HomeMy WebLinkAboutWool Lab (24GA1892) 2025
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Introduction
REMEMBER! The Principal Investigator is responsible for ensuring that the information in this form is complete and accurate as per
the Montana SHPO Consultation Guide standards for recording cultural and architectural resources in Montana.
LEARN HOW TO COMPLETE THIS FORM AND DOWNLOAD THE MOST RECENT VERSION AT: https://mhs.mt.gov/shpo/forms
Please contact Montana SHPO Cultural Records staff at (406) 444-4724 with questions.
- Documenting Sites (Section 2.3, MTSHPO_ConsultationGuide.pdf)
^ Requesting Smithsonian Numbers for Site Records: What to Submit (smithsonian-qr2.pdf)
* How to Create a Complete Site Record: Forms, Photos, Maps, and GIS (siteform-instructions.pdf)
+ How to Apply National Register Criteria for Evaluation. National Park Service, National Register Bulletin. 1997.
Online: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/upload/NRB-15_web508.pdf
1. Identification
HISTORIC / PROPERTY NAME SMITHSONIAN NUMBER (issued by SHPO)^
Montana Wool Laboratory 24GA1892
PROJECT NAME PROJECT NUMBER
DATE FIRST RECORDED BY PHONE (000) 000-0000 EMAIL ADDRESS
12/31/2012 Jessie Nunn (406) 208-8727 600 Meadowlark Lane, Livingston, MT 59047
DATE UPDATED BY PHONE (000) 000-0000 EMAIL ADDRESS
12/9/202
4
Lesley M. Gilmore (406) 600-0464 gilmorepreservation@g
mail.com
180 North Low Bench Road
Gallatin Gateway, MT 59730
2. Location
COUNTY LOT/BLOCK SUBDIVISION STREET ADDRESS CITY / TOWN (NEAREST)
Gallatin Capitol Hill 11th & Harrison, SE
corner
Bozeman, MT
UTM COORDINATES OR LAT-LONG FOR THE CENTER OF THE SITE, TO THE 6TH
DECIMAL
DATUM (E.g., NAD27, WGS84, etc.)
Zone: 12 Easting: 495970 Northing: 5057445 NAD 83
TOWNSHIP N/S RANGE E/W SEC QTR TOWNSHIP N/S RANGE E/W SEC QTR
2 S 5 E 13 NW¼
(tab from last cell to add rows to TRS table)
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NARRATIVE / NOTES ON ACCESS (OPTIONAL)
3. Ownership and Use
CURRENT ADMINISTRATIVE/SURFACE OWNERSHIP CURRENT USE
Montana State University Wool Lab and Offices Public
Private
ORIGINAL ADMINISTRATIVE/SURFACE OWNERSHIP ORIGINAL/HISTORIC USE
Montana State College Wool Lab and Offices Public
Private
4. Historic Property/Architecture Description
PROPERTY TYPE* ARCHITECTURAL STYLE TIME PERIOD
Historic University/College Craftsman
ARCHITECT NAME/FIRM ARCHITECT CITY, STATE BUILDER NAME/COMPANY BUILDER CITY, STATE CONSTRUCTION DATE
William R. Plew, MSC
Supervising Architect
Bozeman, MT Montana State College
Physical Plant
Bozeman, MT 1947 (actual)
STATUS NOTES ON STATUS CHANGE
Original location
Addition/alteration
Moved/relocated
Destroyed
Other
NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY
The Siting
The Montana Wool Laboratory (hereinafter referred to as the Wool Lab) is located at the northwest area of MSU’s main campus core.
It currently sits alone in the center west portion of South 11th Avenue, between West College Street on the north and West Harrison
Street on the south. A surface parking lot spans the length of the lot east of the Wool Lab, separating the lab from the Langford
Residence Hall (constructed in 1960). The Lab was originally surrounded by temporary and borrowed buildings to the north, east,
and south. The North and South Barracks filled the parking lot site from 1919 through 1974. The Veteran’s Recreation Quonset,
paired with a series of Quonset huts that formed the Military Science (ROTC) building, filled the lot just south of College Street from
1947 through ca. 1974. Temporary housing to the south of the Wool Lab was comprised of small homes and trailers.
The Primary Building - Exterior
The Wool Lab is comprised of the original primary building that faces South 11th Avenue and the original single-story garage that
extends from the east side of the building’s north end. A Quonset hut, added in 1951,1 rests east of the garage to which it connects,
while running parallel with the main building. All the exterior cladding, foundations, and trim are painted white. A parking area is
1 Merrill G. Burlingame MSU History Research Files, Accession 84014, Box 3, Folder: “Buildings,” Research notes & Materials, page 3.
MSU Special Collec�ons.
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defined by the walls of these three structures and is open to access from the south, where it connects to the concrete driveway
beside the south wall, leading to the street.
The primary building is a simple 1½ -story building with a rectangular footprint and a side gable roof. The main entry, centered in the
long west façade, is designated and protected with a cross-gable porch roof supported by wood columns. A series of wood steps rise
to the entry landing level, which is raised above the English basement. The poured-in-place board-form concrete foundation is visible
at the exterior face of the basement; it is painted white. The wood-framed building that bears on the concrete foundation is clad
with ¾”-thick wood siding with an 8½” exposure. The mitered corners are covered with painted galvanized corner guards. The
structure is visible in the rafter tails of the main and the entry roofs, a hallmark of the Craftsman style. Wood knee braces support
the extended open soffits of the gable ends. The narrow boards of the soffit (likely indicative of the roof sheathing) remain visible.
Both roofs are moderately sloped – 4:12 – and currently clad with architectural style asphalt shingles intended to mimic the original
wood shingles. A galvanized B-vent rises from the east slope, exhausting the basement furnace gases.
Each exterior wall is penetrated with ample window openings at the first floor and the basement. All the first floor windows are
eight-over-eight wood double-hung windows, with simple square stock trim. The header spans over the side casings which butt into
the wood sills. A label molding caps the header. The basement windows are six-over-six wood double-hung windows that are
narrower than the 3’-8½”-wide first floor openings. Stepped mitered wood brickmolds trim the openings set into the concrete walls.
Concrete window wells allow for these 3’-9” high windows to bring natural illumination into the basement rooms. Four window
openings at each the north and south elevations are aligned from the first floor to the basement. The first floor windows are
separated by mullions. The basement windows stacked below are narrower and separated by the concrete wall. All but the basement
windows in the south basement room have been replaced with vinyl single-hung units of the same muntin pattern. The west façade’s
central entry porch is flanked with a pair of windows at each side. None of these windows are paired; they are in individual openings.
The basement windows are centered below the first floor openings. The articulation of the rear elevation is impacted by the
placement of the garage and the interior functions. The furthest south first floor window is centered over the pair of basement
windows. The center window is aligned with the basement window below. The narrow windows over the garage are mounted high in
the wall, to clear the garage roof. These two windows are each four panes wide, The two attic storage rooms are each fitted with a
single window at the gable end. The south window is a three-over-three wood double-hung unit and the north window is a single
nine-pane in-swinging hopper.
A rectilinear wood balustrade defines the perimeter of the entry landing, butting into the wood columns and the exterior wall. The
porch’s 2¾”-wide tongue-and-groove flooring spans east-west. Grade appears to have been lowered from the front of the building,
requiring reconstruction of the wood steps (from five risers to eight) with a composite material for treads and risers on wood
stringers. The replacement handrail system is similar in appearance to the original yet comprised of a composite material – for the
square newel posts and their thin caps, the square spindles, and the top and bottom rails. The steps land on a concrete walk that
extends from the sidewalk to the thrust block.
The Garage - Exterior
The garage was part of the original building design and included in the original construction. It is a frame structure, with wood studs
visible in the interior. The exterior cladding and trim matches that of the main building. Two windows punctuate the north wall, each
with 2’-5”-wide by 2’-0”-high six-pane fixed windows. The roof now drains to a gutter atop the north wall which drains to a
downspout with an extension several feet from the building wall. The south elevation provides the primary access into the garage,
with two 8’x8’ overhead garage doors and a three-paneled mandoor. The 24-paneled wood garage doors and manual operation are
likely original.
The Quonset Hut - Exterior
In 1951, a Quonset hut was installed on site, with its north wall aligned with the main north wall. A recessed wood-framed link
provides access from the garage to the Quonset hut. This link is protected with wood weatherboards that match the main building
and with a cross-gable roof with asphalt shingles. The Quonset hut is a redesigned Stran-Steel style Quonset Hut. The one-story
building has a rectangular floor plate that is 20’-1/2” wide x 46’-10” long, providing an interior footprint of 939 square feet. It is
contained and defined by a barrel-vaulted roof/wall that bears on a board-form concrete foundation wall that rises to 2’-4 ½” above
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the poured concrete floor. A tell-tale feature of the Stran-Steel Quonset style is the arched corrugated steel hood over the continuous
length of the building “ridge” at 13’-0” above grade. This extends over the end wall by approximately 10”.
The exterior walls above the concrete base are finished with galvanized steel in corrugated sheets. The roof/walls are supported by
structural steel ribs (typically located four feet on center). The rear, north end of the building is fitted with a pair of steel out-swinging
awning windows, each of which is 3’-4” wide and 2’-8” tall. Divided into four panes each, the windows are separated and supported
by a 2¼”-wide steel mullion. The south end of the hut has a single garage door opening fitted with a 9’-wide x 8’-6”-tall 30-panel
wood door. Glass now fills the second to top row of panels. There are no openings inserted into the side roof/walls.
The details of the materials that appear to be original might generate connections to their original manufacturer and use. The arched
roof is clad with horizontally-oriented galvanized steel siding – painted white - above the concrete wall. The siding panels are 24”
wide and eight feet long. The roofing's corrugated ribs are 5/8” deep and 2¾” on center. The siding is fastened to the structural steel
ribs with double-headed nails located four feet on center. This attachment, and shape of the corrugation, is reinforced and secured
with a coped wood furring mounted to the exterior face of the rib, as visible at the end walls. The horizontal joints are fastened with
½” flat-slotted screws, 12” on center, likely to horizontal purlins fastened to the ribs. Each nail and each screw has a metal washer
over a nylon washer. The panels overlap approximately 9” at the vertical joints and 2” at the horizontal joints.2
The Primary Building - Interior
The Wool Lab’s interior exudes a high level of integrity, with original room configurations, door types and locations, wall and flooring
finishes, wood trim, fittings, and furnishings. All of the first floor rooms are treated similarly, with material standard to its 1947
construction: smooth plaster walls and ceilings (at 8’-5” above finished floor), 2 ¼”-wide plain-sawn oak tongue-and-groove flooring,
4¾” wood base with 1” shoe, and 2’-8” x 7’-0” 1½”-thick stile-and-rail doors with two horizontal plywood panels (often with 2’-2”-
high glass pane above) set with 2½”-wide mitered casings. The windows are trimmed similarly, with their wood stools at 2’ above the
floor. Each window, door, and trim has a clear finish (varnish or shellac).
All the rooms are fitted with built-in cabinetry, such as full-height shelving unit in the southeast office. Sliding glass doors in the
center are flanked with solid wood doors over the side shelving areas. All of these units are built of oak. The southeast office (106)
and the Cross-Sectioning Lab (102) each have a 5”-deep upper cabinet. The most important cabinetry greets the visitor at the entry,
where a 2’-deep glazed display case is shared by the entry hall (110) and the Lecture Room (101). Upper and base cabinets, accessed
with doors, complete the storage capacity in the Lecture Room. An original blackboard on the east wall of the Lecture Room is
trimmed with 3¼”-wide fir with eased edges and mitered corners. A deep chalk tray runs the full length of the board.
All the deadbolt and lockset hardware is mortised and of solid brass, with the exception of the hinges, which are plated. The original
2”-diameter round knobs with round rose escutcheon remain on many of the doors. The switch plates are of Bakelite.
An enclosed central stairway is perpendicular to and accessed from the central hall, providing access to both the attic and the
basement below. In the attic, the hall is flanked at the north and south with a store room. The long eaves parallel to the ridge provide
additional storage space. The walls and ceilings are finished with painted plywood.
The attic’s hall flooring and base trim are the same as the first floor, yet the flooring in the store spaces is of 3 ¼”-wide Doug Fir. The
baseboard and window/door trim is painted white. The windows and doors are trimmed with 3”-wide wood with eased edges. The
window 1¼”-thick stool extends 1” beyond the side casings.
In the eave spaces, the roof rafters are visible, with 1½” x 5½” members spaced 2’-0” on center. The roof sheathing is concealed by
an application of 2”-thick mineral fiber insulation covered with a thick fibrous paper fastened to the framing with nails set in 1¼”-diameter brass-plated button/washers.
2 MSU had numerous Stran-steel Quonset huts on campus from 1947 through 1958, when most of them were relocated to the MSU
Facili�es yard. The brand is recognizable from the S-shaped steel ridge. See AER for Electrician’s Quonset 24GA2263.
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The Garage – Interior
The wood frame construction of the garage is exposed on the interior, showing the 1½” x 3½” wall studs spaced at 16” centers. The
east wall is set on a 6½”-high concrete curb. New roof framing of flat wood trusses spanning north-south support the OSB (oriented
strand board) sheathing. The trusses, made of nominal 2”x4” members, are spaced at 2’ clear, providing a ceiling height of 8’-10½”
above the poured concrete floor slab. Paper stickers on the trusses note that Simkins-Hallin Lumber provided these members to Kruse Enterprises on 5/15/2013.
The Quonset Hut – Interior
The Quonset hut retains much of its original interior treatment, with ½”-thick 4’x8’ fiberboard panels spanning the steel ribs located
4’ on center. The joints are covered with wood battens 3/8” thick and 1¾” wide. This treatment was typical for the original Quonset
huts, as detailed in the Stran-steel catalogues. Also on a poured concrete slab, this utilitarian interior is fitted with wood shelving
units and some equipment that facilitated processing of the wool.
A 9’-wide by 8’-6” fir overhead garage door with flat plywood panels (6 across, 5 high) provides wide access into the Quonset. Glass
panes fill the row of panels second from the top. This manually operated door has one pull handle at the bottom rail. A pair of fir
stile-and-rail doors provides interior access from the garage into the Quonset hut. These are interior 1 3/8”-thick doors, each 3’-4”
wide by 6’-8” high. Each door is divided into five horizontal flat plywood panels set in place with profiled sticking that is mitered at
the corners. The pair of doors are latched with a hasp.
HISTORY OF PROPERTY
(The following – indented - discussion of the developmental history of the Montana State University Campus, and The 1945 Montana
Woolgrowers Convention, have both been excerpted from the 2012 Montana Historic Property Record form for the Montana Wool
Laboratory). Additional information is added in brackets.
Development of Montana State University Campus
Montana State University was founded on February 16, 1893 (four years after statehood) as Montana’s land grant college
under the Morrill Act of 1862. It has the distinction of being Montana’s first legislatively-created public university, with the
University of Montana in Missoula being created the following day. Initially called the Agricultural College of the State of
Montana, the new college was situated on a 200-acre site, part of which had been platted as the Capital Hill Addition in a
(failed) bid for the State Capital. Bozeman citizens raised funds to purchase half the land, and Gallatin County donated the
other half, which included the County poor farm. The first purpose-built building on campus was the Agricultural Experiment
Station (Taylor Hall) constructed in 1894. Main Hall (or Montana Hall), the centerpiece of the campus, was completed in
1898. The construction of the Neo-classical Revival style Agricultural Building (Linfield Hall) in 1907 further illustrated the
primary role of agriculture at Montana State. In 1913, the college was renamed the Montana State College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts (MSC).
The college anticipated a period of expansion after World War I, and contracted with Montana architect, George Carsley,
and nationally-known landscape architect,3 Cass Gilbert, to develop a campus plan, now known as the “1917 George Carsley
/ Cass Gilbert Plan.” This plan, which exhibited a formal Beaux-Arts symmetry [and formality], was adopted by the Montana
State Board of Education in 1920 and guided campus development until the outbreak of World War II. Its implementation
was assisted by a $5 million bond to fund building development programs on all of Montana’s campuses. At MSC this
resulted in the construction of several Italian Renaissance Revival buildings, including Roberts Hall, Traphagen Hall, Lewis
Hall, Harrick Hall, Romney Gymnasium and the Heating Plant.
3 Cass Gilbert was “One of this country’s foremost architects…” known for designing the Minnesota State Capitol, the New York
Custom House, the Woolworth Building, and a long list of outstanding well-regarded buildings. Henry F. Withey & Elsie Rathburn Withey, Biographical Dictionary of American Architects (Deceased), (Los Angeles: Hennessey & Ingalls, Inc., 1970; facsimile edi�on,
Detroit: Omnigraphics, 1996), page 233-235.
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MSC continued to grow and evolve during the Great Depression and World War II. This was spurred in part by the growth of
the Extension Service under the New Deal’s Agricultural Adjustment Administration, an increase in unemployed students
who enrolled in the years from 1932 to 1939 and expanded military training (including a flight school) during World War II.
The 1935 “Quads,” a women’s dormitory financed through the Works Progress Administration, and the oldest portion of the
Student Union, completed in 1940, were the era’s most significant additions to campus. Both were designed by Bozeman
architect, Fred F. Willson, in the Tudor Revival style. Slight deviations from the 1917 George Carsley / Cass Gilbert Plan
during the mid-1940s resulted from a desire for new buildings alongside a need to curb paving and heating costs by
reducing the space between buildings.
Along with colleges and universities across the nation, MSC expanded to accommodate students attending college under
the “GI Bill” after World War II. The square footage of campus buildings doubled in the following decades. At this time,
further departures occurred from the 1917 George Carsley / Cass Gilbert Plan as growth demanded expansion beyond its
boundaries and within its open spaces. The Renne Library (1949) and the small Danforth Chapel (1952), MSC’s first Modern
style building, were the era’s earliest additions to campus but several others followed during the 1950s and early 1960s.
Four Mid-Century Modern dormitories were added to the northern end of campus and new academic buildings, including
Reid Hall and the Math-Physics Building (AJM Johnson Hall), were erected in open spaces south of Garfield Street. Several
older buildings also received significant Modern style additions, including Linfield and Lewis Halls. The result of this new
construction was a campus showcasing a dynamic blend of revivalist and modernist styles.
The college was re-named Montana State University (MSU) in 1965, and the high-rise dormitories (Hedges and Roskie Halls)
that would symbolize the modern era were completed by 1967. More buildings were added in the 1970s as MSU replaced
all of its temporary frame buildings with permanent structures. Growth slowed during the 1980s through the beginning of
the 21st century in the core campus area, although a few new buildings (Visual Communications, the EPS Building and the
Chemistry & Biochemistry Building) were added. Many older buildings have also undergone significant alterations in recent decades. Perhaps the greatest addition to campus during the contemporary period was Centennial Mall along what was
once Garfield Street. In providing a strong east-west linear focus, the well-landscaped pedestrian mall was actually a return
to the axial arrangement of 1917 George Carsley / Cass Gilbert Plan. Today, the MSU campus represents a blend of early
formal planning, post-war expansion and contemporary buildings that respond to current needs. It offers an excellent
example of the evolution of campus planning in Montana. (Burlingame, in passim; Painter, Montana Property Record Form
for Langford Hall.)
The 1945 Montana Woolgrowers Convention
Sheep always proved a significant component of Montana’s livestock industry, and for much of its history far more sheep
than cattle occupied Montana’s ranges. By 1886, for instance, there were 986,000 sheep and 664,000 cattle recorded in
Montana, and in 1900 Montana led the nation in wool production with approximately 6 million sheep, as opposed to just
under 1 million cattle. (Malone, 157,167; US Agricultural Census, 1900). The fantastic growth in sheep numbers can be
partially attributed to the disastrous winter of 1886-1887, which proved sheep better suited to Montana’s tough winters
than cattle. To protect their interests and promote the industry, the state’s sheep ranchers formed the Montana Wool
Growers Association in 1883 at a gathering in Fort Benton. (Sutherland, 2). By 1940, the number of sheep fell to just over 3
million, but they continued to outnumber cattle 3:1 in Montana. (US Agricultural Census, 1940). As such, the Montana Wool
Growers Association had an acknowledged seat at the table when it came to Legislative funding and agricultural research at
Montana State College (MSC).
In mid-January of 1945, the Montana Wool Growers Association met in Butte, Montana to set an ambitious course for the
coming years. They established a mill levy, which required members to set aside 2 mills per pound of wool to fund the
Association, stay in in [sic] good standing with the American Wool Council and maintain stability in the changing post-War
economy (Sutherland, 4). In addition, the Association called for the establishment of a wool laboratory within Montana
State College’s Agricultural Experiment Station, “for the purpose of sampling, testing and shrinking Montana wool clips, and
carrying on any and all research as may be pertinent to a more complete knowledge of Montana wools.” (Sutherland, 5).
Funding and approval for the proposed wool laboratory was sought from the 29th Montana Legislature, who passed House
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Bill 123 during their 1945 session. The bill established the Montana Wool Laboratory, detailed its organization under the
MSC Agricultural Experiment Station, created a three member advisory board, called for a field service to collect samples
across the state and appropriated $50,000 over the next two years for the staffing and construction of the wool laboratory.
(Sutherland, 6-8).
The Montana Wool Laboratory
With Legislative funding and approval in hand, MSC could move forward with the construction of the Wool Laboratory, but
decisions about the location and character of the building slowed the process. Initially, some faculty and campus planners
hoped to incorporate the Wool Laboratory into a $455,000 Animal Science Building, but soon it was decided that to
expedite the process—the Animal Science Building had been a long unrealized dream—it should be constructed
independently. Anticipating this move, MSC’s supervising architect, William R. Plew, drew up plans for a modest, two-and- a-
half story, frame building very much in line with the $50,000 appropriation provided by the Legislature. Plew’s Wool
Laboratory, however, was not what the Advisory Board or MSC had in mind for the campus, because its modest nature and
frame construction would not, “harmonize with other permanent buildings as to similarity and in design or type of
architecture and materials used in its construction.” (Sutherland, 14). The building, it was felt by all, would harmonize much
better in design and purpose with the buildings at MSC’s Fort Ellis facility, a small farm located just east of Bozeman that was
currently used for range sheep investigations. Montana’s Governor and Attorney General concurred, finding no provision in
the law that required the Wool Laboratory be constructed on MSC’s core campus.
The MSU Physical Plant, headed by H. C. Cleever [Cheever] after Plew’s death in June of 1945, proceeded with the Fort Ellis
site and by May of 1947 had invested $600 dollars in excavation. By then, however, the situation at MSU changed, and the
Wool Laboratory Advisory Board made an about-face, now requesting the building be constructed on campus. It seemed
Plew’s building was now a better fit within a campus, “cluttered up…with various buildings of a semi-permanent nature,”
required to house a surge of post-World War II GIs. (Sutherland, 17). Furthermore, the Board felt if the building was located
on campus it could be used for adult education and the Wool Laboratory could better utilize student assistants. It seemed MSC officials agreed, and a suitable site was selected at the northwestern corner of campus with temporary housing to the
south and frame buildings dating from World War I (the Military Science Building and North and South Barracks) to the
north and east. [The construction drawings used to construct the Montana Wool Laboratory were prepared by the Office of
Supervising Architect, first dated 12 June 1947 and revised Aug. 13, 1947. Since the drawings are dated after Plew’s death in
1945, these drawings were presumably drawn by – or drawn under the supervision of – Cheever. The drawings were
followed closely in the construction of the building.]
Construction and equipment acquisition lagged due to post-War shortages, but the building was finished by early 1947 and
ready for operation by the 1948 wool season. (Montana Collegian, 3/1948, 7). [In 1951, a Quonset hut was placed on the
east part of the site, connected to the east end of the garage.4 This likely was part of the disposition of what were then
surplus huts on campus, when the men’s Quonset hut dormitories were no longer needed.
Upon completion, the Montana Wool Laboratory was described as a “long felt need of the multi-million dollar wool
industry,” that would serve five functions: (1) determine the shrinkage or clean content of Montana wools; (2) assist growers
in the production of higher quality wool clips; (3) educate growers and students on campus; (4) study Montana wool
production over a period of years; and (5) gather wool samples from across Montana and the world. (Montana Collegian,
3/1948, 7.) [These essential functions were reiterated in the 4 March 1948 Exponent article about the opening of the new
Wool Lab on campus. This article also stated that the lab would “…be one of the few in the nation to offer testing and
research service to the wool growers” and that they would gather wool samples from not only the state, but all other areas
of the world.”5 While the building was ready at the time of publication, it was noted that it would take a few months to
4 Burlingame research notes, MSU Special Collec�ons.
5 “New Wool Lab Is Opened On Campus,” The Exponent (4 March 1948), page 1.
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purchase and install the laboratory equipment. College students would be used for routine lab work during the peak
seasons.6]
As such, the Wool Laboratory fit perfectly with MSC’s Agricultural Experiment Station and Extension Service, which served
Montanan’s rural communities since 1983 and 1914, respectively. Assistant professor and MSC graduate, G. Curtis Hughes,
served as the Wool Laboratory’s first director until 1950, when he was replaced by Jim Drummond, who had completed his
graduate work at the University of Wyoming. Drummond served as Wool Laboratory director until 1981. Around that time,
the Wool Laboratory became part of the Animal & Range Science Department. Today, it is one of only three like it in the
United States (the others are at the University of Wyoming and Texas A&M), and is an integral part of Montana State
University’s Montana Sheep Institute, which also includes the 200 acre Fort Ellis Research Ranch and the 13,000 acre Red
Bluff Research Ranch. (Montana Sheep Institute Website).
William R. Plew
William R. Plew was educated at Rose Polytechnic Institute in Terre Haute, Indiana, graduating in 1907 with a BS degree. At
Montana State College he taught architecture classes as part of the College of Engineering. When Alfred Atkinson assumed
the presidency of Montana State College [in 1919], William Plew took a leave of absence to return to Rose Polytechnic to
continue his education in the newly formed discipline of architectural project management. He returned to Montana State
College with a Master of Science degree and created his position as Supervising Architect in 1913.7 His function was that of
project manager, draftsman, designer, coordinator with outside consultants and director of the Physical Plant. When Plew
died in June of 1945, H. C. Cheever of the College of Architecture stepped into his position as an additional duty until Plew's
replacement could be found. Walter Baker was employed as Professor Plew's replacement in 1947. (Adapted from
Sutherland, 17).
The Wool Laboratory represents the only extant building designed by Plew, though he oversaw the construction of every
building added to the MSC campus during his long tenure as Supervising Architect (1913-1945). As director of the Physical
Plant, Plew also served as the general contractor for Herrick Hall (1926) and likely drew up final plans for that building.
Current Day
The Wool Lab’s dependable method for sampling wool for shrinkage “…led to development of marketing strategies and Montana
receiving higher prices for their wool than other states. The Wool Lab also did work allowing growers to realize higher prices for pre-shearing clippings and tabs.”8 The lab’s current mission, stemming from its original, is clearly stated: “…is to provide high-quality,
prompt analytical services to sheep producers, the wool industry and wool researchers in Montana and across the United States, in
order to help sheep producers improve fiber diameter and wood yield of their wool clip. The Wool Lab, situated under the
Department of Animal and Range Sciences, supports the outreach efforts of the MSU Extension Sheep Program in serving producers
and the industry by sampling, testing, and scouring wool clips and fleeces to benefit wool growers in Montana and across the county.”9
Since preparation of the 2012 Montana Property Record Form, the Montana Wool Lab has now become one of only two (no longer
three) wood research and service labs in the United States. Texas A&M The University of Wyoming has a wool initiative now, having
apparently closed their wool lab sometime between 2017 and 2022.10 The wool lab at Texas A&M remains strong and continues to
6 Ibid., page 1.
7 More research is required here to resolve this discrepancy in dates of Plew’s leave of absence in 1919 and his return to MSC in
1913.
8 James E. Knight, “Animal and Range Sciences Department History 1893-2016,” page 6.
9 About the Wool Lab, www.montana.edu/wool/about.html, accessed 4 December 2024.
10 Internet searches for the University of Wyoming Wool Lab result only in informa�on about UW’s Wool Ini�a�ve and one lamb-a-
year program. Texas A&M’s program remains a strong collaborator with MSU’s wool lab tes�ng.
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grow.11 The valuable services provided by Montana’s Wool Lab, as a leader in fiber research, have been recognized by the Center of
the Nation Wool, Inc.:
“The wool lab at MSU is the golden standard for genetic selection across the inter-mountain region. Montana producers are known
across the United States for producing superior fineness, length, color, and uniformity each spring when their fleeces come to
market. The cornerstone of this reputation is the ongoing research and information shared by MSU.”12
MSU has recently begun construction of a new agricultural building that will house the Montana Department of Livestock’s
Veterinary Diagnositc Lab, the Montana Department of Agriculture’s Analytical lab, and the MSU Wool Lab. This represents the
state’s and MSU’s investment in the wool industry in Montana and the United States. Completion of this new building, located at the
northwest corner of South 19th Avenue and Lincoln Street, is scheduled for 2026.
The Wool Lab remains the last wood-framed building in the core of campus and the Quonset hut is the last remaining salvaged
Quonset hut outside of those at the current Facilities Yard at the southwest part of campus.13
Statement of Significance
The following statement is modified from the statement included in the 2012 Montana Property Record Form for the Montana Wool
Laboratory:
The Montana Wool Laboratory is a contributing building within the Montana State University-Bozeman Historic District, which is
listed under Criteria A and C. Constructed in 1947, the Wool Laboratory is significant under Criterion A in the areas of education and
agriculture. Along with the Agricultural Building (Linfield Hall) and the Extension Building (Taylor Hall), both of which housed the
Agricultural Experiment Station and Extension Service at different times, the Wool Laboratory contributed heavily to the scientific,
commercial, and social development of agriculture in Montana. This building had a particularly significant impact on Montana’s wool
industry after 1947, assisting ranchers in assessment and betterment of their wool crops through scientific research. The Wool Laboratory also contributed to the education of students at Montana State University (MSU), especially those in the Animal Sciences
Department.
Architecturally, the Wool Laboratory is significant under Criterion C as the only surviving frame building within MSU’s core campus
area. Once surrounded by other frame buildings dating from World War I (the Military Science Building and the North and South Barracks), by the 1970s the Wool Laboratory was the sole survivor of the 1968-1974 Building Program, which sought to eliminate all
non-permanent, frame buildings from the MSU campus. Its survival is likely due to its specialized function. The building is also
significant as the only building within the historic district that was probably designed by William R. Plew, who served as Montana
State’s Supervising Architect between 1913 and 1945. Along with the Extension Building (Taylor Hall), the Wool Laboratory is also the
only building within the core campus area that might be considered vernacular or rural in its overall design and character.
The Quonset Hut, attached to the Wool Lab’s garage in 1951, is significant as the last remaining Quonset hut in the core of campus.
The hut represents the huge building effort and creative funding necessitated by the post-World War II surge of students on
campus.14
11 Susan Himes, “Texas A&M AgriLife’s wool tes�ng lab becomes na�on’s largest,” 15 February 2021, online ar�cle,
htps://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2021/02/15/texas-am-agrilifes-wool-tes�ng-lab-becomes-na�ons-largest/, accessed 8 December
2024.
12 Larry Prager, Center of the Na�on Wool, Inc., www.montana.edu/wool/about.html, accessed 4 December 2024.
13 These Quonset huts were documented as part of the Facili�es Yard Property Record Form in 2012.
14 The other remaining Quonset huts on campus, at the Facili�es Yard, are slated for future removal.
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The Period of Significance begins with the construction of the Montana Wool Lab in 1947 and continues to 1974, when it was still
operating in its original capacity. The end date would be the present day yet is limited to the standard 50-year stand-back date
established to allow time and perspective to prevail.
Status
The Montana Wool Laboratory building and garage are in their original location. In 1951, the Quonset hut was added to the east side of the garage. Standard maintenance projects have been completed within the last ten or twenty years, with replacement of the
front steps and handrails, and replacement of the original wood shingle roofing with asphalt shingles. In 2013, the original roof
framing of the garage was replaced with wood trusses.
The interior of the main building is intact, representing a prime example of a Craftsman interior with original materials throughout,
including: tongue-and-groove wood flooring, wood windows and trim, wood doors and trim, plaster walls and ceilings, wood trim,
and built-in cabinetry throughout. The garage interior remains original with the exception of the 2013 replacement of the original
roof framing with wood trusses. The interior of the Quonset hut retains its original 1947 treatment with fiberboard and batten
wall/ceiling over the concrete base, steel sash, and wood paneled overhead garage door.
5. National Register Evaluation and Assessment
HAS A FORMAL ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION BEEN PREVIOUSLY ISSUED FOR THIS SITE/PROPERTY?
No formal determination Yes, determined NOT eligible Yes, determined eligible Yes, NR listed Unknown
PROVIDE YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THE SITE’S/PROPERTY’S ELIGIBILITY FOR THE NATIONAL REGISTER
Meets criteria as an individual property Meets criteria as a contributing element to a historic district
Does not meet criteria Does not meet criteria, and is a non-contributing element to a historic district
Historic District Name: Montana State University Historic District
APPLICABLE NR CRITERIA+ ARGUMENT FOR OR AGAINST EACH NR CRITERION
A – Events YES NO Significant for contributions to the scientific, commercial, and social development of
agriculture in Montana.
B – Persons YES NO No known association with significant historic scientific discoveries.
C – Characteristics YES NO Significant example of wood-framed and clad Craftsman style building.
D – Information YES NO No known information associated with significance of the site itself.
COMMENTS
Statement of Significance
The following two paragraphs are modified from the Statement of Significance included in the 2012 Montana Property Record Form
for the Montana Wool Laboratory:
The Montana Wool Laboratory is a contributing building within the Montana State University-Bozeman Historic District, which is listed under Criteria A and C. Constructed in 1947, the Wool Laboratory is significant under Criterion A in the areas of education and
agriculture. Along with the Agricultural Building (Linfield Hall) and the Extension Building (Taylor Hall), both of which housed the
Agricultural Experiment Station and Extension Service at different times, the Wool Laboratory contributed heavily to the scientific,
commercial, and social development of agriculture in Montana. This building had a particularly significant impact on Montana’s wool
industry after 1947, assisting ranchers in assessment and betterment of their wool crops through scientific research. The Wool
Laboratory also contributed to the education of students at Montana State University (MSU), especially those in the Animal Sciences
Department.
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Architecturally, the Wool Laboratory is significant under Criterion C as the only surviving frame building within MSU’s core campus
area. Once surrounded by other frame buildings dating from World War I (the Military Science Building and the North and South
Barracks), by the 1970s the Wool Laboratory was the sole survivor of the 1968-1974 Building Program, which sought to eliminate all
non-permanent, frame buildings from the MSU campus. Its survival is likely due to its specialized function. The building is also
significant as the only building within the historic district that was probably designed by William R. Plew, who served as Montana
State’s Supervising Architect between 1913 and 1945. Along with the Extension Building (Taylor Hall), the Wool Laboratory is also the only building within the core campus area that might be considered vernacular or rural in its overall design and character.
The Quonset Hut, attached to the Wool Lab’s garage in 1951, is significant as the last remaining Quonset hut in the core of campus.
The hut represents the huge building effort and creative funding necessitated by the post-World War II surge of students on
campus.15
The Period of Significance begins with the construction of the Montana Wool Lab in 1947 and continues to 1974, when it was still
operating in its original capacity (as it is as of the writing of this record). The end date would be the present day yet is limited to the
standard 50-year stand-back date established to allow time and perspective to prevail when considering a property’s significance.
INTEGRITY (LOCATION, DESIGN, SETTING, MATERIALS, WORKMANSHIP, FEELING, ASSOCIATION)
The exterior and the interior of the Montana Wool Laboratory retains a high degree of integrity. The location, design, materials,
workmanship, and feeling have not changed from their original condition. The setting has changed only in that the buildings that
originally surrounded the Wool Lab have been removed, having been replaced with a vegetated landscape with trees to the north,
and parking lots to the east and south. These changes are the result of a growing campus. The building’s association with its original
(and current) mission of furthering wool research in Montana remains strong.
POSSIBLE IMPACTS TO THE SITE
The Montana Wool Lab functions are scheduled to be relocated into a new building on campus in 2026, thus vacating this building.
No known plans for the building have been presented. It is hoped that the building can be reused for another MSU function. The
building is in good condition and could readily accept a new occupant.
6. Information Sources
LIST CITATIONS FOR INFORMATION SOURCES USED TO COMPLETE THIS FORM.
1. MSU Facilities Archives and MSU Special Collections (aerial photographs; The Montanans, The Exponents).
2. Jessie Nunn, National Register Nomination for Montana State University Historic District.
3. Jessie Nunn, Historic Property Record Form for the Montana Wool Laboratory, 2012.
4. Robert Rydell, Jeffrey Safford, and Pierce Mullen, In the People's Interest: A Centennial History of Montana State University.
5. Montana Historical Society Research Center: MSC Bulletins.
6. Original construction drawings (provided by MSU), 13 Aug. 1947.
7. Henry F. Withey and Elsie Rathburn Withey, Biographical Dictionary of American Architects (Deceased). Los Angeles: Hennessey &
Ingalls, Inc. (Detroit: Omnigraphics, 1996 reprint), page 233-235.
8. Terry Sutherland, “The Wool Laboratory, Montana State University,” unpublished, February 2009.
7. List of Photos and Maps
15 The other remaining Quonset huts on campus, at the Facili�es Yard, are slated for future removal.
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IMPORTANT: DO NOT insert images for photos, maps, and other figures to this document. Supporting photographs, maps, and
other figures referenced in the table below need to be formatted, saved, and submitted according to SHPO’s Guidelines and Samples
for CSR/AER Form Attachments. For more detailed mapping and photography standards, please review Montana SHPO Consultation
Guide, 2023.
FIGURE NUMBER DESCRIPTION / CAPTION PHOTOGRAPHER PHOTO DATE
Map 1 Site Overview / location map for Montana Wool Laboratory at MSU-
Bozeman 24GA1892. at 1:24,000 scale. T02S R05E S13. USGS Map of
Bozeman, MT.
USGS 2024
Map 2 MSU-Bozeman Campus Map – Partial MSU dwg
Figure 1 Montana Wool Laboratory Basement Floor Plan MSU dwg
Figure 2 Montana Wool Laboratory First Floor Plan MSU dwg
Figure 3 Montana Wool Laboratory Attic Plan MSU dwg
Figure 4 Montana Wool Laboratory Basement Photo Key Plan MSU dwg
Figure 5 Montana Wool Laboratory First Floor Photo Key Plan MSU dwg
Figure 6 Montana Wool Laboratory Attic Photo Key Plan MSU dwg
Feature 1 Exterior - facing east, towards west (streetside) entry façade Lesley M. Gilmore 3 Nov. 2024
Feature 2 Exterior - facing south, towards entry porch at west façade Lesley M. Gilmore 3 Nov. 2024
Feature 3 Exterior – facing south, towards north elevation Lesley M. Gilmore 3 Nov. 2024
Feature 4 Exterior – facing southwest, along north elevation Lesley M. Gilmore 3 Nov. 2024
Feature 5 Exterior – facing southwest, along north elevation Lesley M. Gilmore 3 Nov. 2024
Feature 6 Exterior - facing southwest, towards north elevation of Quonset hut
(left) and garage (right)
Lesley M. Gilmore 3 Nov. 2024
Feature 7 Exterior – facing west, towards east elevation of the Quonset hut Lesley M. Gilmore 3 Nov. 2024
Feature 8 Exterior – facing northwest, towards east elevation of main building,
with south elevation of garage at right
Lesley M. Gilmore 3 Nov. 2024
Feature 9 Exterior – facing northwest, towards main building at left and Quonset
hut at right
Lesley M. Gilmore 3 Nov. 2024
Feature 10 Exterior – facing northeast, towards south elevation (right) and west
elevation (left) of Quonset hut
Lesley M. Gilmore 3 Nov. 2024
Feature 11 Exterior – facing north, towards south elevation of garage Lesley M. Gilmore 3 Nov. 2024
Feature 12 Exterior – facing north, towards south elevation of main building Lesley M. Gilmore 3 Nov. 2024
Feature 13 Exterior – facing northeast, towards typical pair of windows in main
building
Lesley M. Gilmore 3 Nov. 2024
Feature 14 Exterior – facing northwest, towards typical bracing and rafter tail
detail of main building
Lesley M. Gilmore 3 Nov. 2024
Feature 15 Exterior – facing northwest, towards typical corner detail of main
building
Lesley M. Gilmore 3 Nov. 2024
Feature 16 Exterior – facing north, towards typical Stran-Steel steel beam of
Quonset hut
Lesley M. Gilmore 3 Nov. 2024
Feature 17 Interior - basement, facing northwest, within north end of main
building
Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
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Feature 18 Interior – basement, facing northwest, within workroom of main
building
Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 19 Interior – basement, facing east, across south room of main building Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 20 Interior – basement, facing northwest, in south central room of main
building
Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 21 Interior – basement, facing south, up the stairs from the basement to
the first floor of the main building.
Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 22 Interior – first floor, facing east, from entry across hallway in center of main building Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 23 Interior – first floor, facing southwest, towards Clerks’ Office of main
building
Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 24 Interior – first floor, facing northeast, from Clerks’ Office Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 25 Interior – first floor, facing southwest, into southwest office of main
building
Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 26 Interior – first floor, facing east, within southwest office of main
building
Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 27 Interior – first floor, facing north from hall into Conference/Lecture
Room of main building
Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 28 Interior – first floor, facing south, towards cabinets at end of
Conference/Lecture Room of main building
Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 29 Interior – first floor, facing northeast, from hall into Cross-Sectioning
Lab
Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 30 Interior – first floor, facing south, up the stairs to the attic of the main
building
Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 31 Interior – attic, facing north, towards center hall of main building Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 32 Interior – attic, facing southeast, from entry into south Store Room Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 33 Interior – attic, facing north, into Photo Room Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 34 Interior – attic, facing north, from entry into north Store Room Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 35 Interior – first floor, facing southeast, towards window in southeast
office
Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 36 Interior – first floor, facing southwest, up towards door trim of
restroom
Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 37 Interior – first floor, facing southwest, towards door and wall trim of
restroom
Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 38 Interior – first floor, facing northeast, towards typical door of main
building
Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 39 Interior – attic, facing east towards open door to eave storage area Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 40 Interior – attic, facing northeast into eave storage and roof rafters Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 41 Interior of garage, facing south, towards overhead doors in south wall Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 42 Interior of garage, facing west, towards west wall and stairs down into
basement of main building
Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 43 Interior of garage, facing north, towards north wall of garage Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 44 Interior of garage, facing east, towards east wall and entry into
Quonset hut
Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
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Feature 45 Interior of garage, facing east, towards entry into Quonset hut Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 46 Interior of Quonset hut, facing south, towards south end of Quonset
hut
Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 47 Interior of Quonset, facing north, towards north end of Quonset hut Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 48 Interior of Quonset hut, facing west, towards entry into garage Lesley M. Gilmore 14 Oct. 2024
Feature 49 Construction documents MSU dwg 13 Aug. 1947
Feature 50 Construction documents – basement plan MSU dwg 13 Aug. 1947
Feature 51 Construction documents – first floor and attic plans MSU dwg 13 Aug. 1947
Feature 52 Construction documents – West Façade MSU dwg 13 Aug. 1947
Feature 53 Construction documents – North Elevation MSU dwg 13 Aug. 1947
Feature 54 Construction documents – East Elevation MSU dwg 13 Aug. 1947
Feature 55 Construction documents – South Elevation MSU dwg 13 Aug. 1947
Feature 56 Montana State College Bulletin map from MHS Collection S378.002
M76C
1948
Feature 57 Photograph in the Montanan, 1949, page 42. 1949
Feature 58 Historic photograph of west façade, facing north. From MSU Special
Collections historic photograph parc-000
1952
Feature 59 Historic aerial photograph facing southeast. From MSU Special
Collections historic photograph parc-000455
1952
(tab from last cell to add rows to photos and maps table)
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Maps
Property Name: Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Map 1: Site Overview / location map for Montana Wool Laboratory at MSU-Bozeman 24GA1892 at 1:24,000 scale. T02S R05E S13. USGS Map of Bozeman, MT. 2024. North
Montana Wool
Laboratory Area of
Potential Effect
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Maps
Property Name: Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Map 2: MSU-Bozeman Campus Map – Partial. Provided by MSU. North
Montana Wool
Laboratory Area of
Potential Effect
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Plans
Property Name: Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Figure 1: Montana Wool Laboratory Basement Floor Plan.
Plan provided by MSU. North
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Plans
Property Name: Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Figure 2: Montana Wool Laboratory First Floor Plan. Plan provided by MSU. North
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Plans
Property Name: Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Figure 3: Montana Wool Laboratory Attic Plan. Plan provided by MSU. North
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Plans
Property Name: Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
12
18
19
13
Figure 4: Montana Wool Laboratory Basement Photo Key Plan. Plan provided by MSU. North
13
3
19
18
20 17
42
43
54
15
14
41
44
45
53
8 9
16
46
55
47
11
10
4
48
5 6
7
21
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Plans
Property Name: Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Figure 5: Montana Wool Laboratory First Floor Photo Key Plan. Plan provided by MSU. North
4
28
2
3
27
52
24
35
57
25
26
23 30
29
1
38
22
37
36
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Plans
Property Name: Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Figure 6: Montana Wool Laboratory Attic Photo Key Plan. Plan provided by MSU. North
34
33
32
31
40
39
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Photographs
Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 1 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 3 November 2024. Facing: East, towards west (streetside) entry façade.
Feature 2 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 3 November 2024. Facing: South, towards entry porch at west façade.
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Photographs
Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 3 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore,
3 November 2024. Facing: South, towards north elevation.
Feature 4 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 3 November 2024. Facing: Southwest, along north elevation.
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Photographs
Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 5 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 3 November 2024. Facing: Southwest, along north elevation.
Feature 6 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 3 November 2024. Facing: Southwest, towards north elevation of Quonset hut (left) and garage (right).
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Photographs
Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 9 Description: Heating Plant – West Quonset. 18 October 2022. Facing: Northwest, towards south elevation with wood ledger sliding doors.
Feature 7 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory Quonset Hut. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 3 November 2024. Facing: West, towards east elevation of the Quonset hut.
Feature 8 Description: Montana Wood Laboratory. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 3 November 2024. Facing: Northwest, towards east elevation of main building, with south elevation of garage at
right.
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Photographs
Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 9 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 3 November 2024. Facing: Northwest, towards main building at left and Quonset hut at right.
Feature 10 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 3 November 2024. Facing: Northeast, towards south elevation (right) and west elevation (left) of Quonset hut.
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Photographs
Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 11 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 3 November 2024. Facing: North, towards south elevation of garage.
Feature 12 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 3 November 2024. Facing: North, towards south elevation of main building.
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Photographs
Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 13 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore 3 November 2024 Facing: Northeast, towards typical pair of windows in main building.
Feature 14 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 3 November 2024. Facing: Northwest, towards typical bracing and rafter tail detail of main building.
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Photographs
Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 15 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 3 November 2024 Facing: Northwest, towards typical corner detail of main building.
Feature 16 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 3 November 2024. Facing: North, towards typical Stran-Steel steel beam of Quonset hut.
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Photographs
Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 17 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, basement. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: Northwest, within north end of main building.
Feature 18 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, basement. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: Northwest, within workroom of main building.
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Photographs
Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 19 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, basement. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: East, across south room of main building.
Feature 20 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, basement. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: Northwest, in south central room of main building.
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Photographs
Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Figure 21 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory. Photo by: Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: South, up the stairs from the basement to the first floor of the main building.
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Photographs
Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 22 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, first floor. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore,
14 October 2024. Facing: East, from entry across hallway in center of main building.
Feature 23 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, first floor. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: Southwest, towards Clerks’ Office of main building.
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Photographs
Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 24 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, first floor. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024
Facing: Northeast, from Clerks’ Office.
Feature 25 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, first floor. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: Southwest, into southwest office of main building.
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Photographs
Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 26 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, first floor. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: East, within southwest office of main building.
Feature 27 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: North from hall into Conference/Lecture Room of main building.
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Photographs
Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 28 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: South, towards cabinets at end of Conference/Lecture Room of main building.
Feature 29 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024.
Facing: Northeast, from hall into Cross-Sectioning Lab.
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Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Figure 30 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, first floor. Photo by: Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: South, up the stairs to the attic of the main building.
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Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 31 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, attic. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: North, towards center hall of main building.
Feature 32 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, attic. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore,
14 October 2024. Facing: Southeast, from entry into south store room.
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Photographs
Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 33 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, attic. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024.
Facing: North, into Photo Room.
Feature 34 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, attic. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: North, from entry into north Store Room.
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Photographs
Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Figure 35 Description: Montana Wool Lab, first floor. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: Southeast, towards window in southeast office of main building.
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Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 36 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, first floor. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: Southwest, up towards door trim of restroom of the main building.
Feature 37 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, first floor. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore,
14 October 2024. Facing: Southwest, towards door and wall trim of restroom of main building.
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Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Figure 38 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, first floor. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: Northeast, towards typical door of main building.
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Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 39 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, attic, into opening from hall into east eave storage space. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024.
Facing: East towards open door to eave storage area.
Feature 40 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, attic into east eave storage space. Mineral batt insulation covering is fastened with button nails. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: Northeast into eave storage and roof rafters.
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Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 41 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, garage. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: South, towards overhead doors in south wall.
Feature 42 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, garage. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: West, towards west wall and stairs down into basement of main building.
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Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 43 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, garage. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: North, towards north wall of garage.
Feature 44 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, garage. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: East, towards east wall and entry into Quonset hut.
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Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 45 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, garage. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: East, towards entry into Quonset hut.
Feature 46 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, Quonset hut. Photo by Lesley M.
Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: South, towards south end of Quonset hut.
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Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 47 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, Quonset hut. Photo by Lesley M. Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: North, towards north end of Quonset hut.
Feature 48 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory, Quonset hut. Photo by Lesley M.
Gilmore, 14 October 2024. Facing: West, towards entry into garage.
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Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 49 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory construction documents, dated as revised August 13, 1947. From MSU Planning Design & Construction.
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Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 50 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory construction documents – basement plan, dated as revised August 13, 1947. From MSU Planning Design & Construction.
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Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 51 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory construction documents – first floor and attic plans, dated as revised August 13, 1947. From MSU Planning Design & Construction.
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Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 52 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory construction documents – West Facade, dated as revised August 13, 1947. From MSU Planning Design & Construction.
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Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 53 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory construction documents – North Elevation, dated as revised August 13, 1947. From MSU Planning Design & Construction.
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Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 54 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory construction documents – East Elevation, dated
as revised August 13, 1947. From MSU Planning Design & Construction.
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Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 55 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory construction documents – South Elevation, dated
as revised August 13, 1947. From MSU Planning Design & Construction.
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Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 56 Description: Montana State College Bulletin map from 1948 - the first year the Wool Laboratory (#57) is depicted. MHS Collection S378.002 M76C. The Wool Laboratory is circled in red. The Quonset hut does not appear to be attached to the Wool Laboratory building. Building #19 is for Rural Engineering.
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Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 57 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory Photograph in the Montanan, 1949, page 42.
Feature 58 Description: Montana Wool Lab (at arrow tip) with Quonset hut addition to the east,
other Quonset huts to the north and east, and Barracks to the east. Facing: North. MSU Special Collections historic photograph parc-000 1952.
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Property Name:Montana Wool Laboratory Site Number: 24GA1892
Feature 59 Description: Montana Wool Laboratory surrounded by military buildings relocated to campus. Facing: Southeast. MSU Special Collections historic photograph parc-000455, 1952. The Wool Lab, circled in red, received its Quonset hut just before this photograph was taken.