521 West Main - Lewistown Central Business Historic District - Lewistown, MT
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member T0SHEA
N 47° 03.816 W 109° 25.727
12T E 619310 N 5213429
As well as housing retail businesses, for many years this building housed the Lewistown post office as well as a billiard hall and a bowling alley.
Waymark Code: WMXRGT
Location: Montana, United States
Date Posted: 02/19/2018
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member QuesterMark
Views: 0
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When built in 1914 the building housed the post office, in spite of objections from the populace who thought the post office would be better situated in the Masonic Hall. Prolific Lewistown architects Wasmansdorff & Eastman drew the plans for the building which, given that it was to house the post office, was built under government supervision. Historically known as the Fergus County Realty Building, this structure was the first masonry post office in Lewistown, the first built in 1903 about four blocks away. Construction, if actually begun in 1914, must have progressed quickly, as the post office was to move into their new quarters on June 28 of that year.

The post office remained in the building until the construction of the federal building in 1931, while various businesses came and went over the years. Finally, in 1958 the Lewistown New-Argus newspaper landed here, and it's still here, eventually becoming one of Montana's longest running newspapers.
Fergus County Realty Building This property is significant because it is associated with persons important in the history and development of Lewistown.

The Fergus County Realty Co. was organized in 1910, by Bernard E. Stack, Hugh Shafer and J. C. Huntoon. They engaged the services of the local firm of Wasmansdorff and Eastman to design their new Lewistown Brick business block.

The Fergus Co. Realty Building gave Lewistown residents a new U. S. Post Office and a fine ice cream and confectionery parlor, "The Ar-Ro", with Smurr & Kirk Co., proprietors. The Post Office remained in the building until 1931, when the new Federal Building was built.

Occupying a commercial site on upper Main Street, the facade of this one storey flat roof structure is characterized by unusually high storefront openings and a "shouldered" or crow-stepped brick pediment above that centers on the facade. The pediment and parapets are capped with a concrete coping; a stuccoed panel occurs immediately below the apex of the pediment. A projecting sheet metal cornice supported by modillions occurs below the pediment. A wide frieze area includes a series of recessed brick panels that occur above a narrow projected sheet metal linear string course and double soldier course that spans the storefront openings below. There are three bays in the storefront area at street level that are unequal in size; they progress from narrow to wide in a west to east (right to left) direction. Original brick columns and pilasters are rusticated and can still be seen in the upper part of the storefront area. The brick has been replaced with ashlar pattern stone masonry below door height in the lower part of the storefront. The large storefront areas have been filled in with vertical stained wood boards except at the entrance doors.
From the NRHP Nomination Form, Site No. 183
521 WEST MAIN

In March of 1914, four hundred local business owners protested locating Lewistown’s new post office on this site, claiming that the call for bids was not properly advertised. Most favored housing the post office in the Masonic Temple building. Nevertheless, the Fergus County Realty Company, one of the two bidders, won the five-year lease. Lewistown architects Wasmansdorff and Eastman drew the plans and construction commenced immediately under federal supervision. Uncle Sam occupied part of the storefront while businessman A. H. Smurr and attorney W. R. Kirk leased the remaining space. Smurr and Kirk’s enterprise included a confectionery/ice cream parlor, a factory for the manufacture of their “delicacies,” and a billiard room/bowling alley catering to the “the highest class of the trade.” The post office remained in the building until the construction of the federal building in 1931. This historic building has been carefully restored to its original appearance and, since 1958, has housed one of Montana’s longest running newspapers, the Lewistown New-Argus.
From the NRHP plaque at the building
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Name of Historic District (as listed on the NRHP): Lewistown Central Business Historic District

Link to nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com page with the Historic District: [Web Link]

Address:
521 West Main Street Lewistown, MT 59457

How did you determine the building to be a contributing structure?: Plaque on building (Photo in gallery)

Optional link to narrative or database: [Web Link]

NRHP Historic District Waymark (Optional): Not listed
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