Great Falls in Cascade County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)

New Park Hotel

Great Falls Central Business Historic District

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 19, 2019

1. New Park Hotel Marker

Inscription. Town founders Paris Gibson and Herbert Chowen built the original Park Hotel in 1892 to serve travelers disembarking at the nearby Great Northern Depot. When the hundred-room hotel burned in a 1913 fire, Park Hotel owners hired prominent Great Falls architect George Shanley to design a new building worthy of the booming metropolis. Gibson and Chowen originally estimated the New Park Hotel’s construction would cost $75,000. Ultimately, however, contractors Leigland, Kleppe and Co. built the five-story, fire-resistant, concrete and steel structure for an estimated $200,000. Plans specified a ballroom, banquet room, and dining room on the first floor and a Turkish bath in the basement. The building’s distinctively curved parapets and the balcony accentuated by prominent wooden brackets reflect the Mission Revival style. Inspired by California’s historic Spanish missions, railroad architects increasingly adopted the style for depots, with Great Falls’ 1914 Milwaukee Depot a case in point. The New Park Hotel’s Mission style references complemented the depot without tying it directly to the Milwaukee line. The hotel, after all,

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served passengers from both railroads.

Erected by The Montana National Register Sign Program.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Montana National Register Sign Program series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1892.

Location. 47° 30.317′ N, 111° 18.343′ W. Marker is in Great Falls, Montana, in Cascade County. It is at the intersection of Central Avenue and Park Drive North, on the left when traveling west on Central Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 Central Avenue, Great Falls MT 59401, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in andspecifically entral Montana in Russell Country. It is also in the American Mountain West

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within

New Park Hotel and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 19, 2019

2. New Park Hotel and Marker

walking distance of this marker: Great Falls Civic Center (within shouting distance of this marker); Murphy Maclay Hardware Store (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Arvon Block (about 500 feet away); Liberty Theatre (about 800 feet away); Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Depot (approx. 0.2 miles away); "Nibbles" (approx. 0.2 miles away); Bus Depot and Garage (approx. ¼ mile away); McCulloh Residence (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Great Falls.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 19, 2019

3. New Park Hotel Marker

<i>Park Hotel, Great Falls, Mont.</i> image. Click for full size.

circa 1920

4. Park Hotel, Great Falls, Mont.

Credits. This page was last revised on December 27, 2024. It was originally submitted on December 22, 2019, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 1,263 times since then and 45 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 22, 2019, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. 4. submitted on December 22, 2019.