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Home My WebLink About104 E Main 1985 MONTANA HISTORICAL AND I8 nA ARCHITECTURAL INVENTORY Site t.��i,7 Legal Description: Original Townsite Lots 1-4 and 13-20 (parking lot Blk B Address: 104 East Main Ownership:name: First National Bank —� ❑ private address: Box 730 Roll N 77 Frame N 32 I-1 niihlic )I IA: V f'+' Historic Name: Commercial National Bank }��/ wL, Common Name: First National Bank of Bozeman LI B \ R Y / El estimated �a•• `�' Date of Construction: 1920 documented Architect: _ FrPtj F Wj 11 v --�-- I1 N T� Builder. linknown _ T— Original Owner: Commercial National Bank Commercial National Bank Original Use: Present Use* CDmnterCial Structure Research Sources: T T _ ❑ abstract of title El city directories I I ❑ plat records/maps ❑ sewer/water permits t I El tax cards ❑ obituaries LA- I I ❑ building permit ❑ biographies I ba sanbornmaps—dates• 1920/1950s Bibliography: �1 Q lJ 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 detached five-story commercial structure has a rectangular plan with a symmetrical facade consisting of central entrances at the street level and three vertical rows of continuous fixed windows on the next four floors. The concrete and glass construction has a flat built-up roof and the exterior facade was remodeled in 1972. 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 Bozeman's early financial history. Founded in 1892 as the Commercial Exchange Bank, the First National Bank of Bozeman as it is now named, is the oldest remaining bank in Gallatin Valley. The Commercial National Bank merged with the Bozeman National Bank in 1907. The present building was constructed in 1920 for the Commercial National Bank, designed by Fred F. Willson. The exterior facade was remodeled in 1972. Fred F. Willson, son of General Lester S. Willson, who was an early Bozeman pioneer was born in 1877 in Bozeman. lie attended Montana State College for two years and graduated from Columbia University in architecture in 1902. Hes studied for two years abroad and upon his return, Willson practiced with C. S. Haire in Helena and Butte. In his long practice from 1910-1956, he designed many public, commercial and residential buildings. i 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. N,CDONAI0 ARCHITECTS _ Acreage:__ Address: P. O• BOX 8163 USGS Quad: — Date: MISSOULA MONTANA 5gg07 LITM's: REVISED 1 T�'►1 Matthew A. Cohen 17,17.erm,n, Montani fill v hrr-r,n-,.-r, ..%,r e n i I r i , Y �l Y d � �� R`� �`��'�y'�^�yfF �4: ` .z �x�.,: �,�' � � x i t� ri,• �7. c; � _Sr s '1- e *�; �'a•e>�s'�r � t *! ;t�,NP• . .� r.:� .�.. j . 's A,��FZ' t �•i / ��f` A `a iS i•'�"+�� ••�'(pg• S . � r � ♦ ", �. Ze�� t 4ti k c R 3. . ; � • •.u^..'�. �Et(e:; Aa a 3�kt�' ��'Sj+`�t1� bV .n i..,yx ..� Y `, ".R .,C�, •v�i sr..1�ig.v s. •y.. .�4 ,�. y.t;"r ?r�: ; ! i`..3• z' �rr1 � �� f3k�y& tv y ;� rxf��R v G y,9$• � �s :b{.ii I2r '. "$ �s '�:�4 �.�•�' � <. ��.- }�q� ; .Erb. ;r <> ��4 . yro X ., < i� ,Fr - �da'. .•" f x t ( !(s I r �''1�1i i! :r �'y �� r 1` � �- � �";.�¢b a.y� '7 � f ...�'Y �- �r � t ric:yyxif t��•:4' ..C'u.{f�Iy kR�ttt I Yix2. a.�� t��s!`, ev,d'F b�,r.•,saa tf'_a rFT` p \ � � 2' Arts .�F ,��5 �� -.� kG��.t�:. ' "� ��=i } .Li.,.��`��"%'3 �S ' gd s%,A .s i� 9 L'3 SSXs`ZIy z' ?��%tbi.r.•l.' ,Afl, l C t 9 N'k'M'h r {y 'Rr ��. >y: �• �`!o� t' '� x ry i 4 '� � ,•: ;�r�r�e}�i_r � ' t. ., �" � •Is.. � ash. � .� ,'��sj` '�!rr�� .1•'�,�^'� � s� �,.5 ups � •i "r 'r4x� ti y � s...�'qp' � � � '3 ,� t. � "s+,��,� '� _' y�,� ��'�� t s ' W�il.�' i ttw�o¢� 3 ,'e <t "5.,;.'�'«. ,4>r, ^ •.2>4 • t zv /r to < <'� t x`• pm • �. # 4 9 LtfiM �r r t g r__ of ,�,+- +,fit , ` {yr . ,�.�`v� .7�� y hr 4 •'�'t� �j�•�. a::C�"� � ��J�'t� �ae3k =dy �1• tic a.j X.. r�-'�` r t t� ;t, ¢• �E"��, � '� ,u�`jam[' R t ��•� t i-� t S 'C sure � f cK' r.ati j�•.- �.'i�Jx rS�f� f �,.�• ,�, t �f: �.'��s�S�? .>r„�..�•.,.s`a. :� ,t tih.• tt'._i�«� ac tFag 50 Year 4 rp of Our to `� In the spring of 1918,the i 1 Company was organized by A and W. N. Purdy. $100,000 was sold following the forma' i A building owned by John y \� refitted. �r• j I \ Doors were opened for bu the summer was spent insta:' The original officers and b bank were H. S. Buell, presir' president; W. N. Purdy, cashit I J. Hines. J. L. Ketterer was as, \ W. N. Purdy remained wi' when he and others organiz Seed Company. It was at tW was made cashier. f r Present officers are: J. D. . t Phil R. Sandquist, preside president; T. W. Witzel, vi ►"q Smith, vice president and assistant vice president; R,. cashier; J. F. Stimson, assist assistant cashier; Wayne Gib, O. Gilleland, - computer op, x , e� Mill auditor. Present Board of Direct( "TAM ! R. Sandquist, Cornelius A Kamp, F. P. Messmer, Will� t - j I • ' Stanley Milesnick. i t Assets: Dec. 31, 1919 1929 - $693,023.84. • � •-� . � t ; l r � $1,061,984.60; Dec. 31, 194' 31, 1959 - $10,226,927. ;:,�, ■ r"'�' '. t $25,982,119.18. The banking facility hay on several occasions. The t' 1� use for 40 years, was last ; the late Fred F. Wilson, Boi- J 5f �; esTt It was supervised by William The newest modern faciht home of Security Bank an' on Sept. 19, 1960• A new t_ by Oswald Berg an;Ass, Haggerty-Messmer Co., gen _ separate installment loan -�� - - counseling service; direct tt service; drive-in banking, t, - p lus a customer l This was our Bank Home for 40 Years. service, computer - - communil r> throughou In the :';ti,{, - •, ; there has, president,,. t IN r- _ A. G. Be- Street, president The gr and Trutit tz}�� compariso employe, time empi �Pcunfcl c lee TiTr� f.G �4 t. . 104 E. Main 1985 revision Matt Cohen, surveyor The dominant financial institution in Bozeman, and consequently the Gallatin Valley, since 1892, the Commercial National Bank also became one of the most architecturally prominent organizations in the city with the construction of this 5-story bank building in 1920: (Other names have included: The Commercial Exchange Bank from 1892-1894, and First National Bank from 1956 to the present. ) Unfortunately a nearly $1 million remodeling completed in 1972, which took a heavy toll on the . historic integrity of the district, converted this once prominent city landmark into the single most significant non-contributing structure in the district. The historic integrity of the structure however, is purportedly still intact beneath the present glass and aggregate stone sheathing. The bank was organized as the Commercial Exchange Bank, a state bank, on October ' 24, 1892, with an initial capital stock of $40,000, put up by E. Broox Martin (elected president) , Joseph Kountz, George Cox, Mark Miller, George L. Ramsey, George Kinkel Jr. , 'Mrs. Nettie Davis, Louis Krueger, and John R. Scahill . On November 1, the newly formed bank moved into a corner room in the Masonic Temple (137 E. Main) , and met with immediate success. By 1894, the Commercial Exchange emerged as the only bank between Helena and Billings on the Northern Pacific railroad to have survived the Panic of 1893 (Bozeman Weekly Chronicle, January 11, 1894) . On April 20 of that year, the bank entered the national system, and became the Commercial National Bank. Two years later, Commercial National moved into an ornate, 1-story brick structure on the present site, previously built for Nelson Story' s ill-fated Gallatin Valley National Bank (1882-1893) and rented it from Story for $125 per month, until 1903 when it was purchased for $20,000. Continuing to expand, the bank in 1907 bought out the Bozeman National Bank, which had formed in 1882 and had located in the east store of the Masonic Temple (137 E. Main) . The Commercial Bank joined the Federal Reserve system in 1914, within a year of its creation. When the present, 5-story, Classical Revival style home of the Commercial National Bank was completed in 1920 (see attached drawing) , it was the tallest and most modern building in the city. The Bozeman Courier of September 20, 1920 commented ". . . the new bank building, the most pretentious structure in Bozeman, is really a credit to the town. Rising four stories (actually five) above the sidewalk, it not only houses the bank, but has some 60 office and banking rooms. . ." A "Class B structure by fire insurance standards, the bank was built to be "virtually fireproof," according to Charles Vandenhook. The building, which is actually L-shaped rather than rectangular in plan for ventilation and lighting, and which displays formal facades on only the north and west sides , appears deceptively large. The original main floor interior of the bank was dominated by a row of large, square Tuscan columns that supported a high paneled ceiling, and that were flanked by teller booths along two walls. In 1956, the bank became the First National Bank of Bozeman, and between September 1970 and January 1972, a time of tremendous economic growth in the city, it took on a new, brashly modern image. The entire 5-story building was encased by the present white aggregate stone finish and vertical bands of smoked glass bay windows, and the interior was extensively opened and remodeled. An 8500 square foot addition to the east entailed the demolition of another Fred Willson-designed bank, the Security Bank and Trust Co. (see attached phote) , and one-thire of the Black Building - one of the single most significant historic buildings in the district. The architects of the nearly $1 million remodeling, Berg, Grabow & Partners, described the style of the new design as "Contemporary modern" (Gallatin County Tribune and Belgrade Journal , September 10, 1970) . While new pre-cast windows were installed in the west wall (this should possibly read "east wall ") , original windows were left in place elsewhere (Gallatin County Tribune and Belgrade Journal , September 10, 1970, p. 2) , suggesting that future restoration may be possible. Bibl_ioyraj)hy Charles Vandenhook, interview, 9/7/85 Gallatin County Tribune and Belgrade Journal , September 10, 1970, pp. 2, 5A. Bozeman Daily Chronicle, January 16, 1972, p. 11 Bozeman Daily Chronicle, August, 10, 1954, p. 46 Bozeman Daily Chronicle, 1883-1983, Pt. IV p. 3 Merrill Burlingame, "The First National Bank in Bozeman," typescript, 1972(?) Bozeman Sunday Chronicle, August 9, 1964, pp. 7, 01. The Coast, 1908, p. 425. ti