The "Then" photo here was likely taken not long after the building was built, circa 1915 to 1920. Both it and the "Now" photo were taken from the street directly in front of the building, looking southeast.
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.
