|
 Broadwater County Courthouse - Townsend, MT Posted by:  T0SHEA
N 46° 19.274 W 111° 30.923
12T E 460323 N 5129869
Completed in 1935 with the benefit PWA funds, the Broadwater County Courthouse must have been built at least reasonably well, as it remains the Broadwater County Courthouse today.
Waymark Code: WM1057P
Location: Montana, United States
Date Posted: 02/28/2019
Views: 0
Broadwater County Courthouse, a mid-1930s New Deal project that has expanded significantly, exhibits an understated Art-Deco styling, not atypical in smaller northwest county seats. The understatement is likely as much a cost cutting device as an architectural statement, much of the art deco styling of many contemporary buildings accounting for a good deal of the cost of construction. Very substantial in appearance, the two storey red brick building is sparsely highlighted with light coloured stone trim throughout, with stone pilaster caps, stepped quoins high above the entrance and various pieces of stone at and above the main entrance. Here and there some decorative brickwork can also be found. The Architects for the building were R. C. Hugenin and Norman B. DeKay of Hugenin & DeKay, while the general contractor was West Coast Construction Company.
According to the Living New Deal, " The 1935 county courthouse in Townsend, Montana was built with the assistance of PWA funds.". Since that time the courthouse has been expanded significantly, the majority of expansion occurring post 1985. The most notable change the courthouse has undergone since its construction is the elimination of several windows and the reduction in size of the remainder, as can be seen by comparing the 1940s and contemporary photos below. Doubtless this was done in the interests of energy conservation as it was definitely an architectural step backward.
Broadwater County
Montana’s thirty-fourth most populous county, with a population of about 5,900 residents, is perhaps best known as the home of Canyon Ferry Lake, the third largest body of water in Montana. The lake provides essential irrigation to local farms, and serves as a recreation destination offering fishing, boating, swimming, camping, and wildlife viewing opportunities. Interestingly, Townsend is just one behind Broadwater County in the statistics of population, as Montana's thirty-fifth largest city, with a population of around 1,900. With a total area of 1,239 square miles, Broadwater County has a population density of 4.8/sq mi (1.9/km2).
Named for Charles Arthur Broadwater, a Montana railroad, real estate, and banking magnate, Broadwater County was founded in 1897. Given that the county is bounded on all sides vy mountain ranges, it should come as no surprise that gold was discovered in the Big Belt Mountains in the northeast corner of the county in 1864, quickly giving rise to several mining towns. The next bit of excitement to occur came in 1881, with the arrival of the Northern Pacific Railway. A station was built in townsend, thereby doubtless sealing its fate as the future county seat. The Big Belt Mountains to the east and north, the Elkhorn Mountains to the west, and the Horseshoe Hills to the south more or less form the boundaries of the county.
Year Built: 1935
Current Use of Building: Courthouse
Level of Courts: County
Architect: R. C. Hugenin and Norman B. DeKay
Dates this building was used to house judicial proceedings: 1936-present
Physical Address:
Broadwater County Courthouse
515 Broadway Street
Townsend Montana
59644
Hours:
Probably 8 AM to 4 PM Monday to Friday or
9 AM to 5 PM Monday to Friday
Related Website: [Web Link]
|
Visit Instructions:
At least one original photograph should be added to the gallery. And please describe your impressions and visit to the courthouse.
|