South Side in Billings in Yellowstone County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
George L. Tracy Building
Billings Townsite Historic District
Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 15, 2020
1. George L. Tracy Building Marker
Inscription.
In the 1910s, Billings promoted itself as the capital of the “Midland Empire.” That economic domain covered thirty thousand square miles and boasted hundreds of communities that relied on Billings for supplies. No wonder Helena-based distributor George L. Tracy Co. expanded into the Billings market, constructing this two-story warehouse in 1919. The building was designed for optimal efficiency. A rear loading dock bordered the tracks, and the building’s raised concrete foundation placed the structure on the same level as the railroad cars to ease unloading. Its side loading dock—part of a one-story addition constructed in 1923—was built to accommodate trucks, which played an increasingly important role in the distribution of goods. The front façade boasts decorative dentils and seven brick pilasters trimmed at the caps with sandstone darts. These pilasters likely cover structural columns of steel or concrete, masking twentieth-century technology with traditional masonry detailing. The Ryan Fruit Company leased the addition after 1925. A ghost sign on the building’s south wall still promotes a second fruit wholesaler that
Location. 45° 46.939′ N, 108° 30.144′ W. Marker is in Billings, Montana, in Yellowstone County. It is in the South Side. It is at the intersection of Montana Avenue (Business Interstate 90) and North 26th Street, on the right when traveling east on Montana Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2600, Billings MT 59101, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Montana’s 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
Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 15, 2020
Credits. This page was last revised on November 4, 2024. It was originally submitted on February 5, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 448 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on February 5, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
