Belt in Cascade County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
Belt Commercial Historic District
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 18, 2019
1. Belt Commercial Historic District Marker
Inscription.
Belt Commercial Historic District. . Pennsylvania native John Castner discovered rich coal deposits along Belt Creek in 1870. Within just a few years, he and Fort Benton trader T.C. Power opened a commercial coal mine near here. The partners sold coal for use by the Great Northern Railway, the Boston and Montana Refinery in Great Falls and for domestic use in central Montana. Belt, originated to serve the mine, attracting men from throughout the United States and Europe to work side-by-side underground. In 1885, Castner and his wife, Mattie, one of Montana's early African-American businesswomen, established a stage station and hotel at this site on the Lewistown-Great Falls Road. The expansion of the mine by its new owner, the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, in 1894 caused a profound change in Belt. Its commercial district relocated to the area adjacent to the stage station on what became known as Castner Street. By the early twentieth century, a jumble of wooden false-front commercial buildings and saloons lined the street, keeping in character with the community's origin as a mining camp. The expansion of the mine and the surrounding area's increasing dependence on agriculture in the early 1900s significantly changed the appearance of Belt's commercial district. The old false-front buildings gave way to the more substantial stone and brick-front buildings that line the street today. Although many lack architectural ornamentation, collectively the buildings gave the appearance of a prosperous and stable community. The commercial district represents the metamorphosis of Belt from a mining camp to a modern city.
Pennsylvania native John Castner discovered rich coal deposits along Belt Creek in 1870. Within just a few years, he and Fort Benton trader T.C. Power opened a commercial coal mine near here. The partners sold coal for use by the Great Northern Railway, the Boston and Montana Refinery in Great Falls and for domestic use in central Montana. Belt, originated to serve the mine, attracting men from throughout the United States and Europe to work side-by-side underground. In 1885, Castner and his wife, Mattie, one of Montana's early African-American businesswomen, established a stage station and hotel at this site on the Lewistown-Great Falls Road. The expansion of the mine by its new owner, the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, in 1894 caused a profound change in Belt. Its commercial district relocated to the area adjacent to the stage station on what became known as Castner Street. By the early twentieth century, a jumble of wooden false-front commercial buildings and saloons lined the street, keeping in character with the community's origin as a mining camp. The expansion of the mine and the surrounding area's increasing dependence on agriculture in the early 1900s significantly changed the appearance of Belt's commercial district. The old false-front buildings gave way to the more substantial stone and brick-front buildings that line the
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street today. Although many lack architectural ornamentation, collectively the buildings gave the appearance of a prosperous and stable community. The commercial district represents the metamorphosis of Belt from a mining camp to a modern city.
Erected by The Montana National Register Sign Program.
Location. 47° 23.259′ N, 110° 55.651′ W. Marker is in Belt, Montana, in Cascade County. Marker is on Castner Street (State Road 331) near Bridge Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 75 Castner Street, Belt MT 59412, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photographed By Montana National Register Sign Program
3. "Birdseye View Looking Up Belt Creek, Belt Mont"
Credits. This page was last revised on December 22, 2019. It was originally submitted on December 18, 2019, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 144 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on December 18, 2019, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.