South Side in Billings in Yellowstone County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
Swift and Company Building
Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 15, 2020
1. Swift and Company Building Marker
Inscription.
Gustavus Swift of Sagamore, Massachusetts, founded a meat-packing company in 1850 that revolutionized the industry. His contributions included assembly-line processing, promotion of the safety of pre-cut and processed meat, and improvement and use of refrigerated railcars, allowing year-round shipment. By the early 1900s, Swift and Company had processing plants and warehouses across the United States. The company built this warehouse in 1916 to store processed meat for distribution to markets and restaurants in the surrounding area. Its key location along the former Northern Pacific Railroad’s right-of-way, just south of the tracks, illustrates the critical link between rail transportation and industry. Its decorative brick façade, twin triangle parapets, and stone- trimmed windows are excellent examples of early-twentieth-century warehouse architecture. Massive timber- and-beam construction, expansive cold storage rooms, and a meat smoking tower at the northwest corner remain intact. Faint ghost signs reading “Swift Silverleaf” and “Swift and Company” recall the building’s original use. Swift operated this warehouse through
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the 1970s. In 2009, careful and creative adaptive re-use into nine loft apartments preserved the building’s industrial character both inside and out.
Erected by Montana Historical Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1850.
Location. 45° 46.894′ N, 108° 30.123′ W. Marker is in Billings, Montana, in Yellowstone County. It is in the South Side. It is on Minnesota Avenue near South 26th Street, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2605 Minnesota Avenue, Billings MT 59101, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Yellowstone Country. It is also in the American Mountain West and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor. 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: Price Motor Sales (a few
Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 15, 2020
Credits. This page was last revised on January 10, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 30, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 328 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on January 30, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
