Elections shape communities in a myriad of ways. In Bozeman’s case, investments in buildings, land and transportation during the late 1880’s and early 1890’s strove to influence the 1892 election, in which Montanans voted on the location of the state capital. Originally constructed to impress voters of Bozeman’s suitability as the permanent seat of government, many of these improvements had a lasting impact on the community’s development history.

Created as a territory in 1864, Montana first asked for statehood in 1884 and was finally admitted along with Washington and North and South Dakota in November 1889. The legislature, seated in Helena since 1875, decided to open the location of the permanent state capital to statewide vote in 1892.

Bozeman’s leaders acted quickly to improve the community’s reputation amongst Montanans as a progressive, lively place of business with all the amenities necessary for the operation of the state government. The Capital Hill Addition annexed a square area one half mile to the south and one half mile to the west of the existing City Limits. Stretching from South Third Avenue and West College Streets, to South 11th Avenue and West Lincoln Streets, the area was named in anticipation of the statehouse that would crown the rise to the south and west of town. Platting of South 8th Avenue, a 100 foot wide road with stately center boulevard connecting the Main Street business district and the capitol hill, was part of this land development.

Other transportation improvements included reconstruction of the Northern Pacific Railway Passenger Depot at 820 Front Street, to the north and east of the Main Street district. The brick structure replaced an earlier wood passenger depot, damaged by fire started by a cinder from a passing steam-powered train. The new, more substantial depot was intended to impress visitors arriving by rail of Bozeman’s permanence and ambition.

From the Passenger Depot, a new electric streetcar line travelled along North Church Street to Main Street, and then south to the intended location of the capitol building. Completed in the spring of 1892, the streetcar line ran until 1922, when automobile use surpassed the need for public transportation. A “Car Barn” constructed at 316 East Main street in 1901 housed the streetcars and provided maintenance facilities. The Eagles Lodge occupied the second story as early as 1903, and purchased the entire building in 1945.

Buildings along Main Street underwent substantial improvements during this time period as well. The intersection of East Main Street and Rouse Avenue saw three new buildings on the corners, each designed to impress visitors arriving via the Bozeman Trail from the east or from the Northern Pacific Depot on Front Street.

In recognition of the need for a first-class hotel to accommodate legislators and lobbyists, The Hotel Bozeman at 321 East Main Street was completed in 1891. Designed in the Romanesque style by North Dakota architect George Hancock and constructed by a group of Boston capitalists, who spent $100,000 on the structure, the hotel boasted steam heat, electricity and 136 rooms. An annex constructed concurrently to the west offered shops and business offices along the Main Street frontage.

Directly across Main Street to the south, a City Hall and Opera House designed by architect Byron Vreeland in the Second Empire Style provided space for cultural activities, City offices and a Fire House. After years of deferred maintenance and earthquake damage, the grand multi-use structure was demolished in the 1960’s as part of Urban Renewal and the lot is now Soroptomist Park. Prior to dismantling, early Bozeman historic preservationist John DeHass lead a team in documenting the Opera House for the Historic American Buildings Survey. The architectural drawings and large format photographs are available digitally through the Library of Congress.

The Tilton Block, completed in 1889 on the north east corner of East Main and North Rouse, provided mercantile and office space. The building’s notable onion-dome on the corner gave the structure notable Moorish architectural flair.
A building boom on Main Street during this time period also resulted in the International Order of Oddfellows Hall at 221 East Main Street (lost in the 2009 explosion and fire), and the Krueger Block at 136-140 East Main Street, in addition to numerous impressive residences in the south side district.

Interestingly, mining magnate William A. Clark, who supported Helena as the state capital, hedged his bets by purchasing some land holdings in Bozeman. Property title research often reveals WA Clark ownership of parcels between 1889 and 1894, especially on Main Street or near the potential state capitol.

As the 1892 Election approached, promoters of Bozeman’s state capital campaign feverishly published newspaper articles, pamphlets and mailers inducing Montanans to vote the Gallatin Valley as the seat of government. The presidential election, in which former president Grover Cleveland, a Democrat, defeated former president Benjamin Harrison, a Republican, drove high voter participation. Gallatin County voted strongly for Cleveland, though the state went to Harrison.

The 1892 election included a third party option, the People’s Party, which was largely supported in the rural west by farmers advocating “Bimetallism,” or the coinage of currency in both gold and silver. The Populist Party received 1 million votes.

Ultimately, Bozeman finished fourth in the state capital election 120 years ago. A runoff between the two top finishers, Helena and Anaconda, held in 1894 finally decided the permanent state capital. As a consolation prize, Bozeman received the state’s Land Grant institution, the Montana State College for the Agricultural and Mechanical Arts. Rather than the state capitol building, the hill to the south and west of town became the location for Montana State College, which has proven a pivotal economic engine for Bozeman since 1893. The majority of the campus sits on land platted in 1890 as the “Capitol Hill Addition.”

Courtney Kramer is a proud graduate of MSU’s History Department and serves as the City of Bozeman’s Historic Preservation Officer. She may be contacted at the City Planning Office, 406-582-2260 or via email at ckramer@bozeman.net. More information about Bozeman’s historic districts is available at www.preservebozeman.org.