Studebaker Building - Missoula, MT
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member T0SHEA
N 46° 52.309 W 113° 59.792
12T E 271649 N 5195279
Though this site has hosted two separate buildings since 1915 or so, it has gone from stables to Chevys to Studebakers in the early 20th century. Somehow, it was the Studebaker name that has stuck.
Waymark Code: WMKPJ8
Location: Montana, United States
Date Posted: 05/12/2014
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member silverquill
Views: 1

Studebaker Building
As the automobile gained popularity in the 1910s, stables and garages existed side by side until motor travel prevailed over horses in the 1920s. The succession of businesses at this address documents the transition that must have been hard on old-timers like Joseph P. Nagle, who first advertised his livery at this location in 1896.

By 1912, at least one nearby business catered exclusively to the automobile, but Nagle continued to serve customers preferring horse-drawn conveyances. When the paving of this block of West Main Street in 1914 forecast the area’s development as an automobile-related business corridor, Nagle still held out. The present building replaced the stable after 1918. By 1921, the Main Street Motor Company advertised repairs and rental space for 70 vehicles. Most automobile owners in the early years stored them in garages for $15 to $20 a month, where they could be maintained and protected from cold weather. The spacious second floor, accessed by an interior ramp, served as such a facility.

A Chevrolet dealership operated here in 1930, and in 1936, Louis Nybo sold Studebakers, the choice of the Missoula police force, until the 1950s. A vibrant example of 1920s utilitarian commercial architecture, the crenelated polychrome corner parapet with its repeating cloud-shaped ornamentation is an exceptional example of deco style “arc ziggurat.” The original industrial steel-frame show windows, carefully refurbished, illustrate design elements associated with the early auto industry.
From the NRHP Plaque
Street address:
216 West Main Street
Missoula, MT USA
59802


County / Borough / Parish: Missoula County

Year listed: 1997

Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture, Transportation, Commerce

Periods of significance: 1925-1949, 1900-1924

Historic function: Commerce/Trade, Transportation - Road-Related, Specialty Store

Current function: Commerce/Trade, Food Related - Specialty Store

Privately owned?: yes

Season start / Season finish: From: 01/01/2014 To: 12/31/2014

Primary Web Site: [Web Link]

Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]

Hours of operation: Not listed

Secondary Website 2: Not listed

National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.
Search for...
Geocaching.com Google Map
Google Maps
MapQuest
Bing Maps
Nearest Waymarks
Nearest U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Nearest Geocaches
Create a scavenger hunt using this waymark as the center point
Recent Visits/Logs:
Date Logged Log User Rating  
mtbearded1 visited Studebaker Building - Missoula, MT 03/05/2012 mtbearded1 visited it