
Gallatin Lodge No . 6 , since only Confederates and sons of
Confederates were allowed to join (Bill Beasley, interview,
9/10/85) . A new Lodge , known as Bozeman Lodge #18 , was granted ,
if reluctantly, by Grand Master J . R. Weston in 1872 . This new
Lodge rented the hall in the log building from Gallatin Lodge for
a time , but soon became dissatisfied , and rented several halls in
other buildings , until finally settling into its present lodge at
2-12 E. Main (See 2-12 E. Main) .
In sharp contrast to the relative transience of the Bozeman
Lodge, the Gallatin Lodge has occupied the present site since its
formation in 1866 , and the present building since it was com-
pleted in 1883 . Indeed , in the upstairs hall of the building is
a large, blue checkered rug that was custom made for the Lodge in
England , and layed on the floor in 1883 , where it remains today.
The temple cost about $20 ,000 when completed , which was
partially offset by revenue from the rental of the first floor
business spaces . Some of the first tenants there were the
Bozeman National Bank (which formed in 1882 and was bought out in
1907 by the Commercial National Bank , 104 E. Main) , the Northern
Pacific Railroad ticket offices , the Frank W. VanAllen jewelry
store , and a barber . By 1918 , the Wells-Fargo express office
occupied the space that had been leased by the Gallatin State
Bank from 1902-1908 , as mentioned above .
Though the building cannot presently be listed on the
National Register of Historic Places as a building of primary
significance to the historic district due to alteration, it is
nevertheless clearly a contributing structure . It is however ,
one of the few substantially altered buildings on Main Street
which could be accurately restored . The east windows could be
lengthened to their original size, and the south windows could be
re-exposed by removal of the stucco that presently covers them.
Duplicates of the cast iron hood moldings above the east windows
f could easily be made to replace those removed from the three
south windows . The Cornice pediment and finials could be recon-
structed from photographs, especially as one of those features
I still exists . Since nothing appears to remain of the
j original storefront , restoration of that would not be advisable.
Any sensitive restoration of this building would retain the
revolving horse display.
i
2
B I B L I O G R A P H Y
Alderson , p. 28
Avant Courier , May 10 , 1883 , p. 3
Beasley, Bill , interview, 9/10/85
Burlingame, 1972 , pp. 2-5
Eddie, George , interview, 9/5/85
Sanborn Maps , 1884 , 1889 , 1890
The Weekly Courier , April 10, 1918 , p. 1
3
141
D.
31/1
I _ MASONIC II LUI'Ih.
Figure 44: Main Street at Bozeman Avenue ( left to right) : Basinski 's, Smith's
Palace Saloon, and the Masonic building (with Bozeman National
Bank at the ground level and Masonic Hall above. ) (Bozeman Illus—
trated , c. 1890.. )
I• BREWERY.wo PUBLIC HALL-• BOTTLING ESTABLISHMEN7 AND MALT•'HOUSE•'
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0._. _ _ •tom••.! ' .....,.�• • i g�1 fi
I �r F w
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DRY HOUSE....MALT HOUSE RESIDENCE J. F. SP EITH
Figure 45: Spieth and Krug Bozeman Brewery. The brewery and public hall
(1883) , designed with elements of the italianate Commercial mode
of Victorian architecture, still stands ( 1984) on Main Street.
(Leeson, History of Montana, 1885. )
43
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