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Home My WebLink About301 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: 301 W Main St. Historic Address (if applicable): City/Town: Bozeman Site Number: 24GA0916 Historic District Number (if applicable): County: Gallatin Historic Name: Gallatin County Court House Original Owner(s): Current Ownership Private Public Current Property Name: Gallatin County Court House Owner(s): Gallatin County Owner Address: 311 W Main St., Bozeman, MT Phone: Legal Location PM: Montana Township: 2S Range: 5E SE ¼ SE ¼ NE ¼ of Section: 12 Lot(s): Lots 1-9 Block(s): Block D Addition: Tracy's First Addition Year of Addition: 1872 USGS Quad Name: Bozeman Year: 1987 Historic Use: government Current Use: government Construction Date: 1935-1936 Estimated Actual Original Location Moved Date Moved: UTM Reference www.nris.mt.gov NAD 27 or NAD 83 (preferred) Zone: 12T Easting: 496749.58 Northing: 5058454.55 National Register of Historic Places NRHP Listing Date: 1987 Historic District: N/A NRHP Eligible: Yes No *Property meets the City of Bozeman’s definition of an eligible property (See below). Date of this document: 3/25/2021 Form Prepared by: S. Wells and R. Schields, 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 is listed in the NRHP. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 2 Architectural Description Property Name: 301 W Main St. Site Number: 24GA0916 ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION Architectural Style: Art Deco-Moderne If Other, specify: Property Type: Government Specific Property Type: Court House Architect: Fred F. Willson Architectural Firm/City/State: N/A Builder/Contractor: Unknown Company/City/State: Unknown Source of Information: McDonald, 1984 The Gallatin County Courthouse at 301 W Main Street was previously recorded by James R. McDonald Architects in 1984 and subsequently listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. McDonald described the property at the time as follows: “This three-story civic building in the Art Deco style has a square plan with bronze panel spandrels located at the building floor lines in the window friezes. The thiree-part façade is symmetrical and consists of a central front entrance with vertical windows patterned after the entrance on the main level. Many of the original windows were replaced in 1983 using vertical, aluminum retrofit 4-paned windows similar to the original. Operating sashes in the new windows and air conditioning units are not part of the original design. The stone construction is finished in limestone veneer with a granite base and sets on a concrete foundation. Art Deco style stone light bases flank the entrance steps. The flat roof is of built-up material. A ramp was cut into the granite steps in 1976.” Metcalf visited the site and noted that since the 1984 documentation, one pair of doors on the south-facing façade have been replaced with modern glass and metal double doors. The property has also sustained minor alterations to the surrounding flora, bushes along the west end of the façade have been removed. Overall, the site is in excellent condition. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 3 History of Property Property Name: 301 W Main St. Site Number: 24GA0916 HISTORY OF PROPERTY The Gallatin County Courthouse at 301 W Main Street was previously recorded and subsequently listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Constructed from 1935-1936, the Gallatin County Courthouse is Bozeman's most notable example of the Art Deco Style. The building was designed by Fred. F. Willson, local Bozeman architect whose works are well known throughout the region. Though the previous Gallatin County Courthouse building was only 55 years old in the 1930s, city leaders had the building condemned, "in order to justify the cost of new construction" and attract federal PWA funds (McDonald, 1984). These leaders include names such as Graf, Kenyon, and Chambers (McDonald, 1984). According to the 1987 NRHP nomination, “The Gallatin County Courthouse, as well as many of Bozeman’s public schools, was built with PWA assistance during the Great Depression” Its architectural style is characteristic of this historic association with the Depression Era Federal Relief Programs. The site is specifically listed for its stylistic merit under Criterion C within the context of government and architecture. In 1976, a ramp was cut in the original granite steps of the south-facing façade. Many of the original windows were replaced in 1983 with aluminum four-lite windows, some with operable sashes and air conditioning units (McDonald, 1984). MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 4 Information Sources/Bibliography Property Name: 301 W Main St. Site Number: 24GA0916 INFORMATION SOURCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY James McDonald 1984 Montana Historic and Architectural Inventory Form. "Gallatin County Courthouse". https://weblink.bozeman.net/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=146773&dbid=0&repo=BOZEMAN, accessed 3/25/21. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 5 Statement of Significance Property Name: 301 W Main St. Site Number: 24GA0916 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: Government, Architecture Period of Significance: 1930-1939 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The site consists of one historical architectural feature: the Gallatin County Courthouse constructed from 1935-1936. The courthouse is a three-story, Art Deco style civic building desgiend by Fred Willson and completed under the auspices of the New Deal with PWA assistance. The courthouse is in excellent condition. The replacement of windows and doors affects the integrity of materials to a degree. Metcalf finds it does retain sufficient integrity to convey its historic character in reference to its known significant associations. This site is currently listed in the NRHP and retains integrity sufficient to maintain that status. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 6 Integrity Property Name: 301 W Main St. Site Number: 24GA0916 INTEGRITY (location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, association) The Gallatin County Courthouse is in excellent condition. Replacement of some windows and doors affects integrity of materials to a degree. All other aspects of integrity are retained. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 7 Photographs Property Name: 301 W Main St. Site Number: 24GA0916 Feature # 1 Facing: Northeast Description: Property #255, site overview (Image #1739, 11/5/2020, SJW) Feature # 1 Facing: North Description: Property #255, façade view (Image #1740, 11/5/2020, SJW) MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 8 Photographs Property Name: 301 W Main St. Site Number: 24GA0916 Feature # 1 Facing: West Description: Property #255, east elevation (Image #1741, 11/5/2020, SJW) Feature # 1 Facing: SE Description: Property #255, oblique (Image #1741, 11/5/2020, SJW) MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 9 Site Map Property Name: 301 W Main St. Site Number: 24GA0916 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 10 Topographic Map Property Name: 301 W Main St. Site Number: 24GA0916