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Home My WebLink About17 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: 17 W Main St. Historic Address (if applicable): City/Town: Bozeman Site Number: 244 Historic District Number (if applicable): 24GA0952 County: Gallatin Historic Name: Ellen Theatre Original Owner(s): Gallatin Theater Co. Current Ownership Private Public Current Property Name: Ellen Theatre Owner(s): Montana Theaterworks Inc. Owner Address: PO Box 28, Bozeman, MT 59771-0028 Phone: Legal Location PM: Montana Township: 2S Range: 6E SE¼ SW¼ NW¼ of Section: 7 Lot(s): Lots 5-7 and W24 1/2' Lot 6 and E1' Lot 8 Block(s): Block A Addition: Tracy's 1st Year of Addition: 1872 USGS Quad Name: Bozeman Year: 1987 Historic Use: Commercial Current Use: Commercial Construction Date: 1919 Estimated Actual Original Location Moved Date Moved: UTM Reference www.nris.mt.gov NAD 27 or NAD 83 (preferred) Zone: 12 Easting: 497049.47 Northing: 5058451.49 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 (see below). Date of this document: 10/12/2020 Form Prepared by: E. Sakariassen and S. Wells, Metcalf Archaeological Consultants, Inc. with C. Alegria and C. Hendry, Extreme Historic 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 contributes to the Main Street Historic District. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 2 Architectural Description Property Name: 17 W Main St. Site Number: 244 ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION Architectural Style: Beaux Arts If Other, specify: Property Type: Commerce Specific Property Type: Theatre Architect: Fred F. Willson Architectural Firm/City/State: Bozeman, MT Builder/Contractor: H.J. Hamill Company/City/State: Bozeman, MT Source of Information: James R. McDonald Architects, 1985 This site is the 1919 Ellen Theatre designed by Fred Willson and built by H.J. Hamill in the Beaux Arts style. The primary facade faces south onto Main St. It was originally recorded by James R. McDonald Architecture in 1984 and subsequently updated with further research in 1985. It was listed as a contributing site within the Main Street Historic District in 1986. McDonald described the site as follows: "This two-story commercial structure is of the Classical Revival Style and has a rectangular plan with an inset open lobby supported by six brick columns set in pairs. The one-bay facade is symmetrical and consists of four glass entrances and transomed, double-hung windows on the upper level, the five central ones having arched keystones. The two outer windows have elaborate terra cotta detailing and there is also elaborate terra cotta detailing on the cornice. The bearing wall construction is finished in brick and white-glazed terra cotta. Granite blocks form the base of the pilasters on the floor level and the roof is flat." In 1965, a modern marquee was installed with the large yellow neon word "Ellen" displayed across the front (Cohen 1985). Metcalf visited the site and noted that new doors have been installed at the entrances and a new marquee. The marquee was the result of a recent restoration project. It was based on the original blueprints created by Fred Willson. Funding for the restoration were raised from within the community and the design was implemented by local architect Frank Cikan. Local glass artist David Fjeld of Big Sky Stained Glass created the art glass panels for the marquee. The facade restoration was completed in 2019 (Bozeman Chronicle October 4, 2019). The building remains in excellent condition and retains integrity sufficient to convey historic character and maintain its NRHP listed status within the Main Street Historic District. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 3 History of Property Property Name: 17 W Main St. Site Number: 244 HISTORY OF PROPERTY This site is the Ellen Theatre, originally designed by Bozeman architect Fred F. Willson. It was built on land owned by Nelson Story and has historic associations with several of Bozeman's early pioneering entrepreneurs including T.B. Story, Nelson Story, Jr., H.R. Greene, E.H. Kleinschmidt, and Otto Schmidt, all of whom were investors in the Ellen Theatre; they formed the Gallatin Theatre Company in 1919 and put up $100,000 for its construction. According to a history of the property written by Matt Cohen in 1985, the building was intended to be multi-functional. His history is summarized in the following: "The design included a banquet hall on the second floor at the front of the building for private parties and balls, with a hardwood dance floor layed [sic] over a sound-deadening layer of shiplap and felt. A confectionary story was to be located next to the theatre entrance, which was touted by promoters as a very progressive concept in theatre design. A stage with dressing rooms below was constructed for the use of traveling Vandeville [sic] shows such as the Pantages Circuit, with whom a contract for regular appearnces had been signed before the theater was constructed. On either side of the pracenium, decorative theater boxes, not part of Willson's design, were built. As orchestra was also included during silent movies. At the rear, a balcony constructed of steel girders was designed to overhang one third of the theater, and had lodges in front, one of which was permanently reserved for members of the Story family.... The theater was named for Ellen Trent Story, T.B. and Nelson Story, Jr.'s mother, and wife of Nelson Story--Bozeman pioneer and millionaire...The theater's first manager was Otto Schmidt, one of the original investors in both this and the Rialto Theater across the street. In 1937, Schmidt was replaced by Frank L. Broedecker as manager, who converted the banquet hall to his apartment, and halved prices in order to boost lagging patronage. Continually modernized, the theater gained a 'Mighty Wurlitzer' organ in 1925, at a cost of $16,000 and in 1929, a RCA "photophone" system was installed for the introduction of the first 'talkies.'" In the early 1930s, A.M. Russell, owner of the Rialto Theater, purchased the Ellen. In 1952, Theater Operators, Inc. bought the property and made a number of changes in a mid-1960s remodel. The Russells still owned and operated the Ellen Theatre when the property was first recorded in 1984 and subsequently included in the NRHP-listed Main Street Historic District (24GA0952) in 1986. In 2005, a local non-profit theatre group called Montana TheatreWorks purchased the Ellen in 2005 with the express purpose of saving and restoring the building which had fallen into disuse and disrepair. Work was overseen by Bozeman contractor Bill Martel of Martel Construction. The theatre reopened in 2008 (theellentheatre.com). MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 4 Information Sources/Bibliography Property Name: 17 W Main St. Site Number: 244 INFORMATION SOURCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY Bozeman Daily Chronicle 2019 "Ellen Theatre's newly revealed marquee inspired by the theatre's past." 4 October. Bozeman, Montana. Electronic document, https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/ellen-theatres-newly-revealed-marquee-inspired-by-the-theatres-past/article_17bf19c9- 258b-5efd-b25a-a381278abab9.html, accessed 3/17/2021. James R. McDonald Architects 1985 17 W Main St. Montana Historical and Architectural Inventory Form. Document on-file with the City of Bozeman. Bozeman, MT. The Ellen Theatre, "the Ellen Story," www.theellentheater.com/pages/history.html accessed 3/17/2021. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 5 Statement of Significance Property Name: 17 W Main St. Site Number: 244 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: Period of Significance: Historic More Than One Decade STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The Ellent Theatre was built in 1919 and designed by Fred F. Willson. The building is currently listed in the NRHP as a contributing site within the Main Street Historic Dstirct (24GA0952). The site has continuously served as a theatre for over one hundred years; restoration of the facade was completed in 2019. It remains in excellent condition and retains all aspects of integrity. This 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: 17 W Main St. Site Number: 244 INTEGRITY (location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, association) This site is in excellent condition. Changes to entrances and marquis were part of a 2019 restoration of the facade. As a result, the building has regained some character defining elements of its original design. All aspects of its integrity are intact. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 7 Photographs Property Name: 17 W Main St. Site Number: 244 Feature # 1 Facing: N Description: Property 244, Façade view (Image #1527, 10/12/2020, SW)/ Feature # 1 Facing: SW Description: Property 244, oblique rear view (Image #1538, 10/12/2020, SW). MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 8 Site Map Property Name: 17 W Main St. Site Number: 244 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 9 Topographic Map Property Name: 17 W Main St. Site Number: 244