In late May I will be returning to one of the New Deal’s most famous projects, the mammoth Fort Peck Dam on the Missouri River. But the New Deal left an imprint of the public landscape all over the state. Here is the community hall at Avon, a beautiful log building that still carries out its original function. Note the concrete pillars for the log columns–they spell out “1941”.

This wonderful Great Northern Railroad bunkhouse, office, depot, etc., was one of the first National Register nominations I worked on in the Montana SHPO in 1984. Then it was a tricky nomination since the building was not 50 years old, and Marcella Sherfy and Pat Bick asked me to take a look. Glad they did since the one building codified community for Essex–it was literally Essex in its historic era. The property has changed, with new buildings added around it and an entire railroad vibe created, in the last 30 years. Assessing the significance of these changes will be both the challenge and the fun part of the fieldwork from 2012-2014.

See comment below–I goofed in the posting

This bit of roadside architecture is just the proverbial tip of the iceberg. SHPO back in the day listed a National Register Multiple Property Nomination for US Hwy 2 but much work remains done. The heritage development potential of these pre-chain lodging places is considerable. The dedicated heritage tourist often prefers these well located motels– this one leaves you in easy walking distance to Ennis Cafe (a classic in itself), shops, and bars–and price is no where near the more famous lodges in the vicinity. Certainly heritage tourists prefer them to the chains that have multiplied across the state.

Two people asked yesterday, what about the Ox? In may 2012, the streetscape outside had changed but little in the interior. Still a mixing place for residents, students, and people passing through. But the barkeep related that fewer students come than in the past–she opined that it was a bit too rough and mixed for them. Certainly Missoula has many new places for students, brewpubs and taprooms seemed to be all over the Higgins area.

Modernism is another key theme for the work in 2012-2014. I explored this a bit in 1984-1985 but today, in the 21st century, buildings like this public school, with its multi-color panes and stilts strike you as emblematic of the era of the early 1960s. The boom in Butte had reached new heights, and growth still seemed unlimited as long as you were willing to sacrifice community for huge holes in the ground like the Berkeley Pit. Few guessed that the boom would not even last another generation.

Another trend I noted in 2007-8 is the unintended consequences of historic preservation. The older downtown core of Missoula is a different place with the streetscape improvements and reinvestment in buildings. A degree of authenticity is lost at a place like the Double Front. Chicken is still great, but a more suburban look to the exterior and interior masks the tavern’s original grittiness and railroad corridor location

As I discuss in the About section, I began to consider a new Montana heritage inventory in 2007 after speaking to the governor’s task force on historic preservation. On my way to Helena from Billings, I stopped at my favorite Milwaukee Road towns, Harlowton. It wasn’t yet a ghost town but was clearly hurting, and the National Register-listed Graves Hotel was closed. In 1985 it was still vibrant and the last place we stayed in Montana before leaving for Tennessee.

This imposing brick commercial facade is just one of several defining features of the Livingston historic district. The awning however hints at one of the major changes at taverns since the 1980s, the impact of gaming and electronic poker. The noise of the machines often overwhelm the vibe

Roadside bars and taverns are crucial community landmarks throughout Montana; over time I will share some of my favorites, for here is where you can talk with residents and just learn much about rural community networks in a sparsely populated region.