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Home My WebLink About138 W Mendenhall 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: 138 W Mendenhall St Historic Address (if applicable): City/Town: Bozeman Site Number: 270 Historic District Number (if applicable): 270 County: Gallatin Historic Name: Bellows and Nelson Machine Shop Original Owner(s): Current Ownership Private Public Current Property Name: Sacks of Bozeman Owner(s): Help Center Inc. Owner Address: 421 E Peach St, Bozeman, MT 59715-3029 Phone: Legal Location PM: Montana Township: 2S Range: 6E SW¼ SW¼ NW¼ of Section: 7 Lot(s): Lots 11 & 12 Block(s): Block B Addition: Tracy's 1st Add Year of Addition: 1872 USGS Quad Name: Bozeman Year: 1987 Historic Use: Commercial Current Use: Commercial Construction Date: 1935 Estimated Actual Original Location Moved Date Moved: UTM Reference www.nris.mt.gov NAD 27 or NAD 83 (preferred) Zone: 12 Easting: 496902.02 Northing: 5058500.11 National Register of Historic Places NRHP Listing Date: Historic District: NRHP Eligible: Yes No *Property meets the City of Bozeman’s definition of an eligible property (see below). Date of this document: 1/7/2021 Form Prepared by: Emily Sakariassen, 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 would contribute to a potential expansion of the Bozeman Main Street Historic District MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 2 Architectural Description Property Name: 138 W Mendenhall St Site Number: 270 ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION Architectural Style: Art Deco-Moderne If Other, specify: Property Type: Commerce Specific Property Type: Thrift store Architect: Fred Willson Architectural Firm/City/State: Bozeman, MT Builder/Contractor: Company/City/State: Source of Information: This site consists of a two-story commercial building on a corner lot, facing west onto N Grand Ave. The building was constructed c. 1935 and was likely designed by Bozeman architect Fred Willson. The building is in the streamlined Moderne style and is a brick- faced masonry building with a rectangular footprint and concrete foundation. The northwest corner of the building is curved, and there is a single-story addition to the north elevation. The primary entry is at-grade near the north end of the west facade. The entry has a transom lite. A secondary entry is further south along the facade and consists of a side-hung door with an in-filled transom above. Two large garage openings have been infilled along this elevation and contain windows of varying sizes surrounded by vertical particle board. The northern half of the facade has first and second story windows that are industrial-style multi-lite fixed windows. These appear to be original, while the sliding and casement windows at the south half of the building are modern. At the northwest corner of the building, there are distinctive curved glass-block windows on the first and second stories. A pair of steel doors is on the west wall of the north addition and glass-block windows are also apparent on the north elevation of the addition. The south elevation is unadorned and faces onto an east-west-trending alley. It was difficult to obtain clear views of the east (rear) elevation, which faces a private parking lot. However, it is apparent that additional glass-block windows and modern fixed and sliding windows span the elevation. The site is in good condition. Infilled garage openings on the west facade affect integrity of materials, design, and feeling. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 3 History of Property Property Name: 138 W Mendenhall St Site Number: 270 HISTORY OF PROPERTY The property is currently addressed as 138 West Mendenhall Street and is located on lots 11-12 in Tracys 1st Addition, S07, T02S, R06E, Block B. The commercial structure built on this property between 1935 and 1940 was possibly designed by architect Fred Willson as per James R. McDonald Architects, 1984. Fred F. Willson had been born in Bozeman in 1877 to Lester and Emma Willson. He attended Montana State College for two years and then went on to receive a degree in architecture from Columbia University in the city of New York in 1902. He studied abroad for two years and, upon his return to Montana, Willson practiced with C. S. Haire in Helena and Butte, MT. Willson settled in Bozeman, and operated his own practice from 1910-1956. During this time, he designed many public, commercial, and residential buildings throughout Montana. In 1940, the building was occupied by the Bellows and Nelson Machine Shop. Owners/operators Alvin Bellows and Frank Nelson did welding and general repair work here. By 1942, the occupant of this building was the Gallatin Co-Operative Creamery. They produced Gallatin Maid Butter, ice cream, cheese, milk, and buttermilk from 1943 to 1954. By 1956, the Gallatin Co-Operative Creamery had moved to 1001 N. 7th in Bozeman (R. L. Polk, 1940, 1942; Sanborn, 1943 - 1957). The Gallatin Co-Operative Creamery incorporated in 1932 to promote, foster, and encourage the local growth and production of agricultural products. Marketing products cooperatively eliminated waste and speculation and helped stabilize the market. The founding directors were N. L. Towne, Fred M. Boylan, L. D. Westlake, W. J Harrer, and Ole Oma, all of Bozeman (The Montana Standard, 03 February 1932). The Co-Operative was first located in the old Milwaukee Railroad Depot on East Main Street (at approximately 630 East Main). In 1941, the creamery outgrew the railroad depot location and the Milwaukee Railroad Company decided not to renew the lease agreement, so the Co-operative began searching for a new location (Johnson, n.d.). In September of 1942, the Co-Operative Creamery purchased this building from Alvin Bellows, and moved into this structure at 138 West Mendenhall Street. "The front of the creamery contained a retail sales room with refrigerated cabinets for displaying products" (Sixty Year Review, 1992). Lawrence Christie talks about this move in an oral history interview taken on December 15, 1975 by the Gallatin History Museum. Christie says, "finally we outgrew that, and all we was doing down there was making butter, so we moved up and bought a new building, or bought a building and overhauled part of it, and had a full-fledged creamery and butter plant. And they even started doing a little retailing of by-products, and we were on the corner of Grand and . . . Mendenhall" (Lawrence Christie Oral History, December 15, 1975, Gallatin History Museum, Bozeman). Over the years, the company bottled milk under the names Gallatin Maid, Jersey Dairy and Gallatin Gold (Belgrade News, 20 Jul 2007). By 1954, it became clear that the cooperative was growing and needed a larger space to operate. In July of 1954 the board discussed the acquisition of a new building site. By February they found a suitable tract of land on North Seventh Avenue in Bozeman. The land was purchased in April of 1955 and they moved into their new location in February of 1957 (Sixty Year Review, 1992). This building had various short-term tenants from 1961 until Lux Transfer and Storage and Bekins Van Lines moved into the structure in c. 1966. Lux Transfer and Storage and Bekins Van Lines specialized in local and long-distance packing, crating, and storage. Lux Transfer occupied the building until c.1983. The building was vacant until c. 1986. In 1987 Sacks Thrift Store moved into the building and they are the occupant as of December 2020 (R. L. Polk, 1956 to 2012). MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 4 Information Sources/Bibliography Property Name: 138 W Mendenhall St Site Number: 270 INFORMATION SOURCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY Belgrade News [Belgrade, Montana] 2007 "Dairy Co-op’s Name Change Begins August 1." 20 July. Belgrade, Montana. Johnson, Brady No date The Dairy Industry of Gallatin County. Gallatin History Museum. Bozeman, MT. James R. McDonald 1984 Montana Historical and Architectural Inventory. Electronic document, City of Bozeman. Bozeman, Montana. http://weblink.bozeman.net/WebLink8/0/doc/151603/Electronic.aspx, accessed August 14, 2020. The Montana Standard [Butte, Montana] 1932 "Creamery Plant Will be Built." 03 February. Butte, Montana. R. L. Polk & Company 1904-2012 Polk’s Bozeman (Gallatin County, Mont.) City Directories. R.L. Polk & Co., Kansas City, Missouri. Sanborn Map Company 1890-1957 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Bozeman, Gallatin County, Montana (Jul 1890, Nov 1891, Jan 1904, Sep 1912, Sep 1927, Sep 1943, Nov 1957). Sanborn Map Company, New York, New York. Sixty Year Review: Country Classic Dairies, Inc. Montana. 1992. Gallatin History Museum, Bozeman, MT. Shearer, Cindy 2018 Gallatin Agricultural History. Bozeman Magazine. https://bozemanmagazine.com/articles/2018/09/04/102964- gallatin-agricultural-history, accessed December 11, 2020. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 5 Statement of Significance Property Name: 138 W Mendenhall St Site Number: 270 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES NRHP Listing Date: 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: Click here to enter text. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE This site is a two-story brick-faced masonry building. It is the former Bellows and Nelson Machine Shop and one of several historic locations of the Gallatin Co-Operative Creamery. It was built c. 1935 in the streamlined Moderne style and is believed to have been designed by Bozeman architect Fred Willson. The site was originally recorded in 1984 by James R. McDonald Architects, who recommended that it be considered a contributing element within a potential historic district, based on its association with architect Fred Willson. However, the site has not been included in any NRHP-listed historic districts to-date. Sec. 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. Metcalf has been unable to confirm an association with architect Fred Willson and does not currently recommend that the site has individual significance under Criterion A, B, C, or D. It is not located within an existing historic district. However, it is located less than one-half block north of the 1986 NRHP-listed Main Street Historic District (24GA952). If the boundary of this district were expanded and/or the period of significance for the district extended past 1937, this site retains sufficient integrity that it would be contributing to a potential district. Metcalf recommends further research regarding the potential for an expansion of the Main Street Historic District to determine site significance. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 6 Integrity Property Name: 138 W Mendenhall St Site Number: 270 INTEGRITY (location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, association) This site has experienced numerous alterations, including removal of two original garage bay entrances on the primary facade, infilled with particle board and modern windows. These changes affect integrity of materials, design, and feeling. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 7 Photographs Property Name: 138 W Mendenhall St Site Number: 270 Feature # 1 Facing: SE Description: Property 270. Façade view (Image #539, 10/16/2020. EAS). Feature # 1 Facing: NE Description: Property 270. View northeast (Image #540, 10/16/2020. EAS). MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 8 Site Map Property Name: 138 W Mendenhall St Site Number: 270 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 9 Topographic Map Property Name: 138 W Mendenhall St Site Number: 270