...we had the good fortune to eat in a National Register Motel. That first motel was
The Yodeler Motel, in Red Lodge; this one is the Dude Rancher Lodge, in Billings. Pretty new for a National Register building of any sort, it was built in 1950, making it 67 years old this year, pretty young by comparison with most NRHP sites one finds.
Part of the post-war motel construction boom across the country, the Dude Rancher was just one of 33 motels constructed in Billings between 1940 and 1955. That's quite a BOOM! While many of that 33 have fallen by the wayside, we suppose it is its uniqueness which has allowed the Dude Rancher to continue to flourish. It is "
suggestive of an Old West ranch house during the height of the cattle industry in Montana in the late 19th century, rustic in appearance, while retaining features associated with the late 20th century Ranch movement."
We had breakfast in the Stirrup Coffee Shop, and while the service was a bit on the pokey side, we had no complaints about our breakfast - Chicken Fried Steak with eggs, hash browns and toast. This is very common fare in this neck of the woods, and almost always makes for a great meal to start the day. Plus, how often does one get to eat in a diner that's listed on the National Register of Historic Places?
Dude Rancher Restaurant has been serving guests of the hotel and Billings’ residents for over 50 years. Known locally as “Stirrup Coffee Shop”, we offer a charming western-style décor including dishes that have been specially designed for us that’ll make you feel right at home.
Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Dude Rancher Restaurant features home-style American cuisine made with only the freshest of ingredients. Start the day off with our golden French toast, fluffy buttermilk pancakes or The Wrangler, a succulent six ounce steak with eggs, hash browns and toast.
For lunch and dinner we serve everything from scrumptious salads and thick juicy hamburgers to a delicious trout fillet and a New York steak made from the finest quality beef.
From the Dude Rancher Lodge
THE DUDE RANCHER LODGE
The number of motels in Billings grew rapidly as the national economy boomed after World War II. Millions of Americans took to the road on vacations and for business trips, creating a tremendous need for roadside accommodations. Among all the motels in the Magic City, the Dude Rancher Lodge was the most unique, incorporating the most modern amenities, yet also providing a link to the region’s Old West roots. Billings businessman Percy Goan and his wife Annabel worked with the well-known Billings architectural firm of Cushing and Terrell to develop a design that harkened back to the ranch houses of the Montana frontier. The design integrated bricks salvaged from the old St. Vincent’s Hospital and wood beams from a recently demolished milling company. The rustic Ranch style motel displays weeping brick mortar, full-length porches in the center parking area, and guest rooms with wood-paneled doors. Annabel Goan cleverly designed the interior, which features knotty pine paneling, decorative lampshades, custom-built western-style furniture, and carpeting with the brands of local ranchers who invested in the project. An added treat was The Stirrup coffee shop, which served mouth-watering meals in a western atmosphere. Completed in 1950, the Dude Rancher Lodge quickly became a local showcase and popular hostelry for people from all over Montana and the United States. Promoters promised that the “Spirit of the West was everywhere evident” at the Dude Rancher Lodge. The Goan family operated the Dude until 1990. It was, and still is under its second owner in 2010, Billings’ most distinctive motel.
From the NRHP plaque at the motel