News you can use

Havre/Hill County Historic Preservation Commission

"YHavre/Hill County Historic Preservation Commission works to preserve local history.

The Havre/Hill County Historic Preservation Commission has had some major successes in preservation and having structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the group continues its work to achieve its mission "to preserve and protect our prehistoric and historic resources by promoting partnerships and by creating awareness of our heritage and its value."

Some of the commission's successes have included getting the chapel at Camp Kiwanis in Beaver Creek Park listed on the National Register and spearheading work to restore that chapel; getting Havre's historic Masonic Temple Building, now restored as the 305 Building, listed by the Montana Preservation Alliance most endangered list; continueing work to preserve and restore Fort Assinniboine south of Havre along with working with the Fort Assinniboine Preservation Association; and erecting a plaque to show the site of the first building used on the Montana State University-Northern, then Northern Montana College, campus. The commission also completed interactive maps available on its website of the Havre Residential Historic District and of the downtown. Each year, the commission presents awards to local preservationists and has held educational events like traveling "shadow boxes" that moved through Havre in 2015. The boxes had window frames for the face to show items and documents exhibited inside.

The commission sells pewter ornaments depicting historic local buildings each Christmas to help fund its efforts - six so far. The ornaments include one that depicts the former U.S. Post office and federal courthouse, which has since been renamed Havre Historic Post Office and restored by Drs. Marc Whitacre and Erica Farmer, who also restored The 305 Building. The ornament honoring the Hill County Courthouse was released in 2012 for the 100th anniversary of the creation of the county. Other ornaments include the historic St. Mark's Episcopal Church; Donaldson Hall, the first fully new building erected at Montana State University-Northern; Fort Assinniboine and the Northern Agricultural Research Center in 2015, celebrating the research center's 100th anniversary of its creation at the decommissioned fort; and last year, the Kiwanis Chapel.

One of the commission's most obvious successes was the chapel at Camp Kiwanis in Beaver Creek Park. The Preservation Commission worked with the Hill County Park Board in 2008-09 to get the Kiwanis Chapel on the National Register. Once listed, a stimulus grant was obtained in 2010.

The rehabilitation of the chapel, which was completed in 2011, included log replacement and staining, new chinking, reconstruction of the front porch, a new roof, historically appropriate lighting, and the addition of a handicap ramp. A sign was provided by the Montana Historical Society, which provides a brief historical description, and is now on display at the building.

The park also made other contributions to the building, including landscaping, a paved sidewalk and a concrete vault toilet.

The building had a long history of use in the area - including many weddings performed in the chapel - before it fell into disrepair.

The commission also has long worked to maintain and repair the remaining buildings at Fort Assinniboine.

The fort was once one of the largest forts in the United States, with more than 100 buildings - 14 still are standing - a 700,000-acre military reserve and the capacity to house more than 1,000 soldiers, with an average of 600 troops stationed there during its career.

The fort was authorized in 1878, with construction starting in 1879, near the end of the Indian Wars. It followed the defeat of Gen. George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876 and the Battle of the Bear Paws in 1877 when Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce surrendered to the U.S. Cavalry following a five-day battle.

The fort housed several famous individuals or groups, including Lt. John "Black Jack" Pershing, who would go on as a general to command the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I.

By 1911, the concerns in the region had diminished. Montana lawmakers and local residents had fought to keep a military presence at the fort, but after its heated water tower burned down for the third time, Fort Assinniboine was decommissioned.

The state Legislature authorized creating a college on the fort grounds, but never authorized money for the college. Instead, Montana State University, then the Montana State College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts, created the Northern Agricultural Research Center there in 1915. The research center still uses the grounds, although a new building to house the offices and some laboratories was recently built. The fort did contribute to the local college, when bricks from some of its buildings were used to erect Pershing Hall, named after the general, at Northern. Another project the commission has worked on related to Northern was creating a plaque to commemorate East Hall, the first building used by the college.

The college used rooms in Havre High School - then on the 700 Block of Third Avenue - and the Presbyterian Church for classes when it opened in 1929, and needing more space, rebuilt the old city of Havre Park Pumping Station for classrooms and administration headquarters, with the groundskeeper living in an apartment in the basement.

They renamed the structure East Hall - it was on the east side of the

campus.

As the college grew and added new buildings, and structural problems developed in East Hall, the building was abandoned except for storage, and it was demolished in 1979.

Its location now is a picnic area. but the Historic Preservation Commission pushed to install the plaque, which is next to a large stone that was part of the building.

The commission also works to continue improving its website, online at http://www.havrehillpreservation.org, and to provide resources, information and assistance to people in the county for preservation work. It also continues to survey areas and buildings and explores nominations to the Register of Historic Places, with some applications still in the process, put up signs and work on signage projects; and educate and assist property with and about signage.

 

Reader Comments(0)