Missoula in Missoula County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
Parsons House
University Area Historic District
Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 7, 2022
1. Parsons House Marker
Inscription.
Parsons House. University Area Historic District. Christopher P. Higgins, a Missoula founder, bought 160 acres in 1887 in this area now known as the Montana Addition. He died in 1889 before the southside building boom, but in his will Higgins directed his heirs to complete unfinished housing constructed on speculation. In 1893, this house, completed circa 1892, and the unimproved lot next door sold for $3,000, nearly twice what Higgins had paid for the entire quarter section six years before. Dr. William Buchanan Parsons purchased the property in 1898. The doctor, a leading surgeon and partner in the Parsons and Brown Hospital, cared for patients in far-flung communities and the Flathead Indian reservation. From 1929 to the 1960s, the family of Northern Pacific foreman Claude Marcyes resided in the home. Marcyes served as longtime historian for the Montana Pioneer Society. The regal Queen Anne style residence features gables, patterned chimneys, and a grand tower-like dormer. Spindlework, decorative eave brackets, and fish-scale shingles further embellish this painted lady. In 1995, the beautifully maintained neighborhood landmark received a Missoula Historic Preservation Award.
Christopher P. Higgins, a Missoula founder, bought 160 acres in 1887 in this area now known as the Montana Addition. He died in 1889 before the southside building boom, but in his will Higgins directed his heirs to complete unfinished housing constructed on speculation. In 1893, this housecompleted circa 1892and the unimproved lot next door sold for $3,000, nearly twice what Higgins had paid for the entire quarter section six years before. Dr. William Buchanan Parsons purchased the property in 1898. The doctor, a leading surgeon and partner in the Parsons and Brown Hospital, cared for patients in far-flung communities and the Flathead Indian reservation. From 1929 to the 1960s, the family of Northern Pacific foreman Claude Marcyes resided in the home. Marcyes served as longtime historian for the Montana Pioneer Society. The regal Queen Anne style residence features gables, patterned chimneys, and a grand tower-like dormer. Spindlework, decorative eave brackets, and fish-scale shingles further embellish this painted lady. In 1995, the beautifully maintained neighborhood landmark received a Missoula Historic Preservation Award.
Erected by Montana Historical Society.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings
Location. 46° 52.015′ N, 113° 59.792′ W. Marker is in Missoula, Montana, in Missoula County. It is on South 5th Street East near Ronald Avenue, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 231 South 5th Street East, Missoula MT 59801, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Western Montana and in Glacier Country. It is also in the American Mountain West and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor. Globally, it is in North America, the Rocky Mountains, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Ruperts Land and also the Louisiana Purchase.
The marker is embedded in the lawn to the right of the walkway.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 14, 2022. It was originally submitted on December 14, 2022, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 216 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on December 14, 2022, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
