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. 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

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• 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 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. It 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.

Regionally, this marker is in Southwest Montana, in Gold West Country, in Mining Country and in Greater Bozeman.

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

Metropolitan Meat Market image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 6, 2009

2. Metropolitan Meat Market

The marker is on the left, near the flag.

Land

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Pfouts and Russel (a few steps from this marker); Old Masonic Temple (a few steps from this marker); F.R. Merk Block (within shouting distance of this marker); Elling Bank (within shouting distance of this marker); Stonewall Hall (within shouting distance of this marker); Barlett’s Blacksmith Shop (within shouting distance of this marker); The Remarkable Sarah Bickford (within shouting distance of this marker); Anaconda Hotel (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Virginia City.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 6, 2009

3. Metropolitan Meat Market

A Cast-iron column on the Metropolitan Meat Market image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 6, 2009

4. A Cast-iron column on the Metropolitan Meat Market

Pressed-metal Ornamentation of the False-front image. Click for full size.

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 693 times since then and 31 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.