HomeMy WebLinkAbout02_Montana_Historic_Property_RecordMONTANA 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: 1003, 1005, 1007, 1009, 1011
West College Street
Historic Address (if applicable): same
City/Town: Bozeman, MT
Site Number:
(An historic district number may also apply.)
County: Gallatin
Historic Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center
Original Owner(s): B.W. Mecklenberg
Current Ownership Private Public
Current Property Name: Westgate Village
Owner(s): Feather & Fig Enterprises, LLC
Owner Address: c/o Cassie Colombo, Seth Cooper
415 S. 8th Ave., Bozeman, MT 59715
Phone: 406-577-2641
Legal Location
PM: Montana Township: 2 S Range: 5E
SW ¼ SW ¼ SE ¼ of Section: 12
Lot(s): 11, 12, 13, 14
Block(s): 52
Addition: West Park Addition Year of Addition: 1892
USGS Quad Name: Bozeman, MT Year: 2020
Historic Use: Commercial Shopping Center
Current Use: Commercial Shopping Center
Construction Date: 1957 Estimated Actual
Original Location Moved Date Moved:
UTM Reference
NAD 27 or NAD 83(preferred)
Zone: 12 Easting: 496036.3 Northing: 5057539.9
National Register of Historic Places
NRHP Listing Date:
Historic District:
NRHP Eligible: Yes No
Date of this document: Auggust 22, 2022
Form Prepared by: Scott Carpenter, InteResources
Planning, Inc.
Address: 505 Bond St, Ste B, Bozeman, MT 59715
Daytime Phone: 406-581-6722
MT SHPO USE ONLY
Eligible for NRHP: □ yes □ no
Criteria: □ A □ B □ C □ D
Date:
Evaluator:
Comments:
DOCUMENT 2: Montana Historic Property Record Westgate Village Shopping Center
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Architectural Description
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION
Architectural Style: International If Other, specify: Post WWII / Mid-20th Century, Multi-Unit Retail Center
Property Type: Commerce Specific Property Type: Retail Shopping Center
Architect: Hugo G. Eck Architectural Firm/City/State: Hugo Eck, Bozeman, MT
Builder/Contractor: Gardner Construction, Fent Clark/Howard H. Gower Company/City/State: Bozeman, MT
Source of Information: MSU Special Collections, Bozeman Daily Chronicle
The Westgate Village shopping center was built in 1957 and completed in time for a business grand-opening date of
November 29th of that year. The building was the first small neighborhood multi-unit retail shopping center built in
Bozeman. The original design of the building, which is largely intact, included spaces for five business separated by
common walls, under one roof structure, with a single continuous façade and automobile parking focusing on the building
and its businesses. The building was designed by Hugo Eck, a locally famous architect and professor at Montana State
University. Small shopping centers of this type were an increasingly popular design choice throughout the United States
during the post-World War II/1950-1960s period. The name, “Westgate Village,” refers to the western gate of Montana
State College (later Montana State University). This commercial area along College Street saw significant development in
the post-World War II era coincident with the growth of the college and the community. The parking lot, the large roof-
top signs, and the free-standing signs, typical of small shopping centers of this era, were designed to capitalize on the
growing use of the automobile.
The Westgate Village building was built as a five-unit, simple rectangular plan, one-story building with flat, built-up roof.
The overall dimensions of the building measure approximately 108 feet 1 ½ inches east-west by 61 feet north-south, with
a full length projected flat-roof covering a concrete walkway along the south façade. The roof covering the walkway
projects 7 feet 6 inches from the front (south) wall of the building. The walkway roof is supported by nine 6 by 6-inch
wood posts. The west, north, and east exterior walls of the building are constructed of concrete masonry unit blocks (light
red matrix, measuring 15 ¾” wide by 8” wide by 8” deep) laid in a stacked bond pattern. The interior common walls
between the five individual rental units of the building are constructed of similar concrete masonry block in a running
bond pattern. Although a simple design, the building most closely resembles the characteristic elements of mid-20th
century International Style/Modern, including simple, asymmetrical massing, flat roof, lack of or simple decorative detail,
and smooth planar surfaces and finishes.
The building has a flat built-up roof with gentle slope from south (front) to north (rear). The roof is built at two elevations,
one that is approximately 20 inches higher covering units 1003 and 1005 West College Street, and a single flat roof
covering units 1007, 1009, and 1011. The roof of the front covered walkway follows the elevation changes as projecting
as integral segments from each main roof. The covered roof of the walkway is supported by nine 6 by 6-inch lumber
posts.
The original rectangular floor plan of the building included five rectangular retail units of varying widths, all with
common walls made of concrete masonry block units. The original five units were assigned street addresses of 1003 West
College Street (on the east), and progressing to the west with 1005, 1007, 1009, and 1011 West College Street. Over the
years, as rental business spaces and ownership changed, interior common walls were altered and doorways added, thus
changing the interior floor plan to a slight degree. Currently, units at 1003 and 1005 are combined into a single address of
1003 West College Street.
The front façade is on the south side of the building and fronts an asphalt parking lot immediately adjacent to the north
edge of West College Street and adjacent sidewalk. The façade forms the continuous plane of store fronts (originally five
rental units, now four) of different approximate interior widths: 23 feet (unit 1003), 16 feet (unit 1005), 18 feet 7 inches
(unit 1007), 14 feet 5 inches (unit 1009), and 30 feet 4 inches (unit 1011). The interior floor level of each unit steps down
approximately 12 inches between each unit, from the highest on the east (unit 1003), to the lowest on the west (unit 1011).
The concrete covered walkway along the front/south side of the building is a continuous slope from east downward to the
DOCUMENT 2: Montana Historic Property Record Westgate Village Shopping Center
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Architectural Description
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
west to meet the different grade of each unit’s entrance door. The walkway roof is an extension of the two levels of the
buildings roof. The walkway roof is supported by 6 by 6-inch wood posts. Wooden louvered sun shade panels were
originally placed near the lower edge of the walkway roof line to partially shade the southern sun. The louvered sun
shades were constructed between each of the 6” by 6” wood posts supporting the walkway roof. Paint ghosting on existing
posts indicates that each shade unit was constructed of four 1” by approximately 8” lumber set at a 45-degree angle to
block the direct sunlight from the south. The louvered panels extended approximately 22 ½” on the front face from the
horizontal beam. Photographs of the front of the building (Bozeman Daily Chronicle 11/23/1957, pgs 4-5) show the wood
louvered sun shade panels as originally construction. Currently, the louvered sun shade panels have been removed. The
1957 photos show that short tail-ends of louvers extending horizontally beyond the outside posts on the east and west ends
of the walkway.
The 1958 revision to the 1927 Sanborn Fire Insurance map (Map 6, inset) shows a single one-story concrete block
building with four common-wall store units and one restaurant of the same dimensions on the subject lots. In 1976, when
Gallatin Drug vacated the space at 1011 West College St., Bridger Mountain Sports moved from the smaller unit 1007. At
that time, William Murdock, the owner of Bridger Mountain Sports, removed the northern portion of the common wall
between units 1009 and 1011 to expand the former drug store space (now sporting goods/ski shop) into the rear
approximately 1/3 area once occupied by unit 1009.
The design of the front façade is divided into 5 bays of differing widths. The bays at 1003, 1005, and 1011 were originally
constructed to be approximately symmetrical with central glass doors flanked by large, fixed windows placed above low
brick wall panels. The lower brick walls beneath the windows at Unit 1011 have been either removed or covered by board
and batten wood covering. Unit 1011, the widest store front, remains with double doors in a 6’0” opening, although the
doors have been upgraded. Doors at 1003 and 1005 were single doors in 3’0” openings. The door opening into unit 1005
has been bricked and paneled over, but the original doorway is visible with different paint in the lower brick panel. The
original doorway in unit 1003 is extant. The original windows in unit 1005 have been removed and paneled over, with one
replacement window on the right. Windows in unit 1003 have been altered in size and arrangement and the eastern most
window has been paneled over. Units 1007 and 1009 were designed and constructed in an asymmetrical arrangement with
3’0” doors on the left or west end of each unit, flanked on the right with two large panels of glass atop low brick wall
panels. The storefronts for units 1007 and 1009 exhibit their original design configuration and materials and exhibit a
space for a transom window above each door. The door to unit 1003 also has a rectangular panel above the door where a
transom window once was placed to meet the top edge of the adjacent windows. As mentioned earlier, the entire building
façade has a low band of wall beneath the large, fixed windows. The low wall is constructed of painted rough-faced
bricks, measuring 15 ¾” wide by 3 ¾” high, laid in a stacked pattern. The butt-end of each concrete masonry block wall
that form the common wall between each store unit is exposed and protruding from the face of the façade by
approximately 8 inches.
The rear (north) elevation of the building is all exposed concrete masonry block wall in stacked pattern. There are three
doorways leading from the rear of units 1003, 1007, and 1009 (now exit from 1011).
The interior floor plans for units 1003, 1005, and 1007 are largely unchanged from the original except for the installation
of interior doorway linking each unit, installation of interior furnishings, as well as the installation of a panel wall
separating the front (south) approximately 1/3 space of 1007, which separates from the rear 2/3 of space currently used as
the Game/Arcade Room for Colombo’s Pizza. Also, the rear “L” shape portion of unit 1011 was expanded into the former
rear portion of 1009 in 1976, as mentioned above. Because of the different floor heights of each unit, flat roofs segments
of different heights, each unit has a different ceiling height ranging from 9 to 12 feet.
The exterior roof has metal screen-backed frames for each business signs. These same style of screen frames are shown in
photographs from the 1970s and 1980s. These existing sign frames match earlier signs for businesses as shown in photos
from the 1970s and 1980s. No photographs have been found for the period of 1958 to mid-1970s that show roof top signs,
but it can be presumed that such similar signs existed to identify businesses from West College. Advertisements
(Bozeman Daily Chronicle 11/23/1957, page 4-5) for the “Gala Opening” of the new shopping center on November 29-
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Architectural Description
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
30, 1957, included a section of “Congratulations” from the vendors, contractors, and builders, including a listing for Obie
Signs of Bozeman, the firm contracted for fabricating and installing business and shopping center signs. Although early
photographs of roof-top business signs or parking lot signs have not been found, it is assumed that such signs were an
important part of the original construction due to the reference to Obie Sign Company playing an important part in the
construction of the building in 1957. Photographs of store fronts with the Bozeman Daily Chronicle advertisement
(11/23/1957, pgs 4-5) show small business signs for each business unit placed on the 12-inch face of the horizontal beam
immediately below the roof line of the covered walkway. These may have been temporary signs for the opening of the
shopping center in November 1957. The scale of such signs would not have allowed easy reading from East College
Street, or from the south edge of the parking lot.
View to North at west end (left) and east end (right) of newly constructed Westgate Shopping Center in November 1957. Images
cropped from Bozeman Daily Chronicle advertisement (11/28/1957 pgs 4 and 5) showing storefronts of Gallatin Drug on left and
Cresap’s Men’s Store and L&H Café on right. Note wood louvered panels below edge of walkway roof for sunshade. Also note small
business signs on face of 10-inch beam supporting front edge of roof. Poor quality of photos is result of printed newspaper ad later
converted to microfilm.
The exterior of the building has seen only minor changes from the original. The major change being the combining of
units 1003 and 1005 into a single restaurant space in the 1960s, which removed the entrance door and adjacent windows
to unit 1007. Other than changes in exterior paint, removal of the suspended wooden louvered sun shades, changes in
doors (in their original openings), and the blocking of one small window at the north end of the east wall, the exterior of
the building remains the same as the original. Alteration of the storefronts at units 1003 and 1005 with the removal of
windows and addition of wall covering still allows for the identification and dimensions of the original façade
configuration and could be reversed.
(continued on page 5)
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Architectural Description
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Recent panoramic composite photograph of Westgate Village building, view to north at south/front façade. Addresses along bottom of
photo denote original commercial rental units. Note that 1005 W. College St. has been combined as a single unit with 1003, and
original doorway to 1005 has been removed. Red asterisks note the locations of the CMU block load-bearing common walls between
each of the original commercial rental units. Note different level of flat roofs over unite 1003-1005 and 1007-1011. Also not metal
backed metal sign frames on roof. (InteResources Planning, 2022)
Portion of recent (no date) architectural drawings for Essy’s Aurore French Bakery, 1011 W. College St., drawn by Cann Designs,
showing south and west elevations of Westgate Village building (print reduction not to scale).
(continued on page 6)
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Architectural Description
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Portion of recent (no date) architectural drawings for Essy’s Aurore French Bakery, 1011 W. College St., drawn by Cann Designs,
showing current floorplan of Westgate Village building (addresses of original commercial rental units have been added at bottom to
indicate original layout.
(continued on page 7)
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Architectural Description
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
View to north at details of altered façade and entry to Unit 1005. Note CMU Block load bearing walls extending from façade at east
(right) and west (left) sides of former unit. White brick portion (2 ½ bricks wide) shows original doorway into Unit 1005). Note
original door, windows, and above-door transom window have been removed and replaced with one smaller window (upper right) and
covered with modern-T-111 plywood.
(continued on page 8)
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Architectural Description
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Undated (ca. 1956-57) architectural plan drawing by Hugo Eck of “Proposed Plan for Bozeman Shopping Center Inc. (Proposed)
Bozeman, Montana” (Montana State University, Renne Library, Special Collections, File: “Store Group for Shopping Center, Hugo G.
Eck, Bozeman, Collection Number 2378, Drawing Set Number 019”). Drawing shows location on corner of West College Street and
South 11th Avenue, parking in front of building fronting West College, five store units beneath flat roof of different heights, and glass
storefronts above brick wall bases. Roof configuration, door placement, and individual sizes of five store units is different from what
was in fact constructed. Several drawings in collection show options for different building configurations, dimensions, and placement
on lot. The collection does not include drawings depicting actual building as constructed.
(continued on page 9)
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Architectural Description
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Portion of 1927 (revised 1957, 1958, 1960) Sanborn Fire Insurance Map for Bozeman, Montana (Map 6, inset), showing front/south
portion of Westgate Village shopping center at 1003, 1005, 1007, 1009, and 1011 West College Street. Blue tinting denotes
construction materials of concrete block, with a roof height of 13 feet. Yellow tinting denotes wood-frame roof over concrete
walkway. “S” denotes a commercial shop or business, “REST” denotes a restaurant. The yellow structure labelled “S” at 1013 West
College Street depicts the A&W Root Beer restaurant, across the alley to the west. The 1958/1960 revision was made to the earlier
drawing by gluing paper over the original map (note edges of glued paper where dashed lines and “C” in College do not line up.
Careful examination of the “ghosting” pf the underlying revision (immediately left of the “6”) show a dark rectangle in the area of
1003 West College Street. This rectangle represents the location of the Quonset Hut on the property used for “The Hut” restaurant and
later “L&H Cafe” that was on the property prior to construction of the Westgate Village building in 1957-58.
(continued on page 10)
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Architectural Description
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Floorplan sketch of Westgate Village showing current configuration (black lines) with location of original load-bearing CMU block
common walls (noted in green) separating each of the five original commercial rental spaces (left to right: 1011, 1009, 1007, 1005,
and 1003 West College Street. (IRP 2022)
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Architectural Description
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
The property has an asphalt surfaced parking lot that extends the full width of the building from the sidewalk on the north
side of West College Street to the edge of the concrete walkway along the south/front façade of the building, and from the
west edge of the sidewalk along the west side of South 10th Ave to the east where it joins the paved alley on the west side
of the building. The parking lot measures approximately 113 feet east-west by 37 feet north-south. Today, there are two
free-standing business signs, each one located in the extreme southeast and southwest corners of the parking lot. The
southeast sign is supported by an 8-inch diameter cast-iron pipe, topped with a metal framed “T” with a manufactured
back-lit plastic sign reading “Colombo’s Pizza & Pasta”. This signpost is the same as one shown in a 1984 photograph
advertising Karl Mark’s Pizza.
(Left) Current photo view to north from southwest corner of intersection of West College Street and South 10th Avenue showing
Colombo’s Pizza & Pasta sign at southeast corner of parking lot. (Right) 1984 Photo view to east at same cast-iron signpost with
metal “T” at top, showing sign for Carl Mark’s Pizza. Photo also shows trapezoid shaped sign identifying “Westgate Village”
supported by three 6-inch diameter cast-iron posts (sign has been removed sometime after 1984 but concrete support pad and flush-cut
ends of signposts are visible near the northeast corner of the parking lot.
A single signpost for a rectangular metal-framed and plastic sign is located at the southwest corner of the parking lot. This
sign, supported by an 8-inch diameter cast-iron pipe, was probably installed after the establishment of the Sather Optical
business in 1984.
A single “Westgate Village” sign was located at the northeast corner of the parking lot, immediately adjacent to the
southeast corner of the building and unit 1003. The sign, as depicted in photographs from 1982 and 1984, was
manufactured in a unique trapezoid shape formed of sheet metal and filled with identical multi-colored plexiglass signs on
both sides. The trapezoid shape and lettering are characteristic of 1950s and 1960s style signs. The metal frame and sign
were supported by three, 5 3/8-inch diameter cast iron posts, approximately 13 feet in height. The three vertical posts were
set in the flush concrete base on 21-inch centers. A 1984 photograph shows that the sign, with wires leading from the
nearby power pole, was electrified with internal lighting for backlighting the plexiglass sign surfaces. Although the sign
was removed sometime after 1984, the concrete support base and flush cut remains of the support posts are still visible
today. The free-standing signs in the parking lot, especially the trapezoid frame with rounded corners identifying
“Westgate Village,” are designs highly characteristic of mid-century modern architecture.
The building has large flat business signs on the roof above each business unit. Historic photos show roof-top signs in the
same positions, attached to the expanded metal covered steel frames attached to the roof. The purpose of the signs was to
clearly identify and advertise each business to passing automobile traffic along West College Street, a design element
characterized by 1950s modern commercial architecture. Original business signs applied to the face of the 12-inch beam
supporting the front edge of the walkway roof (as seen in 1957 photos shown on page 4 of this report) were temporary for
the grand-opening of businesses in November 1957). Neon and metal signs for each business were installed on the face of
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Architectural Description
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
the horizontal beam beneath the roof edge in 1957 and 1959 (City Sign Permits). The small size of the original signs
would not have allowed clear viewing from the adjacent parking lot and West College Street.
As described in the 1957 City of Bozeman Application for Erection Permits (for sign or other advertising structure) and
subsequent Erection Permits, the original signs marking each individual business at Westgate Village were to be mounted
on the vertical surface of the horizontal wood beam supporting the front edge of the covered walkway roof (City of
Bozeman Sign Permit files, November 25 and 26, 1957, Application/Permit numbers: 291/60, 292/6, and 293/63).
The signs for L & H Café (1003 West College Street), Cresap’s Men’s Store (1005 West College Street), and Gallatin
Drug )1011 West College Street), all filed for approval in November 1957, listed “wall mounted signs” all with varying
widths but heights of 12” to fit the face of the beam. These three signs were described to be constructed of tubing lighted
with electrified neon gas. The sign application for Campus Casuals women’s store at 1009 West College Street was filed
March 4, 1959 and described a flat metal painted sign, 1 foot high by 8 feet wide, mounted flat on the “Marquee Front”
(the horizontal beam). No applications or permits were found for Campus Sports (1007 West College Street).
The signs described in the permits appear to replace the painted signs that appear in the “grand opening” newspaper
advertisement photos (page 4 of this report). Sometime between December 1957 and the mid- to late-1970s, individual
business signs were changed to larger roof-mounted frame lighted frame signs as noted in later photos. To date, sign
permits for the roof-top signs have not been found. No photographs of the original neon signs have been found. It is
assumed that the limited 12-inch vertical height of the neon signs (depending on the actual height of individual letters)
would not be easily viewable for more than 50 to 75 feet.
The 1957 sign permit for the free-standing Westgate Village parking lot sign was described in the City of Bozeman’s
Application for Erection Permit number 64 (December 10, 1957) and Application for Erection Permit (sign or other
advertising structure) number 290 (November 22, 1957) (City of Bozeman Sign Permit files). The application for sign
permit describes the sign as a plastic and metal sign supported by three metal poles, illuminated, sign height measuring 5
feet high by 7 feet 8” wide, and constructed by the Obie Sign Company of Bozeman. The application has a sketch of the
sign with the same characteristic trapezoid shape and three support posts as shown in the phots on page 13 of this report. It
is interesting to note that the sign permit for the Westgate Village sign was approved and signed by none other than
Walter R. Sales, for the City of Bozeman. Sales was also the winner of the contest to name Westgate Village during the
grand opening festivities in November 1957.
(continued on page 13)
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Architectural Description
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Copy of Application for Erection Permit No. 290, November 22, 1957, for free-standing West Gate Village Sign located in northeast
corner of parking lot. (City of Bozeman Sign Permit Files). See photo on page 17 of this report.
Copy of Erection Permit No. 290, dated 10 December 1957, approving sign permit application for Westgate Village Sign. Note permit
was approved and signed for the City of Bozeman by Walter R. Sales, winner of the Westgate Village “Name the Shopping Center”
contest in November (City of Bozeman Sign Permit Files).
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Architectural Description
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Copy of City of Bozeman Application for Erection Permit No. 293 (sign permit), November 25, 1957, for 12” high by 18 feet wide
neon sign for L & H Café, 1003 W. College (City of Bozeman Sign Permit Files).
Copy of City of Bozeman Application for Erection Permit No. 292 (sign permit), November 25, 1957, for 12” high by 13 feet wide
neon sign for Cresap’s Men’s Store, 1005 W. College (City of Bozeman Sign Permit Files).
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Architectural Description
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Copy of City of Bozeman Application for Erection Permit No. 291 (sign permit), November 25, 1957, for 12” high by (undisclosed)
width neon sign for Gallatin Drug, 1011 W. College (City of Bozeman Sign Permit Files).
Copy of City of Bozeman Application for Erection Permit No. 62 (sign permit), March 4, 1959, for 1 foot high by 8 feet wide matal
type sign mounted “flat on Marquee Front”, for Village Casuals women’s store, 1009 W. College. Note this sign was painted on metal,
not neon, installed more than one and one-half years after the other three signs. (City of Bozeman Sign Permit Files).
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Architectural Description
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Copy of City of Bozeman Sign Permit No. 188, April 9, 1981, for 4 by 8-foot metal roof-top sign for Accent Photo, 1009 W. College.
Permit for sign shown in 1984 photograph on page 39 of this report. It is assumed that sometime between the installation of the
Village Casuals sign in 1959 and the business signs of the mid- to late-1970s the location of each was changed to roof-top locations.
(City of Bozeman Sign Permit Files).
Larger roof-top signs were installed for each business sometime after 1959 and before the mid- to late- 1970s, when
photographs and sign permits show the location of such signs. As stated earlier, larger roof-top signs would be more
visible to pedestrians and vehicle traffic. The concept of roof-top signs at Westgate Village is at least 50 years old, hence
justifiable as contributing elements of the building.
(Left) Current photo view to northeast and metal-framed plastic business sign located at southwest corner of parking lot.
(Right) 1982 photo view to west showing no sign at southwest corner of parking lot (current Sather sign). The post of the Mark’s
Pizza sign is shown in the foreground, left of center.
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Architectural Description
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
(Left) 1982 photo view to east showing Westgate Village sign at northeast corner of parking lot. (Right) 1984 photo view to
northwest at Westgate Village sign at northeast corner of parking lot. Note three cast-iron posts are set in a concrete base adjacent to
the sidewalk and parking lot. Wires leading from power pole out of view to left attach to sign for interior back-lighting.
(continued on page 18)
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History of Property
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
HISTORY OF PROPERTY
The property that is the subject of this report (Lots 11, 12, 13, 14; Block 52 of the West Park Addition to Bozeman) is
within the original U.S. Land Grant of 160 acres to George W.A. Frazier, March 10, 1875 (Sale-Cash Entry (Statute 566),
for the eastern ½ of the southwest ¼ and the western ½ of the southeast ¼ of Section 12, Township 2 South, Range 5 East
(GLO Bureau of Land Management records MTMTAA 042870).
A portion of the original Frazier Land Grant was subdivided into the West Park Addition to Bozeman, April 12, 1892, by
Louis F. and Amanda A. Manage (West Park Addition Subdivision Plat, Gallatin Co. Clerk & Recorder, Plat Book). The
West Park Addition is rectangular in shape, bounded on the north by West Babcock Street (originally platted as 1st Street
SW in 1892), on the east by South 8th Ave, on the south by West College Street (8th Street SW in 1892), and on the west
by South 11th Ave. The southwest area of Bozeman was slow to realize development, with construction of buildings on
lots in the West Park Addition largely not occurring until the early- to mid-20th Century. Development of Lots 11, 12, 13,
and 14, Block 52, and surrounding lots did not occur until the 1950s.
In June of 1919, Lewis Terwilliger acquired Lots 8 through 21, Block 52 from Mrs. Vesta P. Walker (Deed Book 60, Page
252, Gallatin County Clerk & Recorder). Terwilliger apparently pursued little if any lot sales or development until he sold
Lots 8-21 to Fred B. Liquin, January 5, 1946, (Deed Book 92, Page 411, Gallatin County Clerk & Recorder). Between
1946 and 1950, deed records for Lots 11-14, Block 52, are not easily found.
Records, deeds, maps, and photographs found at Gallatin Museum, Bozeman Building Office, Bozeman Public Library,
Gallatin County Clerk and Recorder Office, and U.S. Census records indicate that the subject property at Lots 11, 12, 13,
and 14, within Block 52 of the West Park Addition, remained undeveloped and vacant until 1954. The 1950 Polk City
Directory for Bozeman shows no address listings between 903 and 1217 West College (City Directory Street Section page
166).
The next deed of transfer for Lots 11-14, Block 52, appears as a sale to Henry Jongewaard (owner/manager of L&H
Restaurant at 1003 West College 1956-58) from Paul K. & Dorothy Dudley, May 16, 1950 (Deed Book 101, Page 487,
Gallatin County Clerk & Recorder).
The 1954 Polk City Directory for Bozeman (Street Section page 86) lists a business, “The Hut Restaurant” operated by
Cora Rogers at 1003 West College St. No other addresses are listed with any residence or business on the north siode of
West College St. until 1013 West College, the location of the A&W Root Beer restaurant at the intersection of South 11th
Ave. and West College Street. The 1954 City Directory also lists the residence of Chester H. Anderson at 715 South 10th
Ave, the then recently constructed house immediately north 1003 West College. A photograph (Gallatin County History
Museum photo 18118) of Norma Anderson’s 10th birthday party (ca. 1956) in front of the Anderson house at 715 South
10th Ave, shows a quonset hut building on the lot at the northwest corner of South 10th Ave. and West College Street.
According to the Anderson’s the quonset hut, reported to have been moved to the property from North 7th Ave., was the
building that housed The Hut Restaurant and later L&H Café, operated by Henry and Lydia Jongewaard in 1957-58 (1958
Polk City Directory, street section page 176).
The 1956 Polk City Directory for Bozeman (Street Section page 129, and page 240) lists The Hut Restaurant operated by
Henry Jongewaard at1003 West College St. No other addresses are listed in the directory between 1003 West College
Street and 1013 West College, the A&W Root Beer restaurant. The Hut Restaurant, and later L&H Café, has been
documented to have been located within a steel quonset hut moved to the property about 1954.
Review of available Polk City Directory volumes (Gallatin County Museum and Bozeman Public Library) show an
interesting array of businesses that occupied the Westgate Village building. It should be stressed that the city directories
were not always published for successive years, resulting in potential gaps in information resulting from years with no
directories. Likewise, each directory was not always printed in the early months of the volume year and often the
information for each volume was compiled during later months of the previous year. Hence the summary information
DOCUMENT 2: Montana Historic Property Record Westgate Village Shopping Center
MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD
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History of Property
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
presented here should not be used as exact dates of occupants of each building unit or specific information for each
business.
Original Photo Caption: “18118: Norma Anderson's 10th birthday party. The house is at 715 South 10th Avenue, at the intersection of
South 10th Ave. and College Street, ca. 1958. The Army Barracks (at MSC) are visible in the background. Also seen is a quonset hut
that possibly housed "The Hut" cafe, then the “L & H Café”. The quonset hut was moved to this location from North 7th Avenue.”
Photo 18118, Gallatin County Museum (Rachel Phillips, researcher). The photo (most likely 1956, prior to the construction of
Westgate Village Shopping Center in 1957) is a view to the south along the sidewalk on the west side of South 10th Ave., toward the
Quonset Hut at the northeast corner of West College Street and South 10th Ave. The frame building across West College Street, to the
south, are the two-story wood-framed classroom buildings at Montana State College (later MSU) as depicted on the 1957, 1958, 1960
revision to the Sandborn Fire Insurance Map for Bozeman (map 6). Partial contrast enhancement of the photo shows a sign attached to
the top of the Quonset Hut that most likely reads “L & H Café”.
(continued page 20)
DOCUMENT 2: Montana Historic Property Record Westgate Village Shopping Center
MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD
PAGE 20
History of Property
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Current photograph that is same view as historic photo (page 11) to south from sidewalk at 715 S. 10th Ave, looking at east end of rear
of Westgate Village building. Quonset Hut that was the location of “The Hut” restaurant and “L&H Café” in 1956-57, and was located
in area of east end of parking lot and Westgate Village Building. For photo confirmation, note shape and placement of windows on the
southeast corner of façade of residence at 715 S. 10th Ave. as compared with earlier photo.
On June 19, 1957, Henry & Lydia Jongewarrd sold lots 12, 13, and 14 within Block 52 to Bruce W. Mecklenberg (Deed
Book 125, Page 213, Gallatin County Clerk & Recorder). On the same day, Ruben & Florence Batchelder transferred Lot
11, Block 52, to Bruce W. Mecklenberg (Deed Book 125, Page 211, Gallatin County Clerk & Recorder). This is a key
date because the new Westgate Village building was constructed on Lots 11-14. Hence construction did not begin until, or
sometime after, June 1957. Following a very short time, Lots 11-14 were transferred again on June 14, 1958, from Bruce
Mecklenberg to Cyrus Bowman Chase of Gallatin County (Deed Book 127, page 432, Gallatin County Clerk &
Recorder).
Information gleaned from deeds and advertisements in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle in 1957 indicates that the Westgate
Village Building was constructed between June and October, 1957, by Mecklenberg, with Henry H. Gowen serving as
general contractor.
Chase owned the Westgate Village shopping center until June 14, 1985, when he sold it to Thomas J. Henderson & James
A. Schuchard (Deed Book 88, Page 746, Gallatin County Clerk & Recorder). It should be noted that James Schuchard is
listed in the 1980 Polk City Directory as the owner/manager of Karl Mark’s Pizza (1003 W. College St.) and the Next
Door Saloon (1005 W. College St.),
Bozeman Architect, Hugo Gustof Eck (a.k.a. Hugo Gustof Eck), produced several architectural plans for different options
and configurations for the Westgate Village Shopping Center. Undated (ca.1957) architectural drawings contained in
Eck’s Papers filed at the Montana State University, Renne Library, Special Collections, include 14 undated drawings
titled “Store Group for Shopping Center, Hugo G. Eck, Bozeman” (MSU Special Collections, Collection Number 2378,
Drawing Set Number 019). Eck’s drawings include several drawings of different options and configurations for a
proposed shopping center building at the corner of West College Street and South 11th Avenue. All the drawings show a
DOCUMENT 2: Montana Historic Property Record Westgate Village Shopping Center
MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD
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History of Property
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
rectangular building with four or five store units, flat roof of different levels, covered front walkway, and storefront façade
of large glass fixed windows above brick lower walls, and glass doors with glass transoms – all features that exist in the
Modernist Style building that exists today. One of the drawings, “Preliminary SK No. 1, H. Eck Architect, Bozeman
Mont.” (no date) shows two of the proposed store units with business names “Hausman’s”, and “Drug Store”, two
businesses located in the first constructed building in 1958 (Polk City Directory 1958, pg 278).
Gustof Hugo Eck was born in Anaconda, Montana, June 6, 1919, to Theodore and Anna Eck. During his teenage years,
Eck worked for his father, a builder, as a carpenter constructing houses and drawing plans. Eck graduated from Anaconda
High School in 1937 and attended Montana State College in Bozeman (later Montana State University). He received his
degree in architecture from MSC in 1941. During World War II, Eck worked as a naval architect at the Bremerton, WA,
shipyards from 1942 to 1946. While designing ships, Eck honed his skills in the Modernism style, especially in respect to
efficiency of space and materials, form-follows-function, and other elements that defined modern architecture (Gallatin
County Museum files).
After the war, Eck and his wife Dorothy (a five-term Montana State Senator), returned to Bozeman where he worked on
the faculty of the MSC/MSU Architecture department from 1946-1978. Eck also had a successful architectural practice in
Bozeman until retirement. Eck’s Modernist Style and creative efforts are reflected in the numerous buildings he designed
throughout Bozeman, southwest Montana, Colorado, and other locations. Noted building designed by Eck in Bozeman
include additions to the Methodist Church, 1960s addition to Bozeman Deaconnes Hospital on West Lamme Street,
Bozeman Chronicle Building on South Rouse Ave, Alpha Gama Delta Sorority House at MSU, Hillcrest Nursing Home in
Bozeman, Mount Ellis Academy in Bozeman, First Lutheran Church in Anaconda, Fallon Memorial Hospital in Baker,
MT, Madison Valley Hospital in Ennis, Security Bank of Bozeman, Bozeman Hospital Surgical Room, University of
Colorado Pulminary ICU, and, last but not least, the Westgate Shopping Center in Bozeman.
A recognized expert and aficionado of the Modernism Style of architecture, Hugo Eck established a large portfolio of
projects, bringing a wide range of efficient and stylistic designs to the Rocky Mountain West. His eye for form and line,
scale and proportion, materials and modern engineering resulted in numerous unique architectural examples in the mid-
twentieth century.
Following the City Directory of 1956, the next published Polk City Directory for Bozeman was published in 1958 and
lists five businesses in the new building with addresses of 1003, 1005, 1007, 1009, and 1011 West College Street. This
information, linked with the listing in the 1956 City Directory, provides evidence that the Westgate Village building was
constructed sometime between 1956 and 1958. Research of readily available documents and newspapers yielded not
specific building dates. The City of Bozeman Building Department was not established until 1966, so very few records
exist for individual construction projects prior to that date.
As noted earlier, in the Architectural Description of this report (page 5), a portion of the 1927 (revised 1957, 1958, 1960)
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map for Bozeman, Montana (Map 6, inset), showing the front/south portion of Westgate Village
shopping center at 1003, 1005, 1007, 1009, and 1011 West College Street. Blue tinting denotes construction materials of
concrete block, with a roof height of 13 feet. Yellow tinting denotes wood-frame roof over the front concrete walkway.
“S” denotes a commercial shop or business, “REST” denotes a restaurant.
(continued on page 22)
DOCUMENT 2: Montana Historic Property Record Westgate Village Shopping Center
MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD
PAGE 22
History of Property
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Portion of Map 6 of 1927 (revised 1957, 1958, 1960) Sanborn Fire Insurance Map for Bozeman showing inset of area at the corner of
West College Street and South 10th Avenue. This portion of the map (likely revised in 1958-1960) shows the front/south portion of the
Westgate Village building with addresses of 1003, 1005, 1007, 1009, and 1011 West College Street.
The 1958 Polk City Directory for Bozeman lists the first commercial establishments located at the then new Westgate
Village shopping center (Street Section page 287):
1003 W. College St.: L&H Café, Henry Jongewaard (Polk City Directory page176)
1005 W. College St.: Cresap’s Men’s Clothing, J. Cresap Mc Cracken (Polk City Directory page 119),
1007 W. College St.: Ski and College Shop Sporting Goods, Marlyn Hauseman (Polk City Directory page 223)
1009 W. College St.: Village Casuals Women’s Wear, Joyce Kiesse & Theresa Fox (Polk City Directory page 251)
1011 W. College St.: Gallatin Drug, George P. Christensen (Polk City Directory page 140)
(continued on page 23)
DOCUMENT 2: Montana Historic Property Record Westgate Village Shopping Center
MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD
PAGE 23
History of Property
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
A table listing all the businesses occupying the Westgate Village building follows. Detailed information about each
business (business name, owners, managers, phone numbers, and other pertinent information (obtained from city
directories) is included in the appendix to this report. The table presents all of the businesses located at Westgate Village from
1958 – 2022. Page numbers provide references to the source information from Polk City Directory for Bozeman for each specific
listed year. City directories were not published for every year.
Date 1003 W College St 1005 W College St 1007 W College St 1009 W College St 1011 W College St
1958 L&H Café,
Henry & Lydia
Jongewaard (pg 176)
Cresap’s Men’s Clothing,
J. Cresap McCracken (pg
119)
Ski & College Shop
Sporting Goods, Marlyn
Hauseman Jones (pg
223)
Village Casuals Women’s
Wear, Joyce Kiesse and
Theresa Fox (pg 251)
Gallatin Drug, George P.
Christensen (pg 140)
1959
1961 Edward’s Varsity Shop,
Edward R. Saunders,
Haberdashery (pg 61)
1962
1963
1964
1965 The Villager Restaurant,
Leonard A. Wagner (pg
306)
(The Varsity Shop, pg
305)
1966
1967 (Vern & Florence
Erickson, pg 322)
1968 (Hauseman’s Ski &
College Shop, Marlyn
Hauseman Jones, pg
126)
1969 (Larry A. Restvedt, pg
298)
1970 Gentry Shop Men’s
Clothing, Robert Pynich
(pg 81)
1971 (No Listing)
1973 Karl Mark’s Pizza, Dick
Mullin mgr (pg 149)
Next Door Saloon, Dick
Mullin mgr (pg 207)
Hauseman’s Ski and
College Shop, owned by
William A. Murdock
(Betty D. Jackson, pg 293) Gallatin Drug Pharmacy,
Teorge P. Christensen and
B Hive Gift Shop, Marvin
L & Beatrice Stewart (pg
12)
1974 (John E. Svendsen mgr,
pg 201)
(John E. Svendsen mgr,
pg 201)
Bridger Mountain
Sports (business name
Change, William A.
Murdock, pg 45)
B Hive Gift Shop, Marvin
L & Beatrice Stewart (pg
15)
1975 (Mark Ferguson mgr, pg
193)
(Mark Ferguson mgr, pg
269)
1976 Kampus Mini Shops,
Cindy Johnson, pg 161
Bridger Mountain Sports,
William A. Murdock, pg 38
1977 College Card and Gifts,
Ronald Spriggs (pg 64)
- vacant -
1978
1979
1980 Accent Camera, photo
finisher, Becky Bartling,
pg 2
Cactus Records, Barbara
Allen pg 53)
1982
1983 (Robert Steinman pg 3) Through the Looking
Glass, hair design, Marsha
Conrad pg 565)
1984 Campus Contact Lens
Clinic, Thomas C. Sather
pg 59
Athlete’s Foot: 1984
photo, no reference in
city directory.
DOCUMENT 2: Montana Historic Property Record Westgate Village Shopping Center
MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD
PAGE 24
History of Property
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Date 1003 W College St 1005 W College St 1007 W College St 1009 W College St 1011 W College St
1984 Community Food Co-Op,
Dana Huschle pg 76
1986 Karl Mark’s Pizza,
owned and operated by
Joe Colombo pg 215
Next Door Saloon, owned
and operated by Joe
Colombo pg 256
1987
1989 - same as 1986, 1987 - - same as 1986, 1987 - - same as 1984, 1987 - - same as 1983,1987 - - same as 1984, 1987 -
1990 Colombo’s Pizza and Pasta (business name change,
and permanent merging of 1003 and 1005 W College),
owned and operated by Joe Columbo.
1991
1992 Video Rodeo video
rentals, Donald Mazzola
pg 164)
1993 (“not verified”)
1994 (- no listing -)
1995 (- no listing -)
1996 (- no listing -)
1997 Hair Today beauty shop,
Marsha Conrad pg 74
1998 (“not verified”)
1999 (“not verified”)
2000 Sather Eye Clinic &
Optical (name change
for same business),
Thomas C. Sather owner
pg 196
Video Rodeo video
rentals, Donald Mazzola
pg 233)
2001
2002 Koko & Co Hair & Body
Works, Nicole Bakich
owner, pg 73
2003 Bling Wireless cellular
telephones, Zac h Bethke
owner pg 17
2004
2005
2006
2007 Verizon Wireless, cellular
telephones (name change
for same business)
2008 Dish Network – Bling
Wireless, cellular
telephones (name change
for same business pg 60
2009
2010
2011 - no listing -
2012
2013 Culture Frozen Yogurt pg
61
2014 Culture Frozen Yogurt
Zach Q. Bethke owner pg
55
2015
2016
2017
DOCUMENT 2: Montana Historic Property Record Westgate Village Shopping Center
MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD
PAGE 25
History of Property
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Date 1003 W College St 1005 W College St 1007 W College St 1009 W College St 1011 W College St
Colombo’s Pizza and Pasta, owned and operated by
Cassie Colombo and Seth Cooper (9/1/2021, Deed
2749011, Fin and Feather, LLC)
2018 Toppers Frozen Yogurt,
no owner name listed,
possibly business name
2018 change from Culture
Frozen Yogurt in 2017
2019
2020 Toppers Frozen Yogurt,
Zach Q. Bethke owner
2021 Essy’s Coffee pg 105
Owned by Evan Anderson
2022 Moka Boutique,
front/south 1/3 of unit,
owned by Nancy
Mahoney, open for
business 4/29/2022
Greener Pastures,
marijuana dispensary
owned by Ryan
Sagatalian, open for
business 4/15/2022
Unit vacant, August 2022
Colombo’s expanded
into rear/north 2/3’s of
unit for game/arcade
room, direct interior
access to Colombo’s
Historical research for this project has determined that the Westgate Village Shopping Center was the first small
neighborhood multi-unit retail shopping center built in Bozeman. The original design of the building included spaces for
five business separated by common walls, under one roof structure, with a single continuous façade and automobile
parking focusing on the building and its businesses.
Small shopping centers of this type were an increasing popular design choice throughout the United States during the
post-World War II/1950-1960s period. Generally, small to large shopping centers were developed in cities of increased
population. The centers were developed in response to growing urban populations and economical use of the automobile
which allowed transportation away from the commercial centers or “Main Street” areas of many towns. As communities
expanded their development of housing areas the need for nearby shopping areas also increased. The overall efficient
design of the shopping center building with accessible storefronts, street access, adjacent on-site parking, as well as roof-
top and free-standing parking lot signs are typical of shopping centers of the mid-twentieth century. Later shopping
centers in Bozeman, including Buttrey’s on West Main Street and Skagg’s on North 7th Avenue, carried these same design
elements.
Although Bozeman was a relatively small western town in the middle of the 20th Century, it saw dramatic post-war
population growth from 8,665 in 1940 to 11,325 (+31%) in 1950 to 13,361 (+18%) in 1960 (U.S. Census Data). The
southwest area of Bozeman began its major development increase in the 1940s as veterans returned to the area for jobs
and educations. The proximity of a concentrated population in and adjacent to Montana State College (later Montana State
University), along the north side of West College Street, made strong economic sense to develop a linear area of private
businesses. It’s obvious that the selection of the name for Bozeman’s first shopping center, the Westgate Village, clearly
represented the commercial hub near the geographic “west gate” of Montana State College. Businesses along West
College from South 11th to South 8th Avenues included from the 1940s to the 1960s included A&W Root Beer, the shops
and restaurant, shops, and a bar at Westgate, gasoline service stations, and the Parkway Market all capitalized on the
student and employee traffic to and from the College.
Due to the relatively small population of Bozeman and the surrounding area, the community saw a small number of
shopping centers developed prior to the 1980s. The Westgate Village (with five retail units) was built in 1957-1958
followed by an un-named six unit shopping center on the south side of West Main Street, west of North 11th Avenue. The
DOCUMENT 2: Montana Historic Property Record Westgate Village Shopping Center
MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD
PAGE 26
History of Property
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
larger Buttrey’s Superstore and Shopping Center (with six businesses) was constructed on West Main Street at North 15th
Avenue in 1960. The Heeb’s Food Center, with four retail units of similar size and design as the Westgate Village, as
built in 1963 at 544 East Main Street. The Vann’s IGA and Skaggs Drug Center (with approximately 8 retail businesses)
was built at 920 North 7th Avenue in 1974.The large Main Mall (previously named the University Mall and Gallatin
Valley Mall) with over 40 retail businesses anchored by Woolworth’s Department Store was opened to the public in May
of 1980.
Bozeman’s local landowners and developers could not help but notice the increased popularity and economic viability of
local area shopping centers in cities such as Billings, Boise, Portland, Seattle, Denver, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and
Los Angeles. Bozeman’s small Westgate Village shopping center on West College Street was the first local model to
address these national, regional, and local commercial trends.
(continued on page 27)
DOCUMENT 2: Montana Historic Property Record Westgate Village Shopping Center
MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD
PAGE 27
Information Sources/Bibliography
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
INFORMATION SOURCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bozeman Weekly Chronicle, Bozeman Daily Chronicle [Gallatin County Museum]:
(various dates, as cited in report text)
City of Bozeman, Sign Permit Files
(various dates)
Gallatin Valley Museum Files:
Bozeman Daily Chronicle, February 2, 1988, Obituary Hugo Eck
The University of Montana, Montana State College, Bozeman, Montana, Personnel Service, Class of 1941: Hugo Gust
Eck
Land Deeds/County Records [Gallatin County Clerk & Recorder Office]:
Subdivision Plat for West Park Addition to Bozeman, Montana, Louis F. and Amanda Menage, approved by Sam’l
Basinski, Chairman, Gallatin County Board of Commissioners, April 26, 1892, subdivision plat.
Deed #1264, Deed Book 60, Pg 252, June 16, 1919, Grantor: Walker, Mrs. Vesta P., Grantee: Terwilliger, Lewis.
Quit Claim Deed, Book 92, Pg 411, January 5, 1946, Grantor: Terwilliger, Mary & Terwilliger, Lewis, Grantee: Liquin,
Fred B.
Deed, Book 101, Pg 487, May 16, 1950, Grantor: Dudley, Paul K. & Dudley, Dorothy, Grantee: Henry Jongewaard.
Deed, Book 110, Pg 167, December 6, 1952, Grantor: Liquin, Fred B. & Liquin, Dorothy, Grantee: Batchelder, Ruben &
Batchelder, Florence.
Deed, Book 125, Pg 213, June 19, 1957, Grantor: Jongewaard, Henry & Jongewaard, Lydia, Grantee: Mecklenberg, W.
Bruce.
Deed, Book 125, Pg 211, June 19, 1957, Grantor: Batchelder, Ruben & Batchelder, Florence, Grantee: Mecklenberg, W.
Bruce & Gower, Howard H.
Deed, Book127, Pg 432, May 29, 1958, Grantor: Mecklenberg, W. Bruce & Mecklenberg, Helen Cameron, Grantee:
Chase, C. B. (Chase, Cyrus Bowman & Chase, Ottilie Mae.
Deed, Book 88, Pg 746, June 14, 1985, Grantor: Chase, Cyrus Bowman, Grantee: Henderson, Thomas J. & Schuchard,
James A.
Deed 2749011, September 1, 2021, Grantor: Henderson, Thomas J. & Schuchard, James A., Grantee: Feather & Fig
Enterprises, LLC.
Personal Communication/Oral Interviews:
Cassie Colombo and Seth Cooper, Property Owners, Westgate Plaza Shopping Center and Colombo’s Pizza & Pasta.
William Murdock, former owner, Bridger Mount Sports, 1009 and 1011 West College St.
Kelly Wiseman, Bozeman Food Coop, formerly at 1011 West College St.
Polk City Directories for Bozeman, Montana (various dates from 1940 to present as cited in report text), Directory of
Householders, Occupants of Office Buildings, Other Business Places, Including a Complete Street and Avenue Guide.
DOCUMENT 2: Montana Historic Property Record Westgate Village Shopping Center
MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD
PAGE 28
Information Sources/Bibliography
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Copyright [individual volume years] by R. L. Polk and Co. [Gallatin County Museum, Bozeman Public Library, and
Ancestry.com]
United States of America, General Land Office (March 10,. 1875). Land grant record, under authority of April 24,
1820: Sale-Cash Entry (3 Stat. 566), land parcel granted to George W. A. Frazier by United States of America. Document
Number: 361, BLM Serial Numbr: MTMTAA 042870.
https://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=MTMTAA%20042870&docClass=SER&sid=lkxehfzy.r
ax
Other Books/Articles:
How to Complete then Montana Historic Property Record Form, prepared by Montana State Historic Preservation
Office. https://mhs.mt.gov/Shpo/docs/MTPropertyRecordInstructions.pdf
Montana Post-World War II Architectural Survey and Inventory. 2010. Painter, Diana J., Painter Preservation &
Planning, Spokane, WA. Prepared for the Montana State Historic Preservation Office, Helena, MT.
https://mhs.mt.gov/Shpo/docs/Montana-Mid-Century-Survey-Report.pdf
National Register Bulletin 15: How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation. 1990, revised 1991,
1995, 1997. U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service.
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/upload/NRB-15_web508.pdf
Other Materials:
Briwa, Rob, Department of Earth Sciences, MSU, 44th Annual History Conference, Helena, Montana, September 21-
23, 2017, “High Modernism in Hugo Eck’s Bozeman Deaconess Hospital.” audio of presentation:
https://soundcloud.com/montana-historical-society/reading-high-modernism-in-hugo-ecks-bozeman-deaconess-hospital
(continued on page 29)
DOCUMENT 2: Montana Historic Property Record Westgate Village Shopping Center
MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD
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Statement of Significance
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
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: Local Period of Significance: Mid-20th Century, 1957-1985
STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE
The Westgate Village Shopping Center was the first multi-unit shopping center designed and built in Bozeman, Montana.
The building was planned, designed, and constructed in response to the increasing population and economic development
of the area adjacent to Montana State College (later Montana State University) following World War II. As veterans
returned home and ventured into new professions and partook of higher education under the GI Bill, the area around
Montana College and Bozeman saw increased in commercial retail opportunities. Details of this specific historical period
are covered earlier in this report.
Small shopping centers of this type were an increasingly popular design choice throughout the United States during the
post-World War II/1950-1960s period. Generally, small to large shopping centers were developed in cities of increased
population. The centers were developed in response to growing urban populations and economical use of the automobile
which allowed transportation away from the commercial centers or “Main Street” areas of many towns. As communities
expanded their development of housing areas the need for nearby shopping areas also increased. It’s obvious that the
volume of automobile and pedestrian traffic within and around the college campus created the obvious response for
developing businesses along the busy section of West College Street.
It’s obvious that the selection of the name for Bozeman’s first shopping center, the Westgate Village, clearly represented
the commercial hub near the “west gate” of Montana State College. Businesses along West College from South 11th to
South 8th Avenues included from the 1940s to the 1960s included A&W Root Beer, the shops and restaurant, shops, and a
bar at Westgate, gasoline service stations, and the Parkway Market all capitalized on the student and employee traffic to
and from the College. The overall efficient design of the Westgate Village Shopping Center building, with accessible
storefronts, street access, adjacent on-site parking, as well as roof-top and free-standing parking lot signs are typical of
shopping centers of the mid-twentieth century. In this case, The Westgate Village was the first example of a small
shopping center to bring these architectural elements to Bozeman and southwest Montana.
The Montana State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) realized the importance of a contextual understanding of Mid-
20th Century/Post-World War II architecture, and its importance to the overall thematic expanse of history in Montana. To
that end, the Montana Post-World War II Architectural Survey and Inventory (Painter 2010) was prepared as a first step to
the consistent evaluation of recent important architectural examples. The study examined the important interplay between
historic context of the Post-World War II era, the “modern” forms of architectural style and building types, and other
topics.
Painter’s report noted that following World War II Montana exhibited a particular deficit of infrastructure and building
stock resulting from 25 years of economic stagnation. Montana communities required and infusion of new construction,
“to alleviate pent-up demand and to respond to a new economic era.” The report explains further:
“Montana’s architects practicing in the post-war era experienced many of the opportunities enjoyed by their counterparts elsewhere, as
the post-war economy grew and demand increased for new, modern facilities. They eagerly sought opportunities to experiment with
the new modern forms and expressions, materials and construction methods. Among architects in general there was often a desire to
reflect new social values in architectural form. The way buildings met the ground plane, related to the outdoors, their internal
organization, all reflected post-war ideas about how people and buildings should interact. The most common building types of post-
war buildings also reflected the values and needs of post-war communities and organizations.” (Painter 2010:1)
DOCUMENT 2: Montana Historic Property Record Westgate Village Shopping Center
MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD
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Statement of Significance
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Painter’s report, although relatively limited in geographic and survey scope, did in fact present the bona fide importance
of consistently evaluating Post-World War II buildings, and seek creative techniques for preservation. Such evaluations
will document the important aspects of Mid-20th Century American history as our communities faced changes in
education, economics, politics, arts, and resource utilization.
According to the guidelines established by the National Park Service for evaluating historic properties for possible
inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places, the quality of significance in American history, architecture,
archaeology, engineering, and culture is present in sites, buildings, and objects that possess integrity of location, design,
setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association and meet any one or more of four main criteria. The criteria are:
A. Association with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad pattern of our history;
B. Association with the lives of persons significant in our past;
C. Properties that embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or that
represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic values, or that represent a significant and
distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction;
D. Properties (usually archaeological sites) that have yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in
prehistory or history.
The historic Westgate Village Shopping Center meets numerous specific elements of Criteria A, B, and C for evaluating a
historic property for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. The building clearly is associated with events
related to the significant era of Post-World War II/Mid-20th Century commercial development (Criterion A). The creation
of the building was in response to increasing urban population and economic growth in Bozeman. The Westgate Village
building was the first such multi-unit shopping centers designed and constructed in Bozeman and southwest Montana. The
building served as model for the other small, medium, and large multi-unit shopping center that were later built in
Montana. The post war era growth and development of the southwest Bozeman/College area set the stage for the
particular design and construction of the Westgate Village building.
Westgate Village Shopping Center also meets the defined elements for National Register eligibility under Criterion B. The
building is the result of the design efforts of acclaimed Bozeman architect, Gustof Hugo Eck. Eck (1919-1988). Eck was a
renowned architect throughout the Rocky Mountain region and was a prominent professor of architecture at Montana
State College, Bozeman. Eck specialized in the design of Mid-Century Modernist Style buildings for private residential,
business, and civic uses. Eck’s architectural designs became important additions to communities throughout Montana and
Colorado. Eck designed numerous private residences, residence halls, commercial buildings, churches, retirement
facilities, hospitals, and university buildings.
Eck was born in Anaconda, Montana, June 6, 1919, to Theodore and Anna Eck. During his teenage years, Eck worked for
his father, a builder, as a carpenter constructing houses and drawing plans. Eck graduated from Anaconda High School in
1937 and attended Montana State College in Bozeman (later Montana State University). He received his degree in
architecture from MSC in 1941. During World War II, Eck worked as a naval architect at the Bremerton, WA, shipyards
from 1942 to 1946. While designing ships, Eck honed his skills in the Modernism style, especially in respect to efficiency
of space and materials, form-follows-function, and other elements that defined modern architecture (Gallatin County
Museum files).
The Westgate Village building also meets the elements for justifying significance under Criterion C. Although not a grand
architectural building, the shopping center utilized unique 20th century elements of design, materials, construction, and
setting to create a very efficient and realistic structure to meet the needs of the mobile customer public as well as business
owners. The simple, almost utilitarian, International Style met the needs for a low-cost neighborhood shopping center.
One with design details that afforded effective maintenance, continuous service, and simple aesthetics for public
enjoyment. The low-profile rectangular façade with unobtrusive broken flat roof emphasizes the street view and access.
The large store front windows and lower bank walls of rustic form bricks in stacked pattern adds to the aesthetic pleasure
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Statement of Significance
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
of the building. Although the building has undergone changes over its 60-plus years of existence, most of the changes are
limited to the interiors. Alterations to the exterior are limited to paint changes, replacements, of doors, alterations or
windows and entry doors at units 1003 and 1005 at the east end, plus the evolution of different business signs. No exterior
additions or major structural changes have been made at the building. The few exterior alterations that have been noted
could easily reversed to recreate the original historic appearance of the building. The recreation of the trapezoid-shaped
Westgate Village sign would also round out the mid-century appearance.
Significant contributing elements of the Westgate Village historic property that support a recommendation for nomination
to the National Register include:
1. The original rectangular form and structure of the building, with all of the retained materials.
2. The original flat, built-up roof in two levels with projecting portion on the south to cover the concrete walkway
with support posts.
3. The original full-width concrete walkway along the south (front) façade, and concrete pad for the original
“Westgate Village” sign near the southeast corner of the building.
4. The original free-standing business sign in the southeast corner of the parking lot.
5. Painted mural on exterior of east wall of building.
6. The original metal mesh covered metal frame roof-top business signs placed on the roof.
7. The entire original full-width façade in five asymmetrical bays (one for each rental unit), each made of large fixed
glass windows, glass doors in original openings, original above-door transom spaces, on top of rustic-form brick
base walls in stacked-bond pattern beneath windows.
8. CMU block walls in stacked-bond pattern on west, north, and east exterior walls.
9. The entire full-width asphalt parking lot between the front façade concrete walkway on the south side of the
building and the sidewalk along the north side of West College Street.
Although the free-standing Westgate Village sign has been removed, its configuration, dimensions, and materials are
known and could be easily restored.
Even though the larger roof-top signs were not used on the building in the late 1950s, they were installed for each
business sometime after 1959 and before the mid- to late- 1970s, when photographs and sign permits first indicate the
location of such signs. As stated earlier, larger roof-top signs would be more visible to pedestrians and vehicle traffic in
keeping with the original design intent of the building. The concept of roof-top signs at Westgate Village is at least 50
years old, hence justifiable as contributing elements of the building.
Larger roof-top signs were installed for each business sometime after 1959 and before the mid- to late- 1970s, when
photographs and sign permits show the location of such signs. As stated earlier, larger roof-top signs would be more
visible to pedestrians and vehicle traffic. The concept of roof-top signs at Westgate Village is at least 50 years old, hence
justifiable as contributing elements of the building.
Non-contributing element of the historic property include:
1. Paint finishes.
2. Actual business name identification signs.
3. Interior furnishings and architectural fabric of the building.
(continued on page 32)
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Integrity
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
INTEGRITY (location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, association)
The Westgate Village Shopping Center retains all aspects location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association to
justify documentation of high integrity. The building retains its original historical location, scale, feeling, setting, and association as a
small neighborhood shopping center adjacent to the bustling Montana State University campus. The original design, materials, and
construction have been retained as intended. To additions or visible exterior structural alterations have occurred to obscure the strong
integrity of the building. The building definitely reflects its period of significance.
It is recommended that future upgrades to the building include consideration for consistent paint colors, re-establishing the storefronts
to units 1003 and 1005, as well creating a consistent and historically sympathetic design for the historic roof-top business signs and
replacement of the “Westgate Village” parking lot sign in its original location on existing concrete sign pad with specifications to
closely match the historic photographs.
All of the significant contributing elements of the Westgate Village historic property mentioned in the Statement of
Significance section above have the integrity of design, materials, and workmanship to meet the evaluation requirements
for Criterion C for recommending listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
(continued on page 33)
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Photographs
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Feature # Front Façade
Facing: North
Description: Westgate Village Shopping Center. Composite panoramic photograph of south/front
façade and portion of building’s parking lot. Note two different levels of flat roof and original metal-
framed wire-backed roof top sign frames. Note different floor elevations at doors. Note rustic surface
brick band beneath windows in stacked-bond pattern. (IRP Photo)
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Photographs
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Feature # Roof Detail Facing: North
Description: Photograph showing detail of different levels of flat roof at common wall between units 1005 and 1007. Difference in
height of two roofs is 20 inches. (IRP photo DSC5178)
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Photographs
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Feature # Concrete Masonry Unit Block Facing: n/a
Description: Photograph showing example of CMU block used on east, north and west walls of building. Note red sand matrix of
block. (IRP photo, IMG_7257)
Feature # Detail Facing: n/a
Description: Photograph showing detail of rustic texture brick on base panel beneath windows on front façade. Note stacked
bond pattern. (IRP photo, IMG_7259)
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Photographs
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Feature: Detail of portion of façade at unit 1005 West College Street Facing: North
Detail of brick pattern showing blocked original doorway to unit (white bricks, ½-cut on right edge).
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Photographs
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Feature: Portion of façade, west end Facing: Northwest
Detail view of west end of façade (1011 and 1009 W College St) showing roof-top signs on expanded metal steel frames.
Feature: Roof-top sign Facing: North
Detail of roof-top business sign with expanded metal mesh on steel frame, with lights.
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Photographs
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Feature: Detail of roof-top sign Facing: West
Detail of metal framed, expanded metal mesh sign frame, roof-top sign attached.
Feature # Portion of front façade Facing: North
Description: 1982 photograph showing portion of front façade with (left to right) units 1011, 1009, 1007, and west portion of
unit 1005 (Next Door Saloon). Note rustic surface brick band beneath windows in stacked-bond pattern. (IRP photo, IMG_7259)
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Photographs
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Feature # Southeast corner of building Facing: Northwest
Description: 1984 photograph showing portion of front façade and east wall with unit 1003 W College Street, Karl Mark’s
Pizza. (City of Bozeman Building Dept photo)
Feature # Portion of façade Facing: Northwest
Description: 1984 photograph showing Accent Camera in unit 1007, with portion of front façade of unit 1005 W College Street,
Next Door Saloon. Note lower band of rustic surface bricks in stacked bond pattern beneath windows, CMU block common wall
extending from façade at right end of unit 1007, and different levels of flat roof. (City of Bozeman Building Dept photo)
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Photographs
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Feature # Portion of façade Facing: Northwest
Description: 1984 photograph showing (right to left) west portion of Accent Camera in unit 1007, Through the Looking Glass
Hair Salon in unit 1009 W College Street, and unit 1011 at west end with double doors. Note lower band of rustic surface bricks
in stacked bond pattern beneath windows, different elevations of floors at doors. Note the louvered detail beneath the walkway
roof for sun protection. (City of Bozeman Building Dept photo)
Feature # Southwest corner of building and Portion of façade Facing: Northeast
Description: 1984 photograph showing southwest corner of building, unit 1011 W College St (Athlete’s Foot), and extreme west
portion of Through the Looking Glass Hair Salon in unit 1009. Note lower band of rustic surface bricks in stacked bond pattern
beneath windows, different elevations of floors at doors. (City of Bozeman Building Dept photo)
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Photographs
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Feature: Historic View Facing: Northeast
Community Food Co-Op, 1013 West College Street, at west end of building, next to Through the Looking Glass Hair Salon
(1009). Note louvered sun shade beneath lower roof edge. No photo date (ca. 1984-1991). (Bozeman Community Food Co-Op
photo)
Feature: Historic View Facing: Northeast
Community Food Co-Op, 1013 West College Street, at west end of building, north end of west side wall at alley with Co-Op
mural, no date (ca. 1984-1991). (Bozeman Community Food Co-Op photo)
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Photographs
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Feature: Historic View Facing: North
Close-up view of Community Food Co-Op with entrance doors at 1011 West College Street. Note clear view of stacked-bond
pattern of white bricks beneath windows. No date on photo (ca. 1984-1991). (Bozeman Community Food Co-Op photo)
Feature: Interior view, historic Facing: Northeast
Bozeman Community Food Co-Op, 1011 West College Street. “L” shape floorplan extends into rear space formerly at rear of
unit 1009 (seen just beyond hanging garlic. No date on photo (ca. 1984-1991). (Bozeman Community Food Co-Op photo)
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Photographs
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Feature: Historic View Facing: Northwest
Bozeman Community Food Co-Op at 1011 West College Street (west end of Westgate Village building). Note different roof-top
sign as well as reflection of yellow “Campus Contact Lens Clinic” parking lot sign seen in rear window of silver station wagon
and in transom window above Co-Op door. Also note clear view of white stacked-bond bricks beneath store-front windows and
missing wood louvered sunshade that is visible in photo above. Also of interest, note the reflection of MSU quonset huts across
College Street. No photo date (ca. 1984-1991). (Bozeman Community Food Co-Op photo)
(continued on page 44)
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Site Map
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Google Earth aerial photograph of intersection of South 11th Ave and West College Street (at round-about), with Westgate Village
Shopping Center Building ( 1003, 1005, 1007, 1009, and 1011 West College Street) labeled in red.
`
Historic Documentation
Westgate Village Building
1003 - 1011 West College St
Bozeman, Montana
Legend
200 ft
N➤➤N
DOCUMENT 2: Montana Historic Property Record Westgate Village Shopping Center
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Site Map
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Historic Documentation
Westgate Village Building
1003 - 1011 West College St
Bozeman, Montana
Legend
1000 ft
N➤➤N
DOCUMENT 2: Montana Historic Property Record Westgate Village Shopping Center
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Topographic Map
Property Name: Westgate Village Shopping Center Site Number:
Cropped and enlarged portion of USGS 7.5 minute topographic map, Bozeman, MT, 2020, showing location of
Westgate Village Shopping Center historic property at northwest corner of intersection of West College Street and South
10th Avenue (marked by red starburst symbol). North is at top of map. Width of map view is approximately 2.25 miles
DOCUMENT 2: Montana Historic Property Record Westgate Village Shopping Center