Virginia City in Madison County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
Metropolitan Meat Market
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 6, 2009
1. Metropolitan Meat Market Marker
Inscription.
Metropolitan Meat Market. . George Gohn was one of the first to arrive at Alder Gulch in 1863 where he and Conrad Kohrs set up a meat market in a log cabin. Alkali dust sifted through the chinks and covered the meat prompting Gohn to experiment with various other locations until he settled on this site in 1880. When fire destroyed much of the block in 1888, only Gohn rebuilt. The present building, completed that year, long stood solitary on this section of Wallace Street. Decorated pilasters, brackets and imitation quarried stone highlight the cast iron storefront manufactured by George Mesker of Evansville, Indiana. Recent interior renovations included restoration of the tin ceiling. In the process, owners discovered a hidden treasure behind a plastered drywall: Gohn’s elaborate oak meat cooler with beveled mirrors intact. This unusual example of 1880s state-of-the-art equipment stands sixteen feet high. Gohn advertised that his cooler was always well stocked with beef, veal, pork, game fowl and mutton and that his peddling wagons were “run regularly up and down the gulch.” This property contributes to the Virginia City Historic District . Listed in the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior . In cooperation with the Montana Historical Society
George Gohn was one of the first to arrive at Alder Gulch in 1863 where he and Conrad Kohrs set up a meat market in a log cabin. Alkali dust sifted through the chinks and covered the meat prompting Gohn to experiment with various other locations until he settled on this site in 1880. When fire destroyed much of the block in 1888, only Gohn rebuilt. The present building, completed that year, long stood solitary on this section of Wallace Street. Decorated pilasters, brackets and imitation quarried stone highlight the cast iron storefront manufactured by George Mesker of Evansville, Indiana. Recent interior renovations included restoration of the tin ceiling. In the process, owners discovered a hidden treasure behind a plastered drywall: Gohn’s elaborate oak meat cooler with beveled mirrors intact. This unusual example of 1880s state-of-the-art equipment stands sixteen feet high. Gohn advertised that his cooler was always well stocked with beef, veal, pork, game fowl and mutton and that his peddling wagons were “run regularly up and down the gulch.”
This property contributes to the Virginia City Historic District • Listed in the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior • In cooperation with the Montana Historical Society
Erected by Montana
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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. A significant historical year for this entry is 1863.
Location. 45° 17.609′ N, 111° 56.774′ W. Marker is in Virginia City, Montana, in Madison County. Marker is on Wallace Street. This marker is located on the north side of Wallace Street between Jackson and Van Buren Streets. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Virginia City MT 59755, United States of America. Touch for directions.
4. A Cast-iron column on the Metropolitan Meat Market
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 6, 2009
5. Pressed-metal Ornamentation of the False-front
Credits. This page was last revised on July 25, 2018. It was originally submitted on November 13, 2011, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 519 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on November 13, 2011, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
