Forsyth in Rosebud County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)

Vananda State Bank Building

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 13, 2020

1. Vananda State Bank Building Marker

Inscription. Symmetrical facades, conservative design, and the use of durable material, particularly stone and brick, typified small-town Montana bank buildings like this one, originally constructed in Vananda, seventeen miles northwest of Forsyth. In the days before Federal Deposit Insurance, such designs conveyed a sense of permanence and stability. These solid buildings promised a prosperous future for the young communities they served. Vananda was born in 1915 of the homesteading boom and the Milwaukee railroad. In 1917, the bank hired Forsyth builder Louie Wahl to construct the first "semi-fireproof" building in town for $6,000. The stately little bank was open only five years before it failed in 1923, a victim of ongoing drought and depressed commodity prices. The building then served as a post office and home to the postmaster's family to twelve until 1959. By that time Vananda was practically a ghost town. In 2002, the building was carefully separated and lived from its foundation. Then in 2003, this 100-ton structure was move across sixteen bridges to its present location in downtown Forsyth.

Topics. This historical marker

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is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1915.

Location. 46° 15.974′ N, 106° 40.668′ W. Marker is in Forsyth, Montana, in Rosebud County. It is at the intersection of Main Street and 10th Avenue, on the right when traveling west on Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1001 Main Street, Forsyth MT 59327, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Montana’s Northern Cheyenne Nation,

in Southeast Montana, in Custer Country and in the Powder River Basin.

It is also in the American Mountain West,

in the Lewis & Clark Corridor,

on the prairies,

on the Great Plains,

and specifically on the Northern Plains.

Globally, it is in North America,

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 walking distance of this marker: Forsyth Main Street Historic District (here, next to this marker); Roxy Theatre (within shouting

Vananda State Bank Building and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 13, 2020

2. Vananda State Bank Building and Marker

distance of this marker); Masonic Temple (within shouting distance of this marker); Merchant Bank (within shouting distance of this marker); 933 Main Street (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Northway Residence (about 400 feet away); Forsyth, MT (about 400 feet away); Choisser Block (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Forsyth.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 13, 2020

3. Vananda State Bank Building Marker

The marker is not the one in the foreground.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 12, 2024. It was originally submitted on January 14, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 588 times since then and 57 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 14, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.