Beall Park Community Center - Bozeman, MT
Posted by: T0SHEA
N 45° 41.006 W 111° 02.067
12T E 497316 N 5058876
A beautiful Craftsman style fieldstone building, this community centre, built in 1927, continues in use in its intended role to this day. It was the design of lesser known local architect, W. R. Plew, and was gifted to the city by Ella Clark Martin.
Waymark Code: WMW54V
Location: Montana, United States
Date Posted: 07/10/2017
Views: 1
BEALL PARK COMMUNITY CENTER
The Beall Park Community Center owes its existence to Ella Clark Martin, who arrived in Gallatin County in 1889. While her husband Broox helped establish the Bozeman Milling Company and became president of the Commercial National Bank, Ella raised two sons on a ranch west of Bozeman. After the couple moved into town in 1910, Ella became known as an automobile enthusiast. Stories describe her sneaking up behind parked wagons in her nearly silent electric car before laying on the horn, scaring horses and nearby pedestrians. Staunch Republicans and temperance advocates, the Martins were also devoted philanthropists. Ella, who outlived both Broox and their two sons, continued the family tradition of community giving. In 1922, she financed an outdoor skating rink at Beall Park. In 1926, she hired W. R. Plew, Bozeman professor of architectural and civil engineering, to design this recreation center. With its low pitched roof, exposed rafter tails, triangular knee braces under wide eaves, clipped gable ends, and fieldstone construction, the building exemplifies the Craftsman style. It was an inspired design choice for a park building; advocates of the style believed Craftsman designs would foster an appreciation of nature as a source of spiritual and physical reinvigoration. On its completion, Ella donated the building to the city for use as "a community center where young and old ... may gather ... and indulge in wholesome recreation." The building housed the Bozeman Nursery School (c. 1955 to 1983) and the Beall Park Art Center (1983-2007). In 2007, the city restored the structure for Recreation Department offices.
From the plaque at the building
Street address: 409 North Bozeman Bozeman, MT u 59715
County / Borough / Parish: Gallatin County
Year listed: 1987
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture
Periods of significance: 1925-1949
Historic function: Social - Civic
Current function: Social - Civic
Privately owned?: yes
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 2: [Web Link]
Season start / Season finish: Not listed
Hours of operation: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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