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Home My WebLink About40-44 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: 40-44 E Main St Historic Address (if applicable): City/Town: Bozeman Site Number: 239 Historic District Number (if applicable): 24GA0952 County: Gallatin Historic Name: Gallatin Block Original Owner(s): W. M. Nevitt Current Ownership Private Public Current Property Name: Gallatin Block / Co-op Downtown Owner(s): 400 Marion Inc Owner Address: PO Box 206, Bozeman, MT 59715 Phone: Legal Location PM: Montana Township: 2S Range: 6E SW ¼ SE ¼ NW ¼ of Section: 7 Lot(s): E2 LOT 10 ALL LOT 11 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 Estimated Actual Original Location Moved Date Moved: UTM Reference www.nris.mt.gov NAD 27 or NAD 83 (preferred) Zone: 12 N Easting: 497202 Northing: 5058382 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: Site contributes to existing historic district. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 2 Architectural Description Property Name: 40-44 E Main St Site Number: 239 ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION Architectural Style: Greek Revival If Other, specify: Property Type: Commerce Specific Property Type: Grocery Co-op Architect: unknown Architectural Firm/City/State: unknown Builder/Contractor: unknown Company/City/State: unknown Source of Information: James R. McDonald Architects 1985 40-42 E Main Street. Montana Historical and Architectural Inventory Form. With revisions by Matt Cohen in 1985. Document on-file with the City of Bozeman, Bozeman, MT. The site is the two-story commercial Gallatin Block constructed in 1901. The site was previously recorded in 1984 by James R. McDonald Architects with revisions by Matt Cohen in 1985. The site was subsequently added to the NRHP as a contributing site within the Main Street Historic District in 1986 (24GA0952). McDonald described the site as follows: "This attached two-story commercial structure has a rectangular plan with a large incised stone in the center of the upper facade reading "Gallatin" and a painted limestone column on the side front with a 1901 cornerstone. The asymmetrical facade consists of an off-center front entrance with aluminum storefront windows at street level and fixed windows on the second story, each flanked by two 1/1 double-hung windows. Small windows appear in the cornice frieze. The corbeling above the windows and the limestone sills both run continuously around the building. The brick construction has been painted and diamond corbeled pattern crosses the upper facade. It rests on a sandstone foundation. The flat built-up roof lies perpendicular to the street." Metcalf visited the site in 2020 and noted changes since the time of previous survey. Paint has been removed from the exterior brick cladding; in 1985, Cohen noted that the, "unusual paint scheme of the building - a thin layer of yellow paint accented by random bricks painted a darker gold color - appears to be original" (Cohen 1985). The first story storefront has been remodeled with modern metal framing and panels with fixed single-lite windows. At the west end of the facade, the awning covering the entrance to the upper stories has been removed and a semi-circular metal piece added between the door and single lite transom above. The column with the date 1901 incised at the west end of the facade has been painted black. McDonald describes the incised column as limestone, while Cohen notes it as sandstone; whichever material the column is composed of, it and a decorative cast iron pilaster which flank the upper story entry on the facade are the only remaining elements of the original storefront (McDonald and Cohen, 1985). The east elevation retains original window openings, but two additional metal framed multi-lite windows have been added to the first story and a modern metal framed storefront added to the south corner of the elevation. The storefront supports metal-framed, multi-lite modern windows with a flush entry to the first story and a recessed entrance to the upper story. Overall, the site is in excellent condition. A historic plaque is located on the north end of the east elevation. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 3 History of Property Property Name: 40-44 E Main St Site Number: 239 HISTORY OF PROPERTY The Gallatin Block was constructed in 1901 for William Nevitt, a local entrepreneur, who also owned and operated the Nevitt Block at 107-113 E Main. Nevitt was born in 1857 and raised in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. At age 19, he headed west, settling in the Bozeman area where he established and operated his hardware business for nearly 25 years and "had an active and large part in the upbuilding of that city, he having built and operated for a time the electric light plant there" (Oshkosh Northwestern, 17 May 1924). In 1901, the Avant Courier noted that Nevitt had the dressed stone sills and watertables for the Gallatin Block imported from the east to avoid construction delays. As, "When Mr. Nevitt starts in on any important enterprise ... he usually carries it through with a rush" (Cohen 1985). The first tenant was "The Fair" department store managed by H. L Casey. The upper floors contained offices rented by lawyers, real estate and insurance agents and included such tenants the U.S. Soil Conservation Service and local architect Fred F. Willson (Polk 1929). William Nevitt and his wife Hilda Pederson Nevitt eventually relocated to Minnesota, where he died in 1924 (Oshkosh Northwestern, 17 May 1924). By 1929, the location housed the Gallatin Drug Co. which was owned and operated by J. L. Kraker. Kraker ran the store until 1945, when he sold Gallatin Drug Co. to George B. Christensen of Billings (Great Falls Tribune, November 27, 1945). Gallatin Drug Co. continued to operate out of this location until 1957. Between 1940 and 1957, Gallatin Drug Co., shared the building with another drug store. According to the Polk Directory, Owsley's Drugs Inc. and Gallatin Drug Co. both operated out of the Gallatin Block between 1940 and 1944, Gallatin Drug at 41 E Main and Owsley's Drug at 44 E Main. Save-Way Drug Inc. took over Owsley's Drug in 1947, and by 1957 had bought out Gallatin Drug (Polk, 1947; 1954; 1956; 1958). Save-Way Drug, Inc. was a Montana-based chain who had joined with four other Montana drug stores in 1953 to fight competition and increase buying power (The Daily Inter Lake, January 13, 1953). The chain expanded rapidly in the 1950s; by 1954 they operated stores in Helena, Great Falls, Kalispell, and Denver (Independent-Record, July 4, 1954). Save-Way remained in the Gallatin Block until 1971, when it was bought out by Western Drug Co. Another Montana-based chain, Western Drug Co. owned ten stores in Montana by 1971 and each store manager also served as a pharmacist and stockholder (Billings Gazette, October 17, 1971). Western Drug began in Havre in 1955 and operated stores in Havre, Glasgow, Livingston, Billings, Bozeman, Harlem, and Great Falls (Montana Standard, May 31, 1987). Bozeman's store manager Jim Westberg operated the establishment from 1971-1999, when his son, Brian Westberg, took over ownership. Brian operated Western Drug until 2009; the building sold in 2010 (O'Toole 2000; Schontzler 2010). In 2010, owner Harry Parks and his nephew, Steve Parks of America West Real Estate, completed significant renovations at the Gallatin Block. The building was brought up to code, adding a new electrical system, heating and cooling systems, and a new roof. The upper floors received small updates including repainted hallway arches and refinished hardwood floors, while the first floor storefront received new windows and additional steel I-beams for structural support. It was at this time that the original exterior brick paint was removed. During construction, historic artifacts were found including, "a penny gum dispenser, old Pabst beer cans and a 1928 campaign pamphlet for Sen. Wheeler, 'the farmers' friend.' " (Schontzler 2011). The new space was designed by Rob Pertzborn of Intrinsik Architecture and is currently leased to the Community Food Co-op. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 4 Information Sources/Bibliography Property Name: 40-44 E Main St Site Number: 239 INFORMATION SOURCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY Billings Gazette [Billings, MT] 1971 "Area Business Managers Meet." October 17, 1971. https://www.newspapers.com/image/414498100/?terms=%22Western%20Drug%22%20Bozeman&match=1, accessed 6/8/2021. Bozeman Daily Chronicle [Bozeman, MT] Kathleen O'Toole, 2000, "Main Street mainstay: Drgu store thrives amid galleries, boutiques." November 11, 2000. https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/main-street-mainstay-drug-store-thrives-amid-galleries-boutiques/article_25f3881f-e302-5987-ac6b-79256c2f4a2c.html, accessed 6/8/2021. Amanda Ricker, 2011, "Downtown Co-op expected to open this week." April 19, 2011. https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/downtown-co-op-expected-to-open-this-week/article_55c11d0a-6a16-11e0-a001-001cc4c002e0.html, accessed 6/8/2021. Gail Schontzler, 2010, "Downtown Bozeman's Gallatin building gets a major makeover." June 29, 2010. https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/downtown-bozemans-gallatin-building-gets-a-major-makeover/article_cb126c64- 830b-11df-8b17-001cc4c03286.html, accessed 6/8/2021. Daily Inter Lake [Kallispell, MT] 1953 "Save Way Drug to Sponsor Sale Each Jan. 13; Gifts." January 13, 1953. https://www.newspapers.com/image/21056807/?terms=%22Save%20Way%20Drug%22&match=1, accessed 6/8/2021. Great Falls Tribune [Great Falls, MT] 1945 "Sells Bozeman Firm." November 27, 1945. https://www.newspapers.com/image/238272007/?terms=%22Gallatin%20Drug%22%20Co&match=1, accessed 6/8/2021 Independent-Record [Helena, MT] 1954 "Cy Mueller Leases Helena Save-Way to McGuin, Tangen." July 4, 1954. https://www.newspapers.com/image/392562838/terms=%22Save%20Way%20Drug%22&match=1, accessed 6/8/2021; James R. McDonald Architects 1985 40-42 E Main Street. Montana Historical and Architectural Inventory Form. With revisions by Matt Cohen in 1985. Document on-file with the City of Bozeman, Bozeman, MT. Montana Standard [Butte, Montana] 1987 "Western Drug closes store." May 31, 1987. https://www.newspapers.com/image/351390504/?terms=%22Western%20Drug%22%20Bozeman&match=1, accessed 6/8/2021. Oshkosh Northwestern [Oshkosh, Wisconsin] 1924 "William Nevitt Dies." 17 May 1924. Electronic document, https://www.newspapers.com/image/246155589/?terms=William%20Nevitt&match=2, accessed 1/21/2021. R. L. Polk & Co. 1904-2012 Polk’s Bozeman (Gallatin County, Mont.) City Directories. R.L. Polk & Co., Kansas City, Missouri. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 5 Statement of Significance Property Name: 40-44 E Main St Site Number: 239 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES NRHP Listing Date: 1987 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 site at 40-42 E Main consists of a single, historic, architectural feature: a two-story commercial block constructed in 1901 for William Nevitt. The property was recorded in 1984 by James R. McDonald Architects and subsequently added to the NRHP as a contributing site within the Main Street Historic District (24GA0952) in 1986. Although the Gallatin Block had undergone renovation in 2011, Metcalf finds the site retains sufficient integrity to convey historic character. The site is currently listed in the NRHP and retains integrity sufficient to convey its listed status as a contributing site within the Main Street Historic District. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 6 Integrity Property Name: 40-44 E Main St Site Number: 239 INTEGRITY (location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, association) Overall, the site is in excellent condition. In 1986, the Gallatin Block was included within the Main Street Historic District as a contributing property. In 2011, the storefront underwent significant renovation; the exterior paint was been removed, windows added to the east elevation, and steel I-beams added to the first story for additional structural support. These alterations affect the integrity of materials, workmanship, and design to a degree. The site retains integrity of location, setting, feeling, and association. Metcalf finds the site retains sufficient integrity to convey the character of its historic associations. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 7 Photographs Property Name: 40-44 E Main St Site Number: 239 Feature # 1 Facing: S Description: Property 239. Primary façade. (Image #1679, 10/29/2020. SLW) Feature # 1 Facing: SW Description: Property 239. Oblique view. (Image #1680, 10/29/2020. SLW) MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 8 Photographs Property Name: 40-44 E Main St Site Number: 239 Feature # 1 Facing: NW Description: Property 239. Oblique view of rear south elevation. (Image #1683, 10/29/2020. SLW) Feature # 1 Facing: W Description: Property 239. Close-up of NRHP plaque located on east elevation. (Image# 1682, 10/29/2020. SLW) MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 9 Site Map Property Name: 40-44 E Main St Site Number: 239 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 10 Topographic Map Property Name: 40-44 E Main St Site Number: 239