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Home My WebLink About308 N Grand 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: 308 N Grand Ave. Historic Address (if applicable): City/Town: Bozeman Site Number: 178 Historic District Number (if applicable): County: Gallatin Historic Name: Original Owner(s): Possibly Catherine E. Colbern Current Ownership Private Public Current Property Name: Owner(s): Red Star Acquisitions LLC Owner Address: 10 E Olive St., Bozeman, MT 59715-4722 Phone: Legal Location PM: Montana Township: 2S Range: 6E SW¼ NW ¼ NW ¼ of Section: 7 Lot(s): Lots 15-16 Block(s): Block 4 Addition: Bealls 3rd ADD Year of Addition: 1891 USGS Quad Name: Bozeman Year: 1987 Historic Use: Residential Current Use: Residential Construction Date: 1908-1912 Estimated Actual Original Location Moved Date Moved: UTM Reference www.nris.mt.gov NAD 27 or NAD 83 (preferred) Zone: 12 N Easting: 496909.59 Northing: 5058749.77 National Register of Historic Places NRHP Listing Date: Historic District: NRHP Eligible: Yes No *Property does not meet the City of Bozeman’s definition of an eligible property (see below). Date of this document: 3/10/2021 Form Prepared by: S. Wells and E. 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: MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 2 Architectural Description Property Name: 308 N Grand Ave. Site Number: 178 ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION Architectural Style: Craftsman If Other, specify: Property Type: Residential Specific Property Type: Single unit dwelling Architect: Unknown Architectural Firm/City/State: Unknown Builder/Contractor: Unknown Company/City/State: Unknown Source of Information: N/A Site 178 consists of one historical architectural feature: a house built between 1908 to 1912. It is a modest single-story, wood-framed bungalow with an L-shaped plan and concrete foundation. The site was previously recorded in 1984 by James R. McDonald Architects and had been considered "a neutral element within a potential historic district," due to it retaining its historical integrity with its "original materials and continuity of use, setting, and location." McDonald described the house as follows: "This detached one-story single-family has an L-shaped plan with a hipped roof front porch with wrought-iron railing. The two-bay façade is asymmetrical and consists of an off-center glass-paned front entrance with 1/1 double-hung and fixed windows. The frame construction is finished in weather boarding and rests on a concrete foundation. The gable roof is covered with brown-orange asphalt shingles and features boxed eaves. The axis of the roof is perpendicular to the street." Metcalf revisited the site on October 12, 2020 and did not note any major changes or alterations. The roof is gabled and covered in asphalt shingles. The exterior walls are clad in horizontal aluminum siding on the façade and south elevation, with original wood drop siding intact on the north gable end. The front facing gable comprises the south end of the building, and the north end is a slightly shorter side gabled wing. The primary façade faces west onto N Grand Ave. The primary entrance is beneath a hipped roof porch supported by three square posts and a wood rail encloses the raised porch. The entry is accessed by a flight of steps. To the south is a large picture window. To the north of the entry, on the side gabled wing, is a one over-one-lite double hung window. A similar window is centered on the north gable end, obscured from vegetation. The south elevation has a variety of window types and sizes. A shoulder height two lite wood sliding window is at the west end, and three one over one lite double hung windows are further back. The rear yard is enclosed with a vertical wood fence. The house is in fair to good condition, but with damaged siding. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 3 History of Property Property Name: 308 N Grand Ave. Site Number: 178 HISTORY OF PROPERTY The property currently addressed as 308 North Grand Avenue is located in Beall’s 3rd Addition that was platted in 1891. Catherine East Colbern (or Colburn) purchased the property on August 11, 1908 from Kate Sutton. Catherine Lyda had been born in Macon County, Georgia on April 14, 1840 to Gideon and Miranda (DeFreese) Lyda. Catherine married Leonard Preston (L. P.) Colbern in her home on January 9, 1859. Leonard Colbern had been born in Missouri on September 7, 1833. L. P. Colbern was a farmer (Ancestry.com, 2021). In 1874, the Colberns left Missouri for Oregon where they lived for seven years. They moved to Montana in c.1881, settling in Gallatin County, where L. P. became a prominent rancher in the valley. Leonard died on August 26, 1897 and Catherine died on April 4, 1917 (Bozeman Chronicle, 5 April 1917). They were buried together in Sunset Hills Cemetery in Bozeman (Findagrave.com, 2004). On March 13, 1911 Catherine E. Colbern sold the property to her son, Charles A. Colbern. Charles Colbern had been born in 1872 to Catherine and Leonard Preston Colbern. Charles married Lottie Mae Hizer. Lottie Mae Hizer had been born February 28, 1873 in Iowa. In 1908 Charles was the president of Bozeman Butchering L S & C Company (R. L. Polk & Co, 1908). In 1920 the Colbern family lived in Corona, CA and Charles worked as a fruit rancher and a building contractor (Ancestry.com, 2010). Charles was Mayor of Corona, CA for a time. He died on December 25, 1935 at the age of 63 years old in Corona after a short illness (Los Angeles Times, 25 December 1935). Lottie Colbern died on June 1, 1955 in Ventura, CA. Charles and Lottie were buried together in Corona Sunnyslope Cemetery (Findagrave.com, 2004). On August 24, 1918, Charles and Lottie Colbern sold the property to Peter Karst. Peter Karst is a well-known name in the Gallatin valley as he founded the first dude ranch in the area between 1907 and 1908 in Gallatin Canyon and was inducted into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2012 (The Billings Gazette, 27 May 2012). Peter F. Karst had been born on August 21, 1875 in Manitowoc, WI. By 1898, he was living in the Gallatin Valley. He carried mail between Bozeman and Salesville, MT (now Gallatin Gateway, MT) for a year before he founded the Karst Stage in 1901. Karst Stage carried mail, freight, and passengers to the Cooper Tie Camp at Taylor Fork twice a week. From 1907 to 1908 he built the Karst Stage Stop Inn 35 miles south of Bozeman. He also started tours into Yellowstone National Park at this time. Karst eventually had over 25 guest cabins along the Gallatin River at the Karst Ranch. Peter Karst married Jennie Dickinson in 1913 (The Bozeman Daily Chronicle, 6 June 2011). She was known for her cooking and Bozeman residents would drive up the canyon to have brunch at the Karst camp. Peter Karst did not live in this residence when he owned it (R. L. Polk & Co., 1918, 1922). Peter and Jennie E. Karst sold the property to Simon P. Rittenhouse on August 9, 1921. Jennie Karst died in 1931. Peter Karst married Nell Severence in 1938. Karst opened a ski hill at the ranch in 1935 which became a popular pastime for Bozemanites on winter weekends. Peter Karst died in 1966 (Cronin and Vick, 1992). Peter and Jennie E. Karst sold this property to S. P. Rittenhouse on August 9, 1921. Simon Preston Rittenhouse and wife Shabie Rittenhouse, and later wife Lillie Rittenhouse, lived in this residence until the early 1950s. Simon had been born on April 26, 1878 to W. D. and Sallie Rittenhouse. Rittenhouse came to the Gallatin valley in 1897. He was a farmer and did draying work. He married Shaby (Shabie) J. Cooper on July 6, 1908 in Livingston, MT. She died on December 30, 1939. In 1946, Simon married Lillie F. Thompson. Simon died in 1951 (Great Falls Tribune, 06 December 1951). Lillie Rittenhouse died on November 13, 1953 (Findagrave.com, 2021). Lillie Rittenhouse’s executor sold the property to Elsie M. Francis on June 21, 1954. In 1954 Elsie Francis was living in the residence. Elsie Davis had been born on October 22, 1903 in Bozeman to William and Emma Davis. She married James Henry Francis on November 21, 1928 in Bozeman. Elsie worked as a cook for Louise’s and for the Brite Spot Café in Bozeman. Her son, Carl Francis, lived in this residence with his mother from 1956 to 1958 (R. L. Polk & Company, 1956, 1958). Elsie Francis died on October 20, 1997 and was buried in Bozeman’s Sunset Hills Cemetery (Findagrave.com, 2021). Elsie Frances Cass sold this property to Anna R. and Arthur Patterson on August 19, 1965. Arthur and Anna Patterson move into this residence after their purchase. Shortly afterwards, Arthur died on September 12, 1966. Anna continued to live in the residence. Anna Mefford had been born in Dodge City, KS to James and Annetta Mefford. Anna married Irl Hamilton in 1913 and they farmed near Glendive, MT from 1933 to 1936. Hamilton died in 1937. Anna moved to California and married Arthur Patterson. They moved to Eugene, OR and farmed until 1942 when they came to Bozeman to farm. After Arthur’s death in 1966, Anna moved to Glendive in 1975 and died there in 1989 (The Billings Gazette, 17 March 1989). Anna Patterson sold the property to Helen A. Dobson and Alice (aka Alan) M. Freese on May 27, 1975. Helen Anita Schellsmidt had MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 4 History of Property Property Name: 308 N Grand Ave. Site Number: 178 been born on July 24, 1921 in Denver, CO to Robert and Mae Estelle Schellsmidt. She moved to Montana and opened her own laundromat business in Missoula and then in Bozeman. While living in Bozeman she started a Junior Rock Club. Helen Dobson died on March 2, 2014 in Riverton, WY (thedavisfuneralhome.com, 2014). Helen and Alan owned a laundromat together here in Bozeman, called One Hour City Cleaners (Bozeman Daily Chronicle, 22 June 1996). Helen Dobson sold the property to the Bozeman Medical Arts Center on October 7, 1983. The Medical Arts Center owned it until they sold it to Cheryl and Steven J. Vick on July 9, 1993. The Vicks sold it to Andrew L. and Karol M. Crowder and Byron B. and Betty M. Riley on February 15, 1994. Byron B. and Betty M. Riley sold the property, via a quit claim deed, to Andrew L. and Karol M. Crowder on January 29, 2001. The Crowders sold the property to Red Star Acquisitions LLC on May 4, 2004. The property is currently owned, as of January 2021, by Red Star Acquisitions, whose agent is David Perlstein. Table 1. Chain of Title, 308 North Grand Avenue, Bozeman, Montana. Grantor Grantee Date of Instrument Type of Instrument Property Description/Comments Reference USA William J. Beall 01 May 1871 Patent Lot/Tract 1, Sec 7 2S6E GLO Records Rosa V. Beall Kate F. Sutton and M. A. Cantwell 16 May 1904 Warranty Deed Lots 15 – 18, Block 4, Beall’s 3rd Addition D: 34/466 and 35/56 (correction) M. A. Cantwell Kate F. Sutton 04 March 1905 Warranty Deed ½ interest in Lots 15 – 18, Block 4, Beall’s 3rd Addition D: 35/64 Kate F. Sutton Catherine E. Colbern 11 August 1908 Warranty Deed Lots 15 and 16, Block 4, Beall’s 3rd Addition D: 39/131 Catherine E. Colbern C. A. Colbern 13 March 1911 Warranty Deed Same D: 44/334 C. A. and Lottie M. Colbern Peter Karst 24 August 1918 Warranty Deed Same D: 61/124 Peter and Jennie E. Karst S. P. Rittenhouse 09 August 1921 Bond for Deed Same D: 67/72 **nothing in index Margaret Ellis and Arthur A. Allen S. P. Rittenhouse 09 April 1925 Warranty Deed Lots 15 and 16, Block 4, Beall’s 3rd Addition (deed given to release an indebtedness) D: 68/181 **nothing in index Lillie F. Rittenhouse (dec’d) Elsie M. Francis 21 June 1954 Deed of Executrix Same D: 115/75 ** nothing in index Carl R. and Nancy Gail Francis E. F. and Elsie M. Francis Cass 08 April 1965 Warranty Deed Same D: 147/557 E. F. and Elsie M. Cass Anna R. and Arthur Patterson 19 August 1965 Warranty Deed Same D: 149/126 Anna R. Patterson (widow) Helen A. Dobson and Alice (aka Alan) M. Freese 27 May 1975 Warranty Deed Same D: Film 28/1422 Alice (aka Alan) M. Freese Helen A. Dobson 08 August 1980 Quit Claim Deed Same D: Film 57/1754 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 5 History of Property Property Name: 308 N Grand Ave. Site Number: 178 Grantor Grantee Date of Instrument Type of Instrument Property Description/Comments Reference Helen A. Dobson Bozeman Medical Arts Center 07 October 1983 Warranty Deed Same D: Film 79/1672 Bozeman Medical Arts Center Cheryl and Steven J. Vick 09 July 1993 Warranty Deed Same D: Film 133/3433 Cheryl and Steven J. Vick Andrew L. and Karol M. Crowder and Byron B. and Betty M. Riley 15 February 1994 Warranty Deed Same D: Film 140/4345 Byron B. and Betty M. Riley Andrew L. and Karol M. Crowder 29 January 2001 Quit Claim Deed Same D: #2029581 Andrew L. and Karol M. Crowder Red Star Acquisitions LLC 04 May 2004 Warranty Deed Same D: #2148936 Red Star Acquisitions LLC David L. Perlstein 18 November 2004 Quit Claim Deed Same D: #2170574 David L. Perlstein Red Star Acquisitions LLC 30 November 2004 Quit Claim Deed Same D: #2171916 Red Star Acquisitions LLC David L. Perlstein 22 May 2008 Quit Claim Deed Same D: #2301581 David L. Perlstein Red Star Acquisitions LLC 11 November 2008 Quit Claim Deed Same D: #2315107 Red Star Acquisitions LLC David L. Perlstein 03 January 2013 Warranty Deed Same D: #2436876 David L. Perlstein Red Star Acquisitions LLC 04 April 2014 Quit Claim Deed Same D: #2478088 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 6 Information Sources/Bibliography Property Name: 308 N Grand Ave. Site Number: 178 INFORMATION SOURCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY Ancestry.com 2004 U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Ancestry.com Operations Inc., Provo, Utah. Electronic document, accessed February 11, 2020. 2010 1920; Census Place: Corona, Riverside, California; Roll: T625_125; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 136. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Ancestry.com Operations Inc., Provo, Utah. Electronic document, accessed January 12, 2020. The Billings Gazette [Billings, Montana] 1989 "Anna Patterson." 17 March. Billings, Montana. 2012 "Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame announces 2012 Inductions." 27 May. Billings, Montana. The Bozeman Daily Chronicle [Bozeman, Montana] 1917 "Ages Woman Passes Away at Son’s Home." 5 April. Bozeman, Montana. 1996 "Family Business Goes Down the Drain after PCE Discovery." 22 June. Bozeman, Montana. 2011 "A Man Lives Free." 6 June. Bozeman, Montana. Cronin, Janet and Dorothy Vick 1992 Montana Gallatin Canyon: A Gem in the Treasure State. Mountain Press Publishing Company, Missoula, Montana. Thedavisfuneralhome.com 2014 "Helen Dobson." Electronic document, accessed March 8, 2021. Findagrave.com 2021 Memorial page for Catherine East Lyda Colbern (14 Apr 1840–4 Apr 1917), Find a Grave Memorial no. 51337704, citing Sunset Hills Cemetery, Bozeman, Gallatin County, Montana, USA. Electronic document, accessed March 8, 2021. 2021 Memorial page for Lillie Thomson Rittenhouse (13 Mar 1878–13 Nov 1953), Find a Grave Memorial no. 51340799, citing Sunset Hills Cemetery, Bozeman, Gallatin County, Montana, USA. Electronic document, accessed March 8, 2021. 2021 Memorial page for Elsie Mary Davis Francis (22 Oct 1903–20 Oct 1997), Find a Grave Memorial no. 51229910, citing Sunset Hills Cemetery, Bozeman, Gallatin County, Montana, USA. Electronic document, accessed March 8, 2021. 2021 Memorial page for Charles A Colbern (1872–1935), Find a Grave Memorial no. 88802186, citing Corona Sunnyslope Cemetery, Corona, Riverside County, California, USA. Electronic document, accessed March 8, 2021. Great Falls Tribune [Great Falls, Montana] 1951 "S. P. Rittenhouse." 06 December. Great Falls, Montana. 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 March 8, 2021. Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, California] 1935 "C.A. Colbern, Former Mayor of Corona, Dies." 25 December. Los Angeles, California. Montana State Library. Montana Cadastral records online, http://svc.mt.gov/msl/mtcadastral, accessed 3/10/2021. R. L. Polk & Co. 1902-2012 Polk’s Bozeman (Gallatin County, Mont.) City Directories. R.L. Polk & Co., Kansas City, Missouri. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 7 Information Sources/Bibliography Property Name: 308 N Grand Ave. Site Number: 178 Sanborn Map Company 1884-1943 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. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 8 Statement of Significance Property Name: 308 N Grand Ave. Site Number: 178 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: STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The property at 308 N Grand Ave consists of a house built between 1908 to 1912. It is a modest single-story, wood-framed bungalow with an L-shaped plan and concrete foundation. The site was previously recorded in 1984 by James R. McDonald Architects and had been considered "a neutral element within a potential historic district," due to it retaining its historical integrity with its "original materials and continuity of use, setting, and location." The site remains in good condition but aluminum siding and replaced windows affect integrity of materials and the general deterioration and alteration of contemporaneous sites in the vicinity has diminished the area’s district potential. 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 despite indirect association with promiet early dude rancher Peter Karst. The site is not located within an existing historic district and contemporaneous residential properties in the vicinity have been found to lack sufficient integrity to convey historic character. Metcalf finds there is no district potential Metcalf recommends this site not eligible for inclusion in the NRHP. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 9 Integrity Property Name: 308 N Grand Ave. Site Number: 178 INTEGRITY (location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, association) Site is in good to fair condition, overall. The aluminum siding and replaced windows affect integrity of materials. Other aspects of integrity are retained. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 10 Photographs Property Name: 308 N Grand Ave. Site Number: 178 Feature # 1 Facing: E Description: Property 178. Primary façade. (Image #0303, 10/12/2020. EAS) Feature # 1 Facing: NE Description: Property 178. Oblique view. (Image #0304, 10/12/2020. EAS) MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 11 Site Map Property Name: 308 N Grand Ave. Site Number: 178 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 12 Topographic Map Property Name: 308 N Grand Ave. Site Number: 178