Belt in Cascade County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
Oriental Saloon
Belt Commercial Historic District
Erected by Montana Historical Society.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Montana National Register Sign Program series list.
Location. 47° 23.205′ N, 110° 55.673′ W. Marker is in Belt, Montana, in Cascade County. Marker can be reached from Castner Street (County Highway 331) near Bridge Street, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 66 Castner Street, Belt MT 59412, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 16 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. "East Belt" Ventilation Fan (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Belt Jail (about 300 feet away); Belt Commercial Historic District (about 300 feet away); Mountains, Belt Butte, and the Great Falls Coal Field (approx. 3 miles away); Steamboats, Bull Whackers, and Fish Trains (approx. 12.2 miles away); Lewis and Clark Passed Here (approx. 15.4 miles away); Great Falls of the Missouri River (approx. 15.4 miles away); Captain Lewis Arrives at the Great Falls (approx. 15˝ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Belt.
Regarding Oriental Saloon. National Register Historic District Statement of Significance:
The Belt Commercial Historic District includes commercial businesses, a theatre, banks, restaurants, and saloons, that convey the town’s historic commercial, recreational, and social patterns. The district is representative of three major periods of development for the community: the transition from a small mining camp to a permanent town during the late 1890s; expansion of the community through the 1910s; and a resurgence in prosperity after the World War II. For these reasons, it is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) under Criterion A. The Belt Commercial Historic District is eligible for the NRHP under Criterion C as an excellent and largely intact example of late 19th and early 20th century commercial architecture. The Farmers & Miners State Bank (70 Castner Street) exhibits elements of the Neoclassical, and thirteen other buildings are excellent examples of Western Commercial architecture common to rural communities in the American West. Four are built of native stone, while two have brick veneers to present a more modern and substantial appearance. All are minimally ornamented. They are good examples of non-architect designed buildings that have been little modified since their construction between 1896 and 1947. They represent the full gamut of popular architectural design from the peak years of 1896 to 1920 and the post-World War II commercial boom in Central Montana. The contributing buildings on Castner and Bridge Streets represent the transformation of Belt from a frontier mining community to a modern 20th century trade center.
Also see . . . Belt Commercial Historic District National Register Registration Form. (Submitted on May 6, 2024, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Credits. This page was last revised on May 6, 2024. It was originally submitted on May 6, 2024, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 34 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 6, 2024, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.