Hamilton in Ravalli County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)

Ravalli County Courthouse

Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, July 13, 2009

1. Ravalli County Courthouse Marker

Inscription. Copper king Marcus Daly established local logging operations and platted the town of Hamilton in 1890 to fuel his Anaconda copper mining ventures. When Ravalli County was carved from Missoula County in 1893, Stevensville won designation as county seat. But Daly's interests soon brought Hamilton a more substantial population and the town became the Ravalli County seat in 1898. County offices were first housed at the local opera house. In 1900, voters approved a $20,000 bond issue, and Daly's Anaconda Copper Mining Company donated the land on which to build this courthouse. A. J. Gibson designed the new facility while Charles Stabern won the bid as contractor. Gibson's stunning design merges the Richardsonian Romanesque style with strong classical elements. The result is a pivotal example of the transition between nineteenth and twentieth century tastes. Graceful round-arched Romanesque style windows, popular in Victorian-era public architecture, blend with smooth wall surfaces and a horizontal orientation that reflects a newer trend toward classical styles. The tall corner tower visually interrupts the

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classical symmetry creating an artistic balance, between old and new that is a credit to Gibson's talent. Completed in 1901, the building originally featured a large second-story courtroom with an eighteen-foot- ceiling. Dark-finished wood and plastered walls brightened by electric lighting throughout made this courthouse a source of community pride. The facility served until 1974 when the county built a new courthouse and this building appropriately became the Ravalli County Historical Museum.

Erected by Montana Historical Society.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Law Enforcement • Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the Montana National Register Sign Program series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1901.

Location. 46° 14.679′ N, 114° 9.477′ W. Marker is in Hamilton, Montana, in Ravalli County. It is at the intersection of Bedford Street and S 3rd Street on Bedford Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 205 Bedford Street, Hamilton MT 59840, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally,

Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, June 19, 2014

2. Ravalli County Courthouse & Marker

this marker is in Western Montana,

in Glacier Country,

and in Greater Missoula.

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 Rupert’s Land

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: City Hall (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Carnegie Library (about 600 feet away); First National Bank (about 700 feet away); 337 West Main (approx. 0.2 miles away); Telephone Exchange (approx. 0.2 miles away); United States Post Office (approx. 0.2 miles away); Hamilton Commercial Historic District (approx. 0.2 miles away); Daly Mansion (approx. 1.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hamilton.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 22, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 22, 2026, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. This page has been viewed 26 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 22, 2026, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.