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Home My WebLink About237 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: 237 E Main St Historic Address (if applicable): City/Town: Bozeman Site Number: 219 Historic District Number (if applicable): 24GA0952 County: Gallatin Historic Name: Harper Block Original Owner(s): Francis (Frank) Harper Current Ownership Private Public Current Property Name: Montana Gift Corral Owner(s): Decosse Eastgate LLC Owner Address: 2120 Chambers Dr., Bozeman, MT 59715-5979 Phone: Legal Location PM: Montana Township: 2S Range: 6E SE ¼ SE ¼ NW ¼ of Section: 7 Lot(s): E19.37' Lot 10 & W5.81' Lot 11 Block(s): Block D Addition: Bozeman Original Plat Year of Addition: 1870 USGS Quad Name: Bozeman Year: 1987 Historic Use: Commercial Current Use: Commercial Construction Date: 1873 Estimated Actual Original Location Moved Date Moved: UTM Reference www.nris.mt.gov NAD 27 or NAD 83 (preferred) Zone: 12 N Easting: 497418.24 Northing: 5058456.91 National Register of Historic Places NRHP Listing Date: Historic District: Main St NRHP Eligible: Yes No *Property meets the City of Bozeman’s definition of an eligible property (see below). Date of this document: 04/28/2021 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: Site contributes within the Main Street Historic District (24GA0952). MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 2 Architectural Description Property Name: 237 E Main St Site Number: 219 ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION Architectural Style: Mission-Spanish Revival If Other, specify: Property Type: Commerce Specific Property Type: Retail, gift shop Architect: Unknown Architectural Firm/City/State: Unknown Builder/Contractor: Unknown Company/City/State: Unknown Source of Information: This site consists of one historical architectural feature: a commercial structure built ca. 1873. It was previously recorded in 1984 by James R. McDonald Architects, and subsequently included as a contributing site within the Main Street Historic District (24GA0952). McDonald described the building as follows: "This one-and-one-half story commercial structure has a rectangular plan with corbeled arches over the original symmetrical openings and a keystone over the central door. The original character/detail has been changed to two narrow vertical windows under the larger central arched window, and an entrance under one side with a fixed window under the other. A stone plaque has been situated above the larger arched window in the center to read 'F. Harper, 1873.' The brick construction has been sandblasted which has almost destroyed the original brick. The flat built-up roof lies perpendicular to the street." Metcalf revisited the site in October 2020 and noted some modifications to the primary façade. Changes since McDonald's survey include new windows, but intact openings, and an updated exterior. The brick façade has either been cleaned and patched up or possibly completely replaced with a new brick veneer, but in the exact original design, based on the fact that the previous report said the original brick had been sandblasted to the point it was deteriorating. The primary façade still has the three arched openings consisting of the following: the western arch has a wood and glass window door/entrance, the middle arch is the largest and tallest with a display window and new decorative wood band consisting of four wood squares beneath, and the eastern third arch is identical in size to the western entrance arch but contains another smaller display window and the same decorative wood band beneath it as found in the center arch. Awnings separate the rectangle windows (and door) from a 4 lite window directly in the dome portion of the arches. The lites in the arches are laid in a sunburst style. The modifications, specifically the reopening of the central arch, have restored aspects of integrity, based on Cohen's description of the arched openings being boarded up. There are three filled in small recessed round arches beneath the decorative brick band along the roof line which were repaired so they are now more clearly defined and slightly recessed within the arch. They were flush with the rest of the brick exterior in 1984 as if the sandblasting had removed the extending brick, but still visibly outlined. The plaque beneath the center arch is still there as well. A street sign for the Montana Gift Corral shop sits above the western arch/entrance. The site is in excellent condition. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 3 History of Property Property Name: 237 E Main St Site Number: 219 HISTORY OF PROPERTY The site is a commercial building known as the Harper Block. In a 1985 revision of McDonald's inventory report, Matt Cohen argued its significance as, “being the second oldest building in the district (one of only two that date from the 1870's) and an unusually elaborate example of a small blacksmith shop” and that “the building appears to be architecturally directly related to the Black Building (118 E Main). The building is also significant as the first home in Bozeman of the Sebree, Ferris & White hardware business, which opened in Bozeman in 1882, and about five years later built its own much larger business block at 34-42 W. Main” (Cohen 1985). The building has held a number of businesses, including Sebree, Ferris, and White, a plumber’s shop, and a feed storage. The building’s namesake, Frank Harper, collaborated in 1882 with S. H. Osborne in constructing the adjacent Osborne Block (229-231 E. Main). According to Cohen, “the two buildings stood together as an isolated unit from 1882 until the 1920's, when 241 E. Main was built adjoining Harpers former shop….The two buildings may, in fact, be the work of the same masons, round headed openings of the façade echo the original first floor of the Black Building, which consisted of an arcade of 11 similarly detailed, keystoned, round arched openings (none remain). In the parapet of this building are three small, round arched, blind windows similar to those of the black Building. The ornate brick cornice of this building is very similar to that which originally topped the Black Building, as seen in an 1872 photograph of Main St. (since replaced by a plain, flush, brick cornice).” Some alterations have occurred over time, including the partial in-fill of arched openings with brick and the sandblasting of the façade. As Cohen described, “the sandblasting of the façade, which, by removing the layer of vitrification, has caused extensive pitting of the wall surface, which can only be remedied by coating the surface with paint or sealer.” In 1993, Sharon and Bert Hopeman opened a gift shop, named Montana Gift Corral in the building (Montana Gift Corral 2021). They were the current occupants at the time of this survey. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 4 Information Sources/Bibliography Property Name: 237 E Main St Site Number: 219 INFORMATION SOURCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY Cohen, Matt 1985 Montana Historical and Architectural Inventory for Commercial National Bank, 237 E Main St., Revision. Document on-file with the City of Bozeman, MT. James R. McDonald Architects 1984 237 E Main St. Montana Historical and Architectural Inventory Form. Document on-file with the City of Bozeman, MT. Montana Gift Corral 2021 "About Us"https://www.giftcorral.com/pages/about-us, webpage accessed 28 April 2021. Montana State Library. Montana Cadastral records online, http://svc.mt.gov/msl/mtcadastral, accessed 04/28/2021. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 5 Statement of Significance Property Name: 237 E Main St Site Number: 219 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES NRHP Listing Date: 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: STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The property at 237 East Main Street was previously recorded in 1984 by James R. McDonald Architects, and was included in the Main Street Historic District (24GA0952) as a contributing site in 1986. Since then, the primary façade has been restored and owners have updated the windows and entrance. These modifications have had some affect on integrity of materials and design, however, Metcalf finds that it retains sufficient integrity to convey historic character. This site is currently listed in the NRHP as a contributing site within the Main Street Historic District (24GA0952) and retains integrity sufficient to maintain its listed status. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 6 Integrity Property Name: 237 E Main St Site Number: 219 INTEGRITY (location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, association) The site is in excellent condition, overall. The damage and subsequent repair to the brick veneer and updated windows affect integrity of materials, and to a degree design. All other aspects are retained. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 7 Photographs Property Name: 237 E Main St Site Number: 219 Feature # 1 Facing: N Description: Property 219. Primary façade. (Image #1702, 10/31/2020. SLW) Feature # 1 Facing: S Description: Property 219. View of north elevation, rear of building. (Image #1715, 10/31/2020. SLW) MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 8 Site Map Property Name: 237 E Main St Site Number: 219 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 9 Topographic Map Property Name: 237 E Main St Site Number: 219