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Home My WebLink About36 E Main St 2021 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD For the Montana National Register of Historic Places Program and State Antiquities Database Montana State Historic Preservation Office Montana Historical Society PO Box 201202, 1410 8th Ave Helena, MT 59620-1202 Property Address: 36 E Main St Historic Address (if applicable): City/Town: Bozeman Site Number: 201 Historic District Number (if applicable): 24GA0952 County: Gallatin Historic Name: Benepe-Owenhouse Hardware Original Owner(s): Current Ownership Private Public Current Property Name: Owenhouse Ace Hardware Owner(s): Owenhouse Hardware Co Owner Address: PO Box 1187, Bozeman, MT 59771 Phone: Legal Location PM: Montana Township: 2S Range: 6E SW ¼ SE ¼ NW ¼ of Section: 7 Lot(s): Lot 9, & W15' LOT 10 Block(s): Block A Addition: Bozeman Original Plat Year of Addition: 1870 USGS Quad Name: Bozeman Year: 1987 Historic Use: Commercial Current Use: Commercial Construction Date: 1901-1902 Estimated Actual Original Location Moved Date Moved: UTM Reference www.nris.mt.gov NAD 27 or NAD 83 (preferred) Zone: 12 N Easting: 497176 Northing: 5058381 National Register of Historic Places NRHP Listing Date: Historic District: i NRHP Eligible: Yes No *Property does not meet the City of Bozeman's definition of an eligible property (see below). Date of this document: 10/29/2020 Form Prepared by: S. Wells and R. Schields, Metcalf Archaeological Consultants, Inc. with C. Alegria and C. Hendry, Extreme History Project Address: PO Box 1526, Bozeman, MT 59771 Daytime Phone: (406) 219-3535 MT SHPO USE ONLY Eligible for NRHP: □ yes □ no Criteria: □ A □ B □ C □ D Date: Evaluator: Comments: Site is non-contributing within Main Street Historic District. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 2 Architectural Description Property Name: 36 E Main St Site Number: 201 ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION Architectural Style: Other If Other, specify: Modern Property Type: Commerce Specific Property Type: Hardware Architect: 1955 redesign: Fred Willson Architectural Firm/City/State: Bozeman, MT Builder/Contractor: Unknown Company/City/State: Unknown Source of Information: This site is the east portion of the two-story Owenhouse Hardware store, constructed between 1891 and 1904. The west portion of the building is directly associated with the building recorded at 26 E Main St. Both were previously recorded by James R. McDonald in 1984, with revisions by Matt Cohen in 1985. While the site is located within the Main Street Historic District (24GA0952), the property is considered non-contributing. McDonald describes the site as follows: "This attached two-story commercial structure has two rectangular sections, each with a different storefront. The brick structure is stuccoed on both storefronts, and one of the storefront is further emphasized with concrete block fascia trim and cornice trim. Windows in both fronts are sliding sash, one store having larger windows than the other. Street level storefronts are of storefront windows, one inset under a nameboard framing facade, and the other flush with a wide decorative band above the windows separating the upper level. The axis of the roof is perpendicular to the street." Metcalf visited the site in October of 2021 and noted some modifications. The central portion of Owenhouse Ace Hardware has been refreshed with new exterior stucco and the second story windows have been replaced with one-over-two awning windows. Above the recessed glass and steel storefront is a flat metal awning with rounded corners that shelters the primary store entrance. The "Ace Hardware" sign has been moved from the first story to the center of the second story; the sign is externally illuminated. The east portion of the storefront has retained the same form since its recording in 1984. The centrally located blade-style sign has been removed; all other aspects remain unchanged. Overall, the site is in good condition. Some wear was noted on the upper story windows and exterior cladding. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 3 History of Property Property Name: 36 E Main St Site Number: 201 HISTORY OF PROPERTY The site is the central and east portions of Owenhouse Ace Hardware located at 36 E Main. Constructed by the Story family in 1901 or 1902, the property was built to house the Benepe-Owenhouse Company, precursor to present day Owenhouse Ace Hardware. Frank. L. Benepe came to Montana in 1877 and soon went into business selling hides, grain, and farm implements with A.J. Davison. He bought Davidson out in 1883 and two years later began construction of a commercial building at the corner of Willson and Main. According to Cohen, "Leeson's 1889 History of Montana notes that Benepe had the 'leading business in agricultural implements and all kinds of farm machinery' and bought and sold more grain than any man in the Gallatin Valley. Benepe built one of the finest houses in the city at the time, 201 S. 3rd Ave, in 1883, and later remodeled it to the Queen Anne Style (c. 1890)." Benepe was successful in his enterprise and even entered local politics. He served two terms as Bozeman's mayor. In 1891, Benepe and three others joined with Owenhouse, a saddle and harness maker from Iowa, and incorporated the Bozeman Implement, Carriage and Harness Co., later the Benepe-Owenhouse Company. By 1905 Benepe-Owenhouse Co. had relocated to 36 E. Main Street where the business continues today. Owenhouse owners purchased the property from the Story family in 1946, the first of many Story-owned properties to leave family ownership. In 1955, Fred F. Willson was hired to redesign the facade; after several discarded designs, Willson implemented the current form of the east portion: salmon colored glazed tiles framed by a dark fluted border. According to an interview with then owner Louis Spain in 1985, Willson chose a veneer of Minnesota granite along the foundation as, "a hardware store should have a solid foundation." (as quoted in McDonald, 1984). Owenhouse joined a national co-op of independent hardware stores in 1964 (owenhouse.com). According to their website, this move helped the, "locally-owned business compete with the influx of larger chains" (owenhouse.com). In the mid-century, the downtown store was managed by Louis Spain Sr., and Lou Spain. In 1975 ownership transferred to Larry Bowman, the current owner is Larry's son Eric Bowman. In 1982, Owenhouse expanded to the west, purchasing half of the neighboring building at 26 E Main. One year later, the business hired Bozeman architects Mattson, Prugh, and Lenon to add continuity to the three disparate store fronts. The firm continued Willson's band of dark granite across the foundation of all three facades and installed wide black metal bands above the storefronts to add definition and continuity. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 4 Information Sources/Bibliography Property Name: 36 E Main St Site Number: 201 INFORMATION SOURCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY James R. McDonald Architects 1984 108 W Main St. Montana Historical and Architectural Inventory Form. Revised Matt Cohen 1985. Document on-file with the City of Bozeman. Bozeman, MT 1984 36 E Main St. Montana Historical and Architectural Inventory Form. Revised Matt Cohen 1985. Document on-file with the City of Bozeman. Bozeman, MT owenhouse.com "Owenhouse Ace Hardware - The Helpful Place Since 1879." Our History - About Us. https://www.owenhouse.com/history/, accessed 6/2/2021. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 5 Statement of Significance Property Name: 36 E Main St Site Number: 201 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES NRHP Listing Date: 1986 NRHP Eligibility: Yes No Individually Contributing to Historic District Noncontributing to Historic District NRHP Criteria: A B C D Area of Significance: Period of Significance: STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The property at 36 E Main is the central and east portions of the Owenhouse Hardware Building. The building is a two-story commercial structure built between 1891-1904 with renovations in 1955 and 1983. It was previously recorded in 1984 by James R. McDonald Architects and, at that time regarded as, "a neutral element within a potential historic district." At the time of survey, the renovations completed by Fred Willson in 1955 had not yet reached the 50-year threshold for consideration to the NRHP. The renovations have since reached 50 years of age to be considered for listing. However, Metcalf has re-evaluated the site and finds that more recent alterations have impacted the site's integrity such that it no longer conveys the historic character associated with Willson's minimalist design. Sect. 38.700 of the Bozeman Municipal Code defines an eligible property as one that meets the criteria for inclusion in the NRHP or State Register either 1) individually or 2) as a contributing building to an existing or potential historic district. This site has been evaluated against the NRHP Criteria and has been determined to lack individual significance under Criterion A, B, C, and D. The site is located within the 1986 NRHP-listed Main Street Historic District boundary (24GA952), however, Metcalf recommends the site continue to be considered not eligible/non-contributing. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 6 Integrity Property Name: 36 E Main St Site Number: 201 INTEGRITY (location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, association) Overall, the site is in good condition; some wear was noted on the upper story windows and exterior cladding. Since the time of previous survey, the storefront has sustained impacts to materials, workmanship, feeling, and design with new windows and a new lighting and signage. As the facade was originally minimalist in its expression, these changes have cumulative impact on integrity such that the site is found to lack sufficient integrity to convey that historic character. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 7 Photographs Property Name: 36 E Main St Site Number: 201 Feature # 1 Facing: SE Description: Property 201 (Left) & 197 (Right). Primary façade (with ACE Hardware sign). (Image #1678, 10/29/2020. SLW) Feature # 1 Facing: NW Description: Property 201 (Right) & 197 (Left). Oblique view of rear south elevation. (Image #1685, 10/29/2020. SLW) MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 8 Site Map Property Name: 36 E Main St Site Number: 201 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 9 Topographic Map Property Name: 36 E Main St Site Number: 201