South Side in Billings in Yellowstone County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
Crystal Saloon
Billings Old Town Historic District
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 15, 2020
1. Crystal Saloon Marker
Inscription.
Crystal Saloon. Billings Old Town Historic District. Billings rancher and businessman James R. Conway built this handsome, brick double-front store with an upstairs boardinghouse in 1900. Conway opened the Crystal Saloon in the west half and J.C. Staffek ran a cigar ship in the east half. The two businesses were among many saloons, cigar stores, and cafes located near the tracks that served railroad, warehouse, and factory workers as well as homesteaders, farmers, and ranchers passing through. While the first-floor façade has seen many alterations, the paired arched windows, rusticated stone sills, and dentil (tooth) pattern masonry on the second floor still reflect the Romanesque Revival style. During the early 1900s, this neighborhood hosted a large Asian immigrant community. The Shong Hoi Noodle Parlor opened here in 1914, and in 1919 Japanese immigrants George Taketa and Nabikichi Morimoto opened a cafe. The building's longest operating business, the Oasis Bar, served a rowdy crowd from 1954 to the early 2000s. Although this area suffered a bad reputation from the 1920s until the end of the twentieth century, revitalization efforts in the early 2000s preserved many buildings and attracted new businesses.
Billings rancher and businessman James R. Conway built this handsome, brick double-front store with an upstairs boardinghouse in 1900. Conway opened the Crystal Saloon in the west half and J.C. Staffek ran a cigar ship in the east half. The two businesses were among many saloons, cigar stores, and cafes located near the tracks that served railroad, warehouse, and factory workers as well as homesteaders, farmers, and ranchers passing through. While the first-floor façade has seen many alterations, the paired arched windows, rusticated stone sills, and dentil (tooth) pattern masonry on the second floor still reflect the Romanesque Revival style. During the early 1900s, this neighborhood hosted a large Asian immigrant community. The Shong Hoi Noodle Parlor opened here in 1914, and in 1919 Japanese immigrants George Taketa and Nabikichi Morimoto opened a cafe. The building's longest operating business, the Oasis Bar, served a rowdy crowd from 1954 to the early 2000s. Although this area suffered a bad reputation from the 1920s until the end of the twentieth century, revitalization efforts in the early 2000s preserved many buildings and attracted new businesses.
Erected by Montana Historical Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce
Location. 45° 46.833′ N, 108° 30.217′ W. Marker is in Billings, Montana, in Yellowstone County. It is in the South Side. Marker is on Minnesota Avenue near North Broadway when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2718 Minnesota Avenue, Billings MT 59101, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 15, 2020
2. Crystal Saloon and Marker
The marker is at the left edge of the building, not on the right.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 29, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 120 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on January 29, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
