The original high school, designed by Fargo, ND's George Hancock, consisted of the three story brick schoolhouse. It is the sole remaining pre-depression era school building in Bozeman. Though expanded in 1912, by 1936 the school had become very much too small for the student population, necessitating the addition of much larger facilities. These were funded by the WPA, in part because a U.S. Senator happened to live in the city and partly because a powerful group of civic minded businessmen also happened to live in the city.
Today the school consists of only the Art Deco 1930s building as the original 1902 building was recently retired from active duty. Following attempts to finance its renovation by historic preservationists, the building was purchased by developer
Bridger Builders in 2013 and converted to condos.
Gallatin County High School
The eastern portion of the Gallatin County High School building is historically significant as the only remaining school in Bozeman that dates from before the Great Depression, when WPA funding was used to replace, or, in this case, add on to, the several school buildings that had been built around the turn of the century or earlier. Despite the enclosure of most windows with insulating material and removal (or covering) of the original sash, the building is nevertheless an architectural monument of major importance in the city.
Romanesque style elements were combined with a classical building form - a main block with flanking pedimented pavilions - for an impressive effect. The building was erected in 1902 after passage of the "County Free High School" measure, which provided for free high school level education throughout Gallatin County. It is therefore of regional significance.
From the NRHP Continuation Sheet