F. J. Shaffer and James Stranahan designed this $40,000 symbol of Helena’s early struggles. The insurance company of Samuel J. Jones built the Richardsonian Romanesque styled building as an advertisement. Atop the façade is a roughly globe shaped ornament with winged salamanders cavorting about it, mythical creatures like phoenixes that fire cannot destroy, while stylized flames lick across the building’s top. Further below, right in the centre of the building, a granite Atlas bears the symbolic burden for the policy holders. Apparently, the owner, S. J. Jones, was not happy with the statue of Atlas as it was. He wanted to have it removed, but, fortunately for posterity, it somehow remained in place and stares woefully down at passersby to this day.
As mentioned further below, architects Shaffer and Stranahan must have had more than a passing acquaintance with the work of H.H. Richardson, as this building bears a striking resemblance to Richardson's Crane Library, built in 1883 at Quincy, Massachusetts. Two of the early tenants of the building were the New York Store, one of Helena's early dry goods stores, and John Worth's Atlas Saloon & Billiard Room. By June of 1890 the saloon had already changed hands and by March of 1891 the saloon was again for sale.
ATLAS BLOCK
The fanciful façade of this nineteenth century showcase was intended to convey a powerful message. Completed in 1889 for the insurance company of Samuel J. Jones at a cost of $40,000, the vivid imagery is an advertisement showing how insurance offered protection against the ever-present danger of fire. Stylized flames on a metal cornice lap at the top of the building while salamanders, mythical creatures believed to be immune to fire, cavort above the flames. The central figure of Atlas holds the weight of the building on his shoulders. Originally there were two storefronts on the west ground floor and two which opened at the second-floor level onto Jackson Street. The New York Store (one of Helena's early department stores) and a saloon were among the tenants during the 1890s. This exceptional building, with its grand off-center arched entry and rough granite detailing, is an excellent example of the Richardsonian Romanesque style of architecture inspired by H.H. Richardson. Designed by Helena architects Shaffer and Stranahan, the Atlas Block bears a striking resemblance to Richardson's Crane Library, built in 1883 at Quincy, Massachusetts.
From the NRHP plaque at the building
Atlas Block
The leaders in Helena were ready to hire architects expressing this enthusiasm in a new and flamboyant architecture. No less than eighteen architectural firms established themselves here or were called in from St. Louis, Minneapolis, Chicago and New York to design the new buildings. Fortunately this building boom coincided with the development of the first indigenous architecture in the United States. This was largely due to the work of a Boston architect, Henry Hobson Richardson, who, more than anyone else, adopted the old Romanesque forms to the building techniques of the last half of the nineteenth century. This evolved into the Chicago School which was dominated by men like Louis Sullivan and Charles McKim. Frank Lloyd Wright was a disciple of these architects.
Helena architects evidently were well acquainted with the work of Richardson and the Chicago School because it shows up repeatedly on the façades of their buildings. A few that exhibit this characteristic include the Securities Building, the Court House, the Power Block, the Atlas Block, the Wheat Building and the Pittsburgh Block.
Extremely interesting example of the architecture of that time. The single round arch is reminiscent of the detail by Richardson on the Crane Library at Quincy, Mass, built in 1883. The second, third and fourth floor column structures also resemble to some extent the detailed bases and capitals of the Crane Library.
The owner, S. J. Jones seems to have been unhappy with the finished building and particularly with the figure of Atlas. The architect was asked to rebuild the front and apparently an extra $5,000.00 was spent for changes. Fortunately, the figure of Atlas stayed on the façade as well as the salamanders around the bowl. This bit of fantasy is a priceless piece of old Helena art, grotesque as it may be.
From the NRHP Registration Form