The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About24-28 W 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: 24-28 W Main St Historic Address (if applicable): City/Town: Bozeman Site Number: 235 Historic District Number (if applicable): 24GA0952 County: Gallatin Historic Name: Owenhouse Building Original Owner(s): Current Ownership Private Public Current Property Name: Owner(s): Florence Condo Master Owner Address: General Delivery, Bozeman, MT 59718 Phone: Legal Location PM: Montana Township: 2S Range: 6E SE ¼ SW ¼ NW ¼ of Section: 7 Lot(s): LOTS 6, 7, E 6' OF 8, E 6' OF N 4' OF 15 AND N 4' OF 16 & 17 Block(s): Block A Addition: Story Addition Year of Addition: 1872 USGS Quad Name: Bozeman Year: 1987 Historic Use: Commercial Current Use: Commercial Construction Date: c. 1918 Estimated Actual Original Location Moved Date Moved: UTM Reference www.nris.mt.gov NAD 27 or NAD 83 (preferred) Zone: 12 N Easting: 497034 Northing: 5058380 National Register of Historic Places NRHP Listing Date: 1986 Historic District: Main Street Historic District NRHP Eligible: Yes No *Property meets the City of Bozeman’s definition of an eligible property. Date of this document: 6/3/2021 Form Prepared by: S. Wells and R. Schields, Metcalf Archaeological Consultants, Inc. 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: MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 2 Architectural Description Property Name: 24-28 W Main St Site Number: 235 ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION Architectural Style: If Other, specify: Property Type: Commerce Specific Property Type: Retail Architect: Architectural Firm/City/State: Builder/Contractor: Company/City/State: Source of Information: This site is the two-story commercial block known as the Owenhouse Block. The site was previously recorded by James R. McDonald Architects in 1984, with revisions by Matt Cohen in 1985. The building was subsequently listed in the NRHP as a contributing site within the Main Street Historic District in 1986 (24GA0954). McDonald describes the site as follows: "This attached two-story commercial structure in the Victorian Commercial style has a rectangular plan with several storefronts protected by a round metal awning. The one-bay facade is asymmetrical and consists of two offset front entrances decorated with 1" mosaic tile and large fixed windows at storefront level. The second story features 1/1 double-hung windows in groupings. The bearing wall construction is finished in brick and the 6-8 courses above the storefront are corbeled out in the same plane. There are M-shaped corbels below the pressed tin cornice and a corbeled windows frieze. The roof is flat, and, lies parallel to the street." Metcalf visited the site in 2020 and noted minor alterations to the first story. The round awning above the first story storefronts has been removed exposing vertical metal panels at the east end and a multi-lite window at the west end. An additional recessed store entrance has been added to the west end of the building; the entrance is a paneled wood door with inset lite. Metal panels matching those above the storefronts have been added along the sidewalk. New doors and storefront windows have replaced those visible in the 1984 survey photo. The new doors and storefront windows are metal with fixed lites. Overall, the site is in excellent condition. Some wear and deterioration was noted on the bricks and sills of the second story. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 3 History of Property Property Name: 24-28 W Main St Site Number: 235 HISTORY OF PROPERTY The two-story commercial block known as the Owenhouse Block was likely constructed in 1918. According to Matt Cohen, "the block was built by a Mr. Owenhouse ... who ran a hardware store here and lived on S. Willson Ave., but probably was not E. J. Owenhouse of Owenhouse Hardware" (Cohen 1985). From at least 1927-1950, 26 E Main was home to the Oliver-Stout Implement Co. hardware store and a series of real estate agencies. The Oliver-Stout Implement Co was co-owned by brothers Robert B. Oliver and Ralph L. Oliver as well as J. A. Stout (Independent-Record, February 3, 1920). Robert Oliver had been born in Madison, South Dakota and came to Montana in 1909 as a representative of an implement manufacturer (Billings Gazette, June 8, 1935). Oliver-Stout Implement Co was incorporated in 1920 and in addition to their storefront, the business also owned property behind the Owenhouse Block for "implement storage" (Cohen, 1985). A variety of other businesses were housed at 24 W Main. In 1935, the east portion was rented by Earl McMahon Insurance, Thomas Simpson Real Estate, and Henry Catron Real Estate (Polk, 1935). In 1940, McMahon Real Estate Agency and Cereal Grading Co occupied the space. Earl McMahon was a leader in Montana's insurance field, he had organized the Montana Association of Insurance Agents and served as the first present of the organization in 1932 (Independent-Record, September 10, 1944). Between 1944 and at least 1959, Bennett Agency rented office space at 24 W Main. The Bennett Agency sold and listed ranch and commercial properties from Southwest Montana; in 1950, in the 1956 and 1959 directories, the agency is listed as selling real estate and insurance (Polk, 1956; 1959). Other renters at 24 W Main include Cereal Grading Co in 1940; Vern A. Ballantyne, contractor, in 1947; Berg Oswald Jr., architect, in 1950; and Dean J. Moore, Insurance Agent, in 1950. By 1954, the hardware store located at 26 W Main changed to Brown's Hardware (Polk, 1954). It is unclear if this represents a name change of the Oliver-Stout Implement Co., or an entriely different hardware company. Brown's Hardware rented the space through at least 1959 (Polk. 1959). The second story has housed apartments since the building was constructed in 1918. The current tenants of 24 and 26 W Main are Stuffed, a crepe restaurant, and Country Bookshelf. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 4 Information Sources/Bibliography Property Name: 24-28 W Main St Site Number: 235 INFORMATION SOURCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY Billing Gazette "Bozeman Implement Company President Succumbs on Friday." June 8, 1935. https://www.newspapers.com/image/411196773/?terms=Oliver%20Stout%20Implement&match=1, accessed6/3/2021. Independent-Record "Small Group of Insurance Men Met Twelve Years Ago in Butte To Form Montana Association." September 10, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/528443841/?terms=Earl%20McMahon&match=1, accessed 6/3/2021. "The Oliver-Stout Implement company.." The Independent-Record. February 3, 1920. https://www.newspapers.com/image/527619636/?terms=Oliver%20Stout%20Implement&match=1, accessed 6/3/2021. James R. McDonald Architects 1984 24-28 W Main Montana Historical and Architectural Inventory Form. with revisions by Matt Cohen in 1985. Document on-file with the City of Bozeman, Bozeman, MT. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 5 Statement of Significance Property Name: 24-28 W Main St Site Number: 235 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: Architecture / Commercial History Period of Significance: Historic More Than One Decade STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The Owenhouse Block is a 1918 two-story commercial block currently listed in the NRHP as a contributing site within the Main Street Historic District (24GA0952). Metcalf finds the site in excellent condition and retaining sufficient integrity to convey historic character in reference to its historic associations. The site is currently listed in the NRHP as contributing to the Main Street Historic District and retains sufficient integrity to maintain its listed status. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 6 Integrity Property Name: 24-28 W Main St Site Number: 235 INTEGRITY (location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, association) Overall, the site is in excellent condition. Installation of metal panels above and below the storefronts and the replacement of historic storefront windows affects the integrity of materials and design. All other aspects of integrity remain intact. Metcalf has determined that sufficient integrity remains and the site is able to convey historic character. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 7 Photographs Property Name: 24-28 W Main St Site Number: 235 Feature # 1 Facing: S Description: Property 235. Primary façade. (Image #1802, 11/07/2020. SLW) Feature # 1 Facing: NE Description: Property 235. Oblique view of rear south façade. (Image #1805, 11/07/2020. SLW) MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 8 Site Map Property Name: 24-28 W Main St Site Number: 235 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 9 Topographic Map Property Name: 24-28 W Main St Site Number: 235