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Home My WebLink About1 W Main 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: 1 W Main St. Historic Address (if applicable): City/Town: Bozeman Site Number: 240 Historic District Number (if applicable): 24GA0952 County: Gallatin Historic Name: National Bank of Gallatin Valley Original Owner(s): Current Ownership Private Public Current Property Name: Berg Lilly Law Firm Owner(s): One West Main LLC Owner Address: 1 W Main St., Bozeman, MT 59715-4642 Phone: Legal Location PM: Montana Township: 2S Range: 6E SE¼ SW¼ NW ¼ of Section: 7 Lot(s): Lot 2 & E15.2' Lot 3 Block(s): Block A Addition: Tracy's 1st Addition Year of Addition: 1872 USGS Quad Name: Bozeman Year: 1987 Historic Use: Bank Current Use: Commercial Construction Date: 1905 Estimated Actual Original Location Moved Date Moved: UTM Reference www.nris.mt.gov NAD 27 or NAD 83 (preferred) Zone: 12 N Easting: 497085.4 Northing: 5058451.66 National Register of Historic Places NRHP Listing Date: 1986 Historic District: Main Street Historic District (24GA0952) NRHP Eligible: Yes No *Property meets the City of Bozeman’s definition of an eligible property (see below). Date of this document: 03/23/2021 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: This site is contributing to the Main Street Historic District (24GA0952). MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 2 Architectural Description Property Name: 1 W Main St. Site Number: 240 ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION Architectural Style: Classic Revival If Other, specify: Property Type: Commerce Specific Property Type: Law firm Architect: Unknown Architectural Firm/City/State: Unknown Builder/Contractor: Unknown Company/City/State: Unknown Source of Information: N/A This site consists of one historical architectural feature: a bank building built circa 1905. The site was previously recorded in 1984 by James R. McDonald Architects, and was subsequently listed as a contributing site within the 1986 Main Street Historic District (24GA0952). McDonald described the structure as follows: "This two-story commercial structure has a rectangular plan with an inset central front entrance flanked by two cement Roman Doric pillars. The one-bay façade is symmetrical and consists of a high arched-glass front entrance with two fixed, transomed windows on the first level and three 5-paned double-hung windows on the second level, with steel lintels and wood sashes. The frame construction is finished in concrete stone in running bond pattern and brick coursing, with a concrete molding decorating each level. It rests on a stucco-covered foundation and has a flat built-up roof. Its original form appears to be intact. This structure is in the Classical Revival style. The axis of the roof is perpendicular to the street." Metcalf revisited the site on October 12, 2020 and noted some changes since the 1984 survey. These include the stucco covered foundation which has been obscured by a cut-stone veneer, and an addition that was also added off the north elevation (alley side). The style and materials used for the addition are sensitive to the style and design of the original building. There are even similar but smaller pillars flanking either side of the new side entrance. The new stone façade covers the bottom portion of the old side entrance on the east elevation. A new side entrance is built into the addition. The north elevation shows the small addition for ADA compliance purposes. A parking lot also sits between the building and the alley. The east elevation of site 242 has a painted worn sign of the previous business that was in use at site 240 during the 1984 survey. The site is in excellent condition, but the addition and façade changes affect integrity of design and materials. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 3 History of Property Property Name: 1 W Main St. Site Number: 240 HISTORY OF PROPERTY Matt Cohen updated the 1984 report in 1985 to include a history of the property. The history is as follows: "The National Bank of Gallatin Valley is one of the most unusual of the early 20th Century buildings in the district because of the use of molded concrete blocks on so grand a scale. It is representative of the several banks in Bozeman's history that closed during one of the periodic depressions that occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The virtually all concrete building (the parapet is brick), which is dominated by a pair of nearly 2-story high, fluted, Roman Doric columns in antis, is a symbol of financial stability that this bank, ironically, never possessed. The bank was established in 1903 as 'Martin & Hall,' by James E. Martin (president). Martin has historically been noted as often for his very fine, Colonial Revival style house, built in 1892 at 419 S. Grand, as for his business ventures. The present impressive bank building was constructed in 1905, just two years before a national depression that lasted from October-December, 1907 and that forced the closing of many other banks throughout the country (The Coast, p. 425). Indeed, this bank seemed to have had a strong financial start. Davidson, according to his son, had a somewhat different perspective when during the agricultural depression of about 1924-1925, as president of the Gallatin Trust and Savings Bank across the street (2 W. Main), he would rise from his chair each morning and peer across Main St. to see if this bank was opening its doors. "It was always a matter of touch and go" recalled Paul Davidson in 1983 (Bozeman Daily Chronicle, 1883-1983, Pt. IV, p 14). Consequently, in 1926, Davidson's bank, along with the two others in the city, Commercial National, and Security Bank and Trust, together absorbed this financially ailing institution. Since the closing of the National Bank of Gallatin Valley, the concrete building has had several diverse occupants, including a basement bar called "Little John's"(possibly run by Bert Griffin - see Griffin Apartments, 427 E. Main). In 1975 the present occupant, First West, Inc. moved in, and replaced the original entrance with the present Modern glass one that fills the tall, round headed, recessed opening. The present First West sign was also put up then. An earlier occupant, which appears on the 1912 Sanborn Map, was a barber who rented space in the building alongside the banking offices - probably Emmett Thompson (Bozeman Daily Chronicle, 1883-1985, p.12)." According to the Montana Cadastral records, the exterior changes noted in the Metcalf survey may have been added in 2013 by Berg Lilly Law Firm. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 4 Information Sources/Bibliography Property Name: 1 W Main St. Site Number: 240 INFORMATION SOURCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY James R. McDonald Architects 1984-85 1 W Main St. Montana Historical and Architectural Inventory Form. Document on-file with the City of Bozeman. Bozeman, MT. Montana State Library. Montana Cadastral records online, http://svc.mt.gov/msl/mtcadastral, accessed 3/23/2021. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 5 Statement of Significance Property Name: 1 W Main St. Site Number: 240 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 Period of Significance: 1870-1937 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The historic National Bank of Gallatin Valley building is currently listed in the NRHP as a contributing site within the Main Street Historic District (24GA0952). Metcalf finds the site is in good condition with recent alterations that have had minor effect on integrity of materials and design. Metcalf finds that the site retains sufficient integrity to convey its historic character. The site is currently listed in the NRHP and retains integrity sufficient to maintain its listed status. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 6 Integrity Property Name: 1 W Main St. Site Number: 240 INTEGRITY (location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, association) Site is in good condition, overall. Changes to the lower façade and the addition on the east elevation affect design and materials but Metcalf believes that it retains enough integrity to still be a contributing element to the Historic Main Street District. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 7 Photographs Property Name: 1 W Main St. Site Number: 240 Feature # 1 Facing: NE Description: Property 240. Oblique view. (Image #1529, 10/12/2020. SLW) Feature # 1 Facing: NW Description: Property 240. Oblique view. (Image #1530, 10/12/2020. SLW) MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 8 Photographs Property Name: 1 W Main St. Site Number: 240 Feature # 1 Facing: SW Description: Property 240. Oblique view. (Image #1535, 10/12/2020. SLW) Feature # 1 Facing: N/A Description: Property 240. Picture of old historic photo of site 240 hanging within the entryway of site 240. (Image #1532, 10/12/2020. SLW) MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 9 Site Map Property Name: 1 W Main St. Site Number: 240 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 10 Topographic Map Property Name: 1 W Main St. Site Number: 240