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Home My WebLink About310-312 E Main St 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: 310-312 E Main St Historic Address (if applicable): City/Town: Bozeman Site Number: 237 Historic District Number (if applicable): 24GA0952 County: Gallatin Historic Name: Featherston Block Original Owner(s): Dr. H. J. Featherston Current Ownership Private Public Current Property Name: Nova Cafe Owner(s): AKM 310 LLC Owner Address: PO Box 1798, Bozeman, MT 59771 Phone: Legal Location PM: Montana Township: 2S Range: 6E SE ¼ SE ¼ NW ¼ of Section: 7 Lot(s): W 16' LOT 14 ALL LOT 13 & S 60'OF E 6.3' LOT 12 L S 10' ALLEY Block(s): Block C Addition: Original Town Plat Year of Addition: 1870 USGS Quad Name: Bozeman Year: 1987 Historic Use: Commercial Current Use: Commercial Construction Date: 1898 Estimated Actual Original Location Moved Date Moved: UTM Reference www.nris.mt.gov NAD 27 or NAD 83 (preferred) Zone: 12 Easting: 497451.06 Northing: 5058387.44 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: 4/21/2021 Form Prepared by: S. Wells and R. Schields, Metcalf Archaeological Consultants, Inc. 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 (24GA0952). MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 2 Architectural Description Property Name: 310-312 E Main St Site Number: 237 ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION Architectural Style: Commercial Style (Western) If Other, specify: Property Type: Commerce Specific Property Type: Restaurant Architect: Architectural Firm/City/State: Builder/Contractor: Company/City/State: Source of Information: This site is the 1898 Featherston Block, a two-story, commercial building constructed for Dr. J. H. Featherston, a local dentist. The primary facade faces north onto E Main Street with three at-grade entrances and two store-fronts. The building was originally recorded by James R. McDonald Architects in 1984 and subsequently listed in the NRHP as contributing to the Main Street Historic District in 1986. McDonald describes the site as follows: "This two-story commercial structure has a rectangular plan with a symmetrical facade of three entries inset between storefront windows. The upper story is divided into seven bays, each with one double-hung window. The middle window is larger than the others, and two windows on one end are joined to form a double size window. There is a continuous sandstone sill across the front and a flat arch above each window. The brick construction is finished in stucco on the first floor and features an elaborate brick corbeling forming the cornice. Brick pilasters between each window continue the cornice design. The axis of the roof is perpendicular to the street.” Metcalf visited the site in 2020 and noted several alterations since the time of previous survey. The two storefronts between the recessed entrances have 12-lite divided windows. The double window at the west end of the second story has been replaced with two single windows to match the others across the facade. All of the second story facade windows have been replaced with modern one-over-one lite sliding sash windows with vinyl surrounds. The rear elevation supports five bays and a flight of metal stairs to access the second story. The first story features two at-grade entrances, one to the Nova Cafe dining room and one to the kitchen. Historic window openings on the first and second story have been replaced with modern vinyl windows and filled with plywood or bricks. Overall, the site is in good condition. The exterior bricks are showing wear, as is the stucco cladding on the first story. The sandstone sill running under the second story windows is worn, chipped, and stained. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 3 History of Property Property Name: 310-312 E Main St Site Number: 237 HISTORY OF PROPERTY The Featherston Block was construct in 1898 for Dr. J. H. Featherston, a local dentist. Featherston used the upper floors for his practice and residence, while the street level shops were rented out as a post office and a stationary store (Anaconda Standard, January 6, 1899). Born in 1860 at Burke, New York, Featherston married Harriet Emerson in Fergus Falls, Minnesota in 1886 and the pair came to Billings in 1892 (Billings Gazette, August 21, 1932). Dr. Featherston established his practice in Bozeman in 1893, but frequently traveled to nearby cities, including Billings and Red Lodge, to offer his services (Red Lodge Picket, March 18, 1893). While living in Bozeman, Featherston served a term as the chairman of the Gallatin County Republican committee. In 1913, Featherston returned to Billings with his family; he passed in 1932 (Billings Gazette, August 21, 1932). According to Matt Cohen’s overview of the site’s history, a Chinese restaurant was located in this building early on and “the originally occupants of the two first floor stores were probably a stationary store and Post Office in the east, and a millinery…in the west.” In the late 1920s, an auto parts store was in the first level and the second story was a fraternal lodge hall (Cohen 1985). At an unknown date, the first story storefront was remodeled with a stucco finish. This affects integrity of materials and design, however the site retained enough historic character that it was included in the NRHP-listed Main Street Historic District (24GA0952) as a contributing site in 1986. The first-story has been the location of the Nova Cafe since 2005. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 4 Information Sources/Bibliography Property Name: 310-312 E Main St Site Number: 237 INFORMATION SOURCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY Anaconda Standard 1899 The Gallatin Valley: The Last Year Has Proved a Prosperous One. January 6, 1899. https://www.newspapers.com/image/349135952/?terms=Featherston%20Block&match=1, accessed 4/21/2021. Billings Gazette 1932 Dr. Featherston Dies Saturday: Death Takes Dentist Following Brief Illness. August 21, 1932. https://www.newspapers.com/image/415177699/?terms=Dr.%20J.%20H.%20Featherston&match=1, accessed 4/21/2021. Cohen, Matt 1985 312 E Main Montana Historical and Architectural Inventory. Document on-file at the City of Bozeman. Bozeman, MT. James R. McDonald Architects 1984 312 E Main Montana Historical and Architectural Inventory. Document on-file at the City of Bozeman. Bozeman, MT. Red Lodge Picket 1893 Dentistry. March 18, 1893. https://www.newspapers.com/image/171666673/?terms=Dr.%20J.%20H.%20Featherston&match=1, accessed 4/21/2021. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 5 Statement of Significance Property Name: 310-312 E Main St Site Number: 237 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: 1890-1899 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The Featherston Block is a two story commercial block currently listed in the NRHP as a contributing site within the Main Street Historic District (24GA0952) (James R. McDonald, 1986). Metcalf finds that the site is in good condition and retains integrity sufficient to convey historic character in reference to its historic associations. The site is currently listed in the NRHP as contributing to the Main Street Historic District and it retains integrity sufficient to maintain its listed status. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 6 Integrity Property Name: 310-312 E Main St Site Number: 237 INTEGRITY (location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, association) The site is in good condition, as the exterior cladding is showing wear. Early modifications, like the addition of stucco cladding to first story affects the integrity of materials and design. However, despite these alterations, the site was included in the Main Street Historic District in 1986. Since then, the building has sustained replacement of original windows, which affects the integrity of materials. All other aspects of integrity remain intact. Metcalf has determined that sufficient integrity remains and that the site is able to convey its historic character. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 7 Photographs Property Name: 310-312 E Main St Site Number: 237 Feature # 1 Facing: S Description: Property 237, façade view (Image #1785; SLW 11/07/2020). Feature # 1 Facing: N Description: Property 237, rear view (Image #1790; SLW 11/07/2020). MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 8 Site Map Property Name: 310-312 E Main St Site Number: 237 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 9 Topographic Map Property Name: 310-312 E Main St Site Number: 237