Virginia City in Madison County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
Cole/Batten House
This Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 5, 2022
1. Cole/Batten House Marker
Inscription.
Cole/Batten House. This Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District. This early home, built circa 1868 by C. E. Hill, was reputedly the site of Virginia City’s first Chinese wedding. The two-story section was originally finished in vertical siding, the eaves were trimmed in fancy latticework, and a small porch sheltered the entry. The back sections and wraparound veranda were added well before 1900. The front door, original interior hardware, and parlor windows (likely packed in sawdust and shipped via steamboat and overland by ox-drawn freight wagon) remain intact. The Ella Cole family owned the property from 1873 to 1937 when it was sold to B. F. Williams. Richard and Clida Batten Fristedt bought the home in 1947. The family of Clida’s first husband, Evan Batten, was one of the first to settle in Nevada City in the 1850s. The property eventually passed to Evan and Clida’s daughter, Evalyn, and her husband, Richard Johnson. In 1992, the Johnsons meticulously restored the home to its nineteenth-century appearance, and it is today a prominent feature of this landmark Virginia City neighborhood.
This early home, built circa 1868 by C. E. Hill, was reputedly the site of Virginia City’s first Chinese wedding. The two-story section was originally finished in vertical siding, the eaves were trimmed in fancy latticework, and a small porch sheltered the entry. The back sections and wraparound veranda were added well before 1900. The front door, original interior hardware, and parlor windows (likely packed in sawdust and shipped via steamboat and overland by ox-drawn freight wagon) remain intact. The Ella Cole family owned the property from 1873 to 1937 when it was sold to B. F. Williams. Richard and Clida Batten Fristedt bought the home in 1947. The family of Clida’s first husband, Evan Batten, was one of the first to settle in Nevada City in the 1850s. The property eventually passed to Evan and Clida’s daughter, Evalyn, and her husband, Richard Johnson. In 1992, the Johnsons meticulously restored the home to its nineteenth-century appearance, and it is today a prominent feature of this landmark Virginia City neighborhood.
45° 17.588′ N, 111° 56.552′ W. Marker is in Virginia City, Montana, in Madison County. Marker is at the intersection of East Idaho Street and Hamilton Street, on the left when traveling west on East Idaho Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 200 East Idaho Street, Virginia City MT 59755, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 18, 2022. It was originally submitted on September 18, 2022, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 76 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on September 18, 2022, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
