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Home My WebLink About113 S Willson 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: 113 S. Willson Ave. Historic Address (if applicable): City/Town: Bozeman Site Number: 24GA0923 Historic District Number (if applicable): County: Gallatin Historic Name: Dokken Funeral Home Original Owner(s): H. H. Dokken Current Ownership Private Public Current Property Name: Dokken-Nelson Funeral Home Owner(s): Tayley Properties, LLC Owner Address: 113 S. Willson Ave., Bozeman, MT 59715-4628 Phone: Legal Location PM: Montana Township: 2S Range: 6E N ¼ NW ¼ SW ¼ of Section: 7 Lot(s): Lots 3-7, less S3' Lot 7 Block(s): Block B Addition: Alderson Addition Year of Addition: 1873 USGS Quad Name: Bozeman Year: 1987 Historic Use: Funeral home Current Use: Funeral home and crematory Construction Date: 1936 Estimated Actual Original Location Moved Date Moved: UTM Reference www.nris.mt.gov NAD 27 or NAD 83 (preferred) Zone: 12 Easting: 496950.98 Northing: 5058255.01 National Register of Historic Places NRHP Listing Date: 1986 Historic District: NRHP Eligible: Yes No *Property meets the City of Bozeman’s definition of an eligible property (see below). Date of this document: 03/12/2021 Form Prepared by: A. Sakariassen 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: 113 S. Willson Ave. Site Number: 24GA0923 ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION Architectural Style: Gothic Revival If Other, specify: Property Type: Funerary Specific Property Type: Funeral service Architect: Fred F. Willson Architectural Firm/City/State: Unknown Builder/Contractor: Henry J. Hamill Company/City/State: Unknown Source of Information: Montana Cadastral records online. This site is the Dokken Nelson Funeral Service and Cremation; it was previously recorded in 1984 by McDonald Architects and listed in the National Register in 1985. It was originally described as follows: “This one-story commercial building has a rectangular plan with a projecting entry bay with an oval-transomed front entrance. The entrance is recessed and the cut limestone architecture is detailed with a carved, relief limestone surround. The façade is symmetrical and consists of the front entry and casement and fixed windows with leaded glass and wooden sashes. Limestone surrounds the doors and windows. Interpretation of English Medieval architecture with turreted coping and simulated buttresses adorn the front façade. The windows are pairs of single light casements of three-part casements with small, leaded glass lights and leaded glass transoms above. The brick construction is of running bond pattern with a header course every seven courses. It rests on a concrete foundation, and has a flat built-up roof.” Metcalf visited the site in October 2020 and found that the building appears much as it did when listed in the NRHP. The north elevation features an attached double-stall garage added in the 1980s; it is considered to be a non-contributing addition. The garage is rectangular in plan and clad with red brick. The east and west elevations feature a double-stall, paneled, section garage door. The non- contributing addition is distinct in color, but conforms to the style of the main historic portion through massing and small buttresses present on the north elevation. Other alterations to the building since the 1980s include the addition of a concrete porch and ADA ramp to the east-facing façade and the removal of the Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service sign above the main entrance. An externally-illuminated sign has been added to the front yard and the turreted coping has been covered with metal guards. The site is in good condition. The limestone surrounds and decorations are chipped and cracking. The metal guards over the turreted coping affects the integrity of workmanship. All other aspects of integrity are retained. The site retains integrity sufficient to continue listing in the National Register of Historic Places. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 3 History of Property Property Name: 113 S. Willson Ave. Site Number: 24GA0923 HISTORY OF PROPERTY This site is the Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service and Cremetory, built in 1936 by H. J. Hamill and designed by Fred F. Willson. The site was individually listed in the NRHP in 1985. According to McDonald's nomination, "this fine example of the Neo-Gothic Revival style is indicative of the diversity of the work of Fred F. Willson." This site is the second location for Bozeman's current leading funeral services business. Originally located at 19 W Babcock, Dokken Funeral Home opened in 1927 under the direction of H. H. Dokken and M. F. Getchell. In October of that year, Dokken and Getchell bought out their competitor - the H. F. West Undertaking Parlor. Dokken bought out Mr. Getchell's interest in 1929 and by 1938 moved into the newly constructed building at 113 South Willson (dokkennelson.com). Designed by Fred. F. Willson, Bozeman's local and most prolific architect of the 20th century, the Dokken Nelson Funeral Home was constructed by H. J. Hamill and showcases Willson's ability to design in variety of styles for his clients. Willson was born in Bozeman in 1877, the son of Civil War Brigadier General Lester Willson; he attended school at Montana State College and Columbia University before traveling to Europe and continuing his education at Paris' Ecole des Beaux Arts. After his return to Bozeman, Willson began to design buildings inspired by the variety of styles he observed in his travels. Willson designed homes, apartment buildings, civic buildings, businesses, schools, and churches in styles ranging from Craftsman to Gothic and Contemporary (Bozeman Daily Chronicle, April 17, 2011). In 1946, two young men returned from service in WWII purchased one-half interest in Dokken's funeral service. Howard Nelson and Roderick Kippen had grown up around the funeral industry and carried on the business under the name Dokken, Nelson, and Kippen Funeral Service. After the death of Kippen in 1954, Nelson continued operating the business and in the late 1960s took on Rexal "Rex" Troth of Hardin, MT to help. Troth attended mortuary school in Texas and quickly bought into the Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service. Soon after, Rex invited James "Jim" R. Mitchell, a friend and funeral director from Hardin, to join him in Bozeman. In 1973, Mitchell bought out Howard Nelson's interest in the company and in 1986 Mitchell bought out Troth, becoming the sole owner. Jim and his wife Bernie owned and operated Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service until 2007, when they sold the business to Chris and Monica Remely who are the current owners and operators (dokkennelson.com). MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 4 Information Sources/Bibliography Property Name: 113 S. Willson Ave. Site Number: 24GA0923 INFORMATION SOURCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service and Cremation. "History." Why Choose Us. https://www.dokkennelson.com/why-choose-us/history, accessed 3/24/21. Hausen, Jodi. "Fred Willson: A modest man who left a big mark." Bozeman Daily Chronicle, April 17, 2011. https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/100/newsmakers/article_f30f2a9c-67b5-11e0-ba92-001cc4c002e0.html James McDonald 1984 Montana Historic and Architectural Inventory Form. "Dokken Funeral Home". https://weblink.bozeman.net/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=146759&dbid=0&repo=BOZEMAN, accessed 3/25/21. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 5 Statement of Significance Property Name: 113 S. Willson Ave. Site Number: 24GA0923 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES NRHP Listing Date: 1984-1985; 1985-86; 1987 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: 1930-1939 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service and Crematory building is currently listed in the NRHP individually under Criteria A (24GA0923). Metcalf finds that the site is in good condition and retains integrity sufficient to convey its historic character in reference to its historic associations. The site is currently listed in the NRHP and retains integrity sufficient to maintain its individually listed status. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 6 Integrity Property Name: 113 S. Willson Ave. Site Number: 24GA0923 INTEGRITY (location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, association) The metal guards over the turreted coping affects the integrity of workmanship. All other aspects of integrity are retained. The site retains integrity sufficient to continue listing in the National Register of Historic Places. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 7 Photographs Property Name: 113 S. Willson Ave. Site Number: 24GA0923 Feature # 1 Facing: W Description: Property 292. Façade (Image #527, 10/12/2020. EAS). Feature # 1 Facing: NW Description: Property 292. Oblique view (Image #526, 10/12/2020. EAS). MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 8 Photographs Property Name: 113 S. Willson Ave. Site Number: 24GA0923 Feature # 1 Facing: SW Description: Property 292. Oblique view (Image #525, 10/12/2020. EAS). Feature # 1 Facing: SE Description: Property 292. Oblique view (Image #524, 10/12/2020. EAS). MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 9 Site Map Property Name: 113 S. Willson Ave. Site Number: 24GA0923 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 10 Topographic Map Property Name: 113 S. Willson Ave. Site Number: 24GA0923