Pouder Furniture Building

Pouder Furniture Building. Billings Townsite Historic District. Situated in the heart of the extended commercial railroad corridor that developed in the 1910s, this vernacular Western Commercial style building on its prominent corner anchors the historic district. Built circa 1916, Howard J. Pouder and his wife Nettie moved their second-hand furniture business here from a few doors down. The Pouders’ Billings Auction House operated at this location until 1929, advertising “everything for the home.” The Pouders bought, sold, and exchanged furniture, kitchen appliances, rugs, and office equipment and purchased large inventories of household goods for re-sale. The building, which wraps around North Thirtieth Street, included a two-room apartment, advertised for rent in 1920. By 1923, the upper floor housed a dance hall and by 1930, the upstairs had been converted into the Central Apartments, which included five units. Offices for the Crosby Hatchery opened onto North Thirtieth Street, and the Central Sheet Metal Works operated on the ground floor. Architecturally significant for its stunning red brick façade, the pristine upper story features segmental arched windows, simple brick detailing, and wonderful “ghost signs” recalling the building’s early 1930s occupants.