In the years leading up to Prohibition, more than a dozen local shops sold cigars and tobacco. In 1917, Billings claimed five cigar factories.
When Prohibition outlawed alcohol and shut down saloons, it indirectly undercut the tobacco industry . . . — — Map (db m165960) HM
When Evelyn and Arnold Graf purchased this property in 1938, the area was still predominantly wild, covered with native grasses and scrub cedar. The roads were mostly unpaved and hayfields and pastures lay to the north. Graf designed and built this . . . — — Map (db m166734) HM
Constructed in 1907 during a period of robust city growth, the Babcock replaced the original Billings Opera House, which was destroyed in a catastrophic fire. Owners first planned a four-story commercial block, then a seven-story building, but only . . . — — Map (db m166403) HM
The Stebbins, Post and Mind Bank opened its door on Minnesota Avenue in 1883. It served as Billings' only financial institution until 1886, when Edward Bailey and Parmly Billings established the town's second private bank across the tracks on . . . — — Map (db m166022) HM
Named Boothill because so many of its occupants went to their deaths with their boots on, this cemetery was the burying ground for Coulson, Yellowstone River town existing from 1877-1885 on the edge of what was to be Billings. Most famous buried . . . — — Map (db m28939) HM
Billings was but a fledgling townsite along the Northern Pacific Railroad’s route when the Billings Water Company brought the first electrical current into the settlement in 1887. By 1908, Billings had the lead as a busy agricultural hub. Arrival of . . . — — Map (db m166402) HM
John Losekamp brought boots and shoes to Billings by mule train in 1882, when a cluster of tents and a few log cabins defined the business district. The pioneer merchant purchased this lot around 1890, constructing a two- story brick business block . . . — — Map (db m166046) HM
With its four-story tower, strict symmetry, Gothic-arched front entry, decorative symbolic pendants, and tall narrow windows, McMullen Hall references the Collegiate Gothic style. First employed by Ivy League schools emulating the architecture of . . . — — Map (db m166660) HM
Austin and Hattie North established the North Elevation Subdivwalking distance of McKinley Elementary and Billings’ downtown, “the Elevation” was a commonsense extension for the Yellowstone River Valley’s fastest growing city. The . . . — — Map (db m166718) HM
Situated in the heart of the extended commercial railroad corridor that developed in the 1910s, this vernacular Western Commercial style building on its prominent corner anchors the historic district. Built circa 1916, Howard J. Pouder and his wife . . . — — Map (db m165805) HM
The Coulson "Boothill" Cemetery
Residents of the town of Coulson, established along there banks of the Yellowstone River in 1877, buried their dead at the Coulson "Boothill" Cemetery, just below the Place of the Skulls. The cemetery was . . . — — Map (db m167883) HM
The Stockman, known as the place "where men meet men," was more than a café. It also featured a bar, recreation parlor, barbershop and sporting goods store. — — Map (db m166047) HM
The Oliver Building was part of an early 20th century downtown development boom along the railroad tracks parallel to Montana Avenue. Constructed in an area that generally marketed manufactured, agricultural and wholesale goods, the building is a . . . — — Map (db m166314) HM
The Billings Opera House, an elegant theater at 1217 Montana Avenue, presented its debut performance in 1896. After a fire left the building in ashes in 1906, owner A.L. Babcock built a new theater on Second Avenue North, which featured boxing . . . — — Map (db m166048) HM
Chapple Drug, founded in 1893 by Drs. Henry and James Chapple and their brother Charles, opened on the northeast corner of Broadway and Montana Avenue in the Belknap Block, Billings' first permanent commercial block. Chapple Drug served as the local . . . — — Map (db m166023) HM
The Clark Hotel, another architectural landmark along Montana Avenue, was demolished in 1968, and the site is now a parking lot. The hotel, built around 1906 across from the Parmly Billings Library, featured an elaborate facade with pressed brick . . . — — Map (db m165964) HM
The number of motels in Billings grew rapidly as the national economy boomed after World War II. Millions of Americans took to the road on vacations and for business trips, creating a tremendous need for roadside accommodations. Among all the motels . . . — — Map (db m166427) HM
The Billings Daily Gazette was formed in May of 1885 by the consolidation of three newspapers: The Billings Herald, the Daily Rustler, and the Billings Post. Celebration of the merger gave way to despair when the Gazette's newspaper offices went up . . . — — Map (db m166058) HM
John D. Losekamp came to Billings in 1884 and established a boot and shoe store on Montana Avenue. The business grew into a gentlemen's clothing store, and he freely gave credit to cowboys and range riders from the surrounding area. The sign on his . . . — — Map (db m165967) HM
The Parmly Billings Memorial Library was a gift from the Frederick and Julia Parmly Billings Estate in more of their eldest child, Parmly. Parmly spent four years in Billings and died unexpectedly on a return trip back to this home in Vermont in . . . — — Map (db m165955) HM
In 1837-38 a smallpox epidemic spread from the American Fur Trading Company steamboat St. Peter which had docked at Fort Union. The terrible disease for which the Indians had no immunity eventually affected all Montana tribes. A story is told among . . . — — Map (db m28814) HM
Near this spot (Theodore Roosevelt) delivers his last address on a college campus,
October 5-1918
"This is the kind of school that builds character and trains for the highest type of leadership. It is out from there vast open spaces of . . . — — Map (db m166849) HM
Ignatius D. O’Donnell came to Montana Territory from Michigan in 1882 to seek his fortune. A pioneer in crop development and irrigation methods, O’Donnell came to be called the “Alfalfa King,” introducing both alfalfa and the sugar beet . . . — — Map (db m166720) HM
When Preston B. Moss built this red sandstone mansion in 1902-1903, it was some distance from the growing city of Billings. The 25-room structure was home to Mr. and Mrs. Moss, their six children, the grandparents, and a staff of three. Designed by . . . — — Map (db m166732) HM
With schools “crowded to suffocation,” the Billings School District decided to construct a new four-room school on the city’s West Side in 1909 for an estimated $28,000. For the building’s design, Billings architect Curtis Oehme chose a . . . — — Map (db m166721) HM
Dubbed one of Billings’ “pioneer building contractors,” Emanuel Lindstrom waited until age thirty-eight to marry twenty-two-year-old Radina Holen, a fellow immigrant from Norway. In 1913, the Lindstroms moved into this Prairie style . . . — — Map (db m166436) HM
Noted Billings architect J. G. Link designed this two-story residence circa 1921. It is one of only four architect-designed homes in the North Elevation Historic District. A classic American Foursquare, or “Prairie Box,” the house . . . — — Map (db m166509) HM
Built in 1915 at the height of Craftsman style popularity, this two-story home features the style’s characteristic exposed rafter tails and inviting front porch. Less typical is the way the porch extended over the driveway to create a sheltered . . . — — Map (db m166510) HM
Lawyer Arthur J. Cunningham and his wife Edna built this remarkably well-reserved Craftsman style bungalow in 1915 for $3,300. The house retains nearly all its original materials, including the narrow wood clapboard siding and wide wood trim, open . . . — — Map (db m166708) HM
A near twin to a home designed by renowned architect Percy Bentley in La Crosse, Wisconsin, this two-story Prairie style residence was built circa 1912 for Louis and Sarah Dousman. The Dousmans had close connections to La Crosse, where Sarah was . . . — — Map (db m166574) HM
The full-width front porch, low-pitched roof with wide overhangs, and prominent corbelled (stepped) brick chimney are key elements of this 1913 Craftsman bungalow. Multi-pane sidelights flanking the door match the transom atop the main window and . . . — — Map (db m166528) HM
Built c. 1916, this one-and-one-half-story bungalow still looks much as it did when card parties and club luncheons filled its owners’ social calendars. As is typical with the Craftsman style, knee braces ornament wide overhanging eaves, and a . . . — — Map (db m166663) HM
The prominent brick chimney that dominates the façade of this one-story clapboard home pays homage to the Tudor style. The open front porch, wide overhanging eaves, and exposed roof beams are common Craftsman style features. Frieda Kohn lived here . . . — — Map (db m166531) HM
Simplicity, honesty, functionality, and efficiency were the architectural watchwords of the 1910s. Craftsman style bungalows like this one embodied the era’s minimalist aesthetic, and the style took the nation—and Billings—by storm. . . . — — Map (db m166576) HM
The first owner of this one-and-one-half-story home, Matthew Barry, owned the Barry Motor Company, a car garage and “livery”—or rental service. Perhaps that’s why he built a garage (recently replaced) to match the home. Both house . . . — — Map (db m166578) HM
This classic example of an American Foursquare house with Prairie style details was completed by 1916 when photographer Frank Crosby was hired to capture the fashionable new North Elevation subdivision. The term Foursquare describes the house’s . . . — — Map (db m166647) HM
Wayne and Ethel Gordon's 1939 home is one of two Cape Cod style homes in the North Elevation Historic District. The steep side-gable roof, gabled dormers, and elegant front door entablature are key stylistic elements. After completing medical school . . . — — Map (db m166707) HM
pedimented entryway and multi-pane transom window are among the Greek Revival style elements that decorate this side-gable brick home, built c. 1932 for Julius and Anna Clavadetscher. A talented cellist, Julius played with the Minneapolis Symphony . . . — — Map (db m166648) HM
Civil engineer Bill Lowe designed and built this house for his family circa 1940. The modest-looking home has several features more typically found in high-style homes. These include the clay tile roof, decorative chimney caps, and a bow window, . . . — — Map (db m166661) HM
Rapid changes in technology, industry, and social customs marked the Jazz Age of the 1920s. In the face of short skirts and speakeasies, many Americans longed for a supposedly simpler past. The Tudor style’s story-book charm and emblematic . . . — — Map (db m166649) HM
The Prairie style is well represented in this two-story America Fou1915. A low hipped roof, extended eaves with exposed rafter tails, symmetrical façade, and lap siding emphasize horizonal lines. These architectural features especially distinguish . . . — — Map (db m166719) HM
Robert Martin (Bob) was born in 1912. He won a cute baby contest in 1913 and was kissed by Theodore Roosevelt. The attended Mckinley (sic), Broadwater and Jefferson Elementary Schools, and Billings High School which is now the Lincoln Center. He was . . . — — Map (db m166530)
One of two existing storefronts in the North Elevation Historic District, this one-story Western Commercial style grocery store features a stylized stepped parapet and large display windows. Sam Chichas, the Greek proprietor of a grocery on North . . . — — Map (db m166433) HM
The famous cowboy movie star William S. Hart and his horse Fritz, are immortalized in the local statue "Range Rider of the Yellowstone." The statue, overlooking the city of Billings from atop the rimrocks, was dedicated on July 4, 1927, with Hart's . . . — — Map (db m166310) HM
J. Collins West, Exalted Ruler of Lodge 394 of the Elks Club, planned this turn-of-the-century Italian Renaissance Revival style building as a lodge hall. Billings Elks members attending the St. Louis Exposition in 1904 purchased a bar for their . . . — — Map (db m166404) HM
Billings was founded as a railroad town in 1882. The first passenger depot was the Headquarters Hotel, located on what was then North 28th and Montana Ave. It served as the stopping point for passengers and freight. In 1891, the Headquarters Hotel . . . — — Map (db m167971) HM
In 1906, the Northern Pacific Railroad moved its central railroad transfer point from Billings to Laurel. The move opened new tracts of land for development along the railroad right-of-way. These lots had the advantage of bordering both the tracks . . . — — Map (db m166311) HM
At the turn of the twentieth century, Billings was ready to shed its frontier image as a rough-and-tumble cowtown and emerge as a regional commercial center. Billings was already at the juncture of the Northern Pacific and the Chicago, Burlington, . . . — — Map (db m166227) HM
Martha "Calamity Jane" Canary (1852-1903) of Deadwood fame lived in a cabin at Canyon Creek, west of Billings, during her visits to the Yellowstone Valley between stints in Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show. A pistol packing, cross-dressing . . . — — Map (db m166079) HM
Plenty Coups (1848-1932) became a chief of the Crow Tribe by the age of twenty-eight after attaining distinction as both a warrior and a visionary for his people. Plenty Coups, recognized as a leader in defending Crow ancestral lands and promoting . . . — — Map (db m166075) HM
Joe Medicine Crow, a Crow historian, indicated the Crow (Apsalooke) Indians migrated west from what is now North and South Dakota, to the Yellowstone River Valley over 400 years age. Their migration was prior to the introduction of horses, guns, and . . . — — Map (db m168014) HM
Developing Our Quiet Spaces
In the 1910s, Charles H. Ramsdell, a landscape architect from Minneapolis who designed plans for city park improvements, suggested that "interesting drives in and about these park lands would appeal to the . . . — — Map (db m167885) HM
Born in 1849 in Geneva, New York, Luther Sage "Yellowstone Kelly was a trapper, hunter, and guide in Montana during the 1860s and 1870s. He also served as a military scout and hunter during the United States' campaign against the Indian tribes of . . . — — Map (db m168012) HM
The Northern Pacific Railroad Company was created by an Act of Congress and signed by President Lincoln on July 2, 1864. Along the developing tracks, new towns were spaced apart every 100-120 miles. In the Yellowstone River Valley, Glendive, . . . — — Map (db m167972) HM
(Twelve panels make-up this marker. The kiosk where this marker is found has three sides. On each side there are four panels. Panels are present clockswise beginning at the upper left.)
Luther Sage Kelly, 1870s.
. . . — — Map (db m167406) HM
National cigar and tobacco wholesaler Louis Cohn occupied this two-story brick building, constructed in 1919. Cohn was one of three wholesalers supplying Billings’ five cigar manufacturers with tobacco. In 1923, the building became home to Harry . . . — — Map (db m166313) HM
According to geologists, during much of the Cretaceous Period (144 to 65 million years ago), a large portion of Montana was covered by a shallow inland sea called the Western Interior Seaway. The rims towering above Billings are composed of a . . . — — Map (db m167970) HM
A twist of fate landed 16-year-old German immigrant Alfred Heimer a job with Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Show in 1894. Although the irascible Colonel Cody fired young Heimer three times during that first day, the youth remained as steward of . . . — — Map (db m166114) HM
The delicious odor of roasting coffee must have added a pleasing dimension to this industrial area when Sawyer Stores, Inc. opened its plant here in 1928. The facility served as the main office of a grocery chain that operated stores in Montana and . . . — — Map (db m166176) HM
(Three panels make up this marker.)
Last Will and Testament, 1927
"I, Luther S. Kelly, direct that in the last event, my body be encased in a suitable casket, plain but substantial, together with my Spanish War Saber, a . . . — — Map (db m167549) HM
The American Railway Union, led by Eugene Debs, went on strike against the Pullmans Works of Chicago in June of 1894. Railroad workers throughout America showed their support for the strike by refusing to handle any Pullman cars. Troops from Fort . . . — — Map (db m166384) HM
The Beanery was the Northern Pacific lunchroom where railroad workers, passengers and locals could get a hot cup of coffee or a bite to eat. The lunchroom waitresses, called beanery queens, took orders and served up hot food around the clock. . . . — — Map (db m166251) HM
Touted as "The Beer that Made Milwaukee Jealous." In 1910, an electro sign was installed atop the brewery, becoming a distinguishing feature of the company and a city landmark. The flashing sign "Drink Old Fashion Beer" was made up of 920 white and . . . — — Map (db m166169) HM
The Eagle Hotel was built by Austrian immigrant Matthias Thomas, who raised his five children in a second-floor apartment of the hotel. The hotel was reportedly used as an auxiliary hospital during the flu epidemic of 1918.
Local entrepreneur . . . — — Map (db m166112) HM
After weeks of rain and moderate flooding, Billings received four inches of rain on the evening of June 11, 1937. The irrigation ditch near the Hilands Golf Course on Poly Drive broke apart and water raged through the downtown area. Central downtown . . . — — Map (db m166168) HM
This two-story red brick building in Victorian Italianate style was built around 1912. The City condemned the building for use as a hotel in 1981. As antique dealer Mike Gregory was negotiating to buy the hotel's furniture, he made a deal to . . . — — Map (db m166113) HM
The Purity Bread Company, based in Minneapolis, was among the first corporate wholesale bakeries to introduce packaged, sliced white bread to Billings. One Purity Bread advertisement boasted, "The well-bred run for gladness' sake to get this loaf of . . . — — Map (db m166228) HM
This two-story brick building, across the street from the depot, was built by Frank Jacoby and Son in 1928 to house the Sawyer Food Company's regional headquarters and a distribution center to supply the company's 26 retail stores in eastern Montana . . . — — Map (db m166178) HM
This prominent building, situated across from the railroad depot, was also known as "Enterprise Garage and Sales" and was a repair shop for many years. It was recently renovated to house several retail businesses. — — Map (db m166179) HM
River of the "Yellow Stone"
The snowfall in the mountains surrounding Yellowstone National Park feeds the Yellowstone River and its tributaries. Along the Yellowstone River's 678 miles are changes in water temperature, turbidity . . . — — Map (db m167882) HM
Born on July 27, 1late 1860s and 1870s. Kelly, a native of Geneva, New York, is best known as an army scout during the Army's closing campaign against the nomadic Indian tribes of the Northern Plains.
Always a restless spirit, Luther S. Kelly . . . — — Map (db m166850) HM
To the monotonous beat of muffled drums, Luther Sage “Yellowstone” Kelly’s funeral cortege wound its way through downtown Billings on June 26, 1929. A second procession along the rimrocks to the grave site followed strict military . . . — — Map (db m166851) HM
The original Zimmerman Trail was built during the summers of 1890 and 1891 by the brothers Joseph and Frank Zimmerman, born in Fellering, (Alsace-Lorraine) Germany. Joseph immigrated to the United States in 1872; two years later, upon enlisting . . . — — Map (db m169996) HM
(Three panels make up this marker.)
The Nomadic Experience
For thousands of years, native peoples of the Northern Plains enjoyed a lifestyle marked by freedom of movement. Families, friends, and foes interacted through a . . . — — Map (db m167661) HM
The Northern Pacific Railway created Billings, but irrigation made the land productive. The use of the Yellowstone River for irrigation allows for the production of alfalfa, sugar beets, pinto beans, and corn. It also provides water for trees and . . . — — Map (db m168722) HM
Billings, located halfway between Minneapolis and Spokane, boasted railroads running in seven directions by 1916. Quantities of freight arrived each day from points east, and large warehouses lined the tracks, filled with goods awaiting resale. . . . — — Map (db m165813) HM
This famous battle pitted federal troops of the U.S. Army's 7th Cavalry, led by Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer, against Lakota (Sioux), Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors. Custer and his command of 259 men were soundly defeated. "Custer's . . . — — Map (db m168088) HM
Originally coming to Montana for the 1860s gold rush, the Chinese made up almost 10% of Montana's population during the 1870s. They were also two-thirds of the labor force for early railroad construction. After a rail line was completed, many of the . . . — — Map (db m168090) HM
In 1918, Doctors A.J. Movius and J.H. Bridenbaugh formed a medical partnership, establishing the Movius-Bridenbaugh Clinic, which later became Billings Clinic, on the top floor of the Hart Albin building in downtown. The Billings Clinic was a . . . — — Map (db m169023) HM
Offering an eclectic architectural mix, Old Town tells the story of Billings’ growth. The Northern Pacific founded the community as a railroad hub in 1882, and by the end of 1883, some 400 canvas tents and crude buildings lined the streets. The 1882 . . . — — Map (db m165811) HM
The town of Billings is named for Frederick Billings. He was a gold rush lawyer, railroad baron, and conservationist. Born and educated in Vermont, he arrived in California with his law degree during the 1849 gold rush. He was California's first . . . — — Map (db m168301) HM
Soon after the first car arrived in Billings in 1904, the Montana and Wyoming Oil Company formed as a response to the growing need for fuel. John D. Losekamp, the first director, secured the lease of a major gas discovery on Edward Jones' farm near . . . — — Map (db m168491) HM
Red Lodge and Bearcreek, both south of Billings, prospered as coal mining towns in the first decades of the 20th century, with the
focus on underground coal mining. By the 1930s, strip mining, located southeast of Billings, was producing most of . . . — — Map (db m169024) HM
Billings rancher and businessman James R. Conway built this handsome, brick double-front store with an upstairs boardinghouse in 1900. Conway opened the Crystal Saloon in the west half and J.C. Staffek ran a cigar ship in the east half. The two . . . — — Map (db m165810) HM
Early Billings relied on the volunteers of the Maverick Hose Company to fight fires. Their equipment included two- wheeled hose carts, which the firefighters pulled by hand. In 1894, the company purchased its first team of fire horses and hired its . . . — — Map (db m165806) HM
Founder
City of Billings
Northern Pacific Railway President from 1879-1881
His foresight and keen business mind resulted in the establishment of Billings - The Magic City - where it is today.
This statue was presented to the City of . . . — — Map (db m165861) HM
Built in 1901, Billings’ fourth school had six classrooms and an auditorium. A third-floor gymnasium, the first in the city, was added a year later. By 1906, 340 children attended Garfield School. The homesteading boom, the growth of sugar . . . — — Map (db m166733) HM
In the 1910s, Billings promoted itself as the capital of the “Midland Empire.” That economic domain covered thirty thousand square miles and boasted hundreds of communities that relied on Billings for supplies. No wonder Helena-based . . . — — Map (db m166312) HM
Across the railroad tracks on Minnesota Avenue was Billings' primary prostitution area, known as the "Red Light District" or "Restricted District." Saloons and "female boarding houses" occupied four blocks east of South 27th in the early 1900s. . . . — — Map (db m168725) HM
In early Montana history, residents primarily received their news via the newspaper, personal letters, the gossip tree, and telegrams. After its founding in 1882, Billings had three main newspapers: the Billings Post, the Billings Herald, and the . . . — — Map (db m168155) HM
This log cabin was built in 1946 by the renowned western artist. It served as his studio for 40 years, located 3 miles west of Billings along Grand Avenue, commercial growth gradually surrounded the cabin. In 1988 it was moved to the campus at Rocky . . . — — Map (db m165858) HM
In 1884, two years after the Northern Pacific founded the town of Billings, a one-story wooden grocery store stood on this site. Twelve years later, the corner of Minnesota and Twenty-seventh boasted one of the South Side's first brick buildings. . . . — — Map (db m165854) HM
The ancestral relatives of the Northern Cheyenne, the Tsitsistas and Suhtai, merged as one tribe in the 1700s. The unified Cheyenne made their home in the Dakotas and Northern Plains. After signing of the 1825 Friendship Treaty, U.S. armed forces, . . . — — Map (db m168091) HM
Billings’ first depot was built in 1883, a year after the arrival of the Northern Pacific. Because the first depot failed to meet railroad specifications, the nearby Headquarters Hotel served instead as the passenger station. The hotel burned a few . . . — — Map (db m166167) HM
The homesteading boom was in full swing in 1910, but not all of Montana's newcomers came to farm. With the arrival of three transcontinental railroads, Billings became established as a regional hub of commerce. Many businesses saw opportunity in the . . . — — Map (db m165857) HM
At Billings' founding in 1882, the Minnesota and Montana Land Improvement Company was responsible for selling the railroad's lots. They included two parks in the new town's design: North Park and South Park. These park lands would be owned by the . . . — — Map (db m168302) HM
The later 1940s and the aftermath of World War II brought economic prosperity. Americans became more stable financially, mobility increased, and so did the demand for automobiles. Price Motor Sales, one example of this trend, opened in 1948 to serve . . . — — Map (db m165855) HM
Ranching has been a part of the Yellowstone River Valley history since the beginning of the homesteading days. Settlers focused on raising livestock, primarily cattle and sheep for livelihoods.
The lure of Montana and the West created the . . . — — Map (db m169025) HM
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