May 2, 2025 5:30 – 7:30 PM
The Story Mansion, built in 1910 and recipient of the National Park Service’s largest Save America’s Treasures grant, will kick off Historic Preservation Month with a presentation and conversation focused on adaptive re-use.
Hosted by
the Bozeman Historic Preservation Advisory Board, Friends of Story Mansion, and
the Better Bozeman Coalition
as part of
National Historic Preservation Month
May 3, 2025 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Get a chance to see some of Bozeman’s best examples of adaptive re-use. Five sites will be showcased and feature a short talk on the history and process of their transformation.
Map and Schedule of Events
Friday May 2nd, 5:30 - 7:30 pm.
Story Mansion, 811 S. Wilson Ave: Adaptive Re-use presentations and conversations to kick off National Historic Preservation Month.
Saturday May 3rd, 10:00 am - 3pm.
The remaining 5 locations will be Open House between 10:00am and 3pm with location specific presentations at the following times. Attend one in your neighborhood, or all 5 for the full experience.
Goetz Law Firm presentation at 10:30 am
Carnegie Library presentation at 11:30 am (this location will only be open to the public from 10:30am-2:30pm)
GVLT location presentation at 12:30 pm
Live from the Divide presentation at 1:30 pm
The Cannery District presentation at 2:30 pm
Participating Locations
The Story Mansion
Once upon a time-a fraternity
National fraternities were established at Montana State College by 1922, including Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) and fraternal groups sought large residences for growing membership. The building was very expensive for the time at $30,000, but SAE succeeded in raising the money. The fraternity held the house until 2003 when it was sold to the city for $323,000. The building was intact in many ways but deteriorating. The second and third floor in particular bear the scars and wear from many young men living there for 80 years.
Interestingly, the Story family only lived in it for ten years after falling on hard times. Their children's growth chart can still be seen inside the entry closet. There were apparently two servants for the family, an Afro-American woman and her daughter who lived on the second floor.
Presentation Time: Friday May 2nd, 5:30-7:30pm
Location: 811 S Wilson Ave, Bozeman MT
History: The Story Mansion, built in 1910 by Bozeman business leader Nelson Story and designed by prominent architect C.S. Haire, with assistance from young Bozeman architect Fred Willson, stands as a major cultural and architectural landmark in Bozeman. The Mansion’s evolving legacy makes it an ideal kick-off location for our Adaptive Reuse event for National Historic Preservation Month 2025!
The Mansion was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 as a key element of the Bon Ton Historic District. It is one of only three surviving city-block mansions in Montana. In 2011, it underwent major renovations of the basement, exterior and first floor by COMMA-Q Architecture, funded in part by the largest Save America’s Treasures grant from the NPS in U.S. history, with matching support from the City of Bozeman.
The Mansion’s preservation journey has been long and often contentious, marked by political and economic debate over whether public or private interests should guide the future of valuable historic properties. However, it endures. We look forward to the complete renovation of all floors and the Carriage House for full community use!
Today, the Goetz, Geddes & Gardner P.C Law Firm
Formerly, a Bozeman Blacksmith’s home and momentarily an art gallery!
Presentation time: 10:30 am Saturday May 3, but open to the public until 3pm.
Location: 35 N. Grand Ave, Bozeman MT.
History: This building was initially constructed in 1904, as the home of Emil Ketterer and his family, a Bozeman blacksmith. Many years later (perhaps in the 1970’s) it was purchased by local artist, Ray Campeau and his partner, Rand Honadel, and established as a Bozeman art gallery and pottery center.
The 2009-2010 renovation went through a fairly rigorous historic-preservation review by the City of Bozeman and its Historic Preservation Board. The current owners are particularly appreciative of the help of Courtney Kramer, who was Bozeman’s Historic Preservation Officer at the time. Parking requirements and wheelchair access presented challenges, but no thought was ever given to replacing the building because of its stately nature.
The firm now has a beautiful, spacious, building that has worked very well as the quarters for a small law firm.
For years, the old kitchen had a fabric rug that covered a linoleum floor. Finally, during the 2009-2010 renovation, the fabric and the linoleum were removed to uncover a nice maple floor… and some old newspaper editions of the Butte Miner from the year 1918!
Come see this beautiful stately Bozeman home turned art gallery turned law firm in person on May 3rd! More history available on their website: Ketterer Building
Today, the firm of Cok and Kinzler PLLP
Originally the Carnegie Library
The building served as the Bozeman Public Library until 1981 followed by City offices until 1991. The building was neglected and considered for demolition. The current owners said, “we were looking for a bigger building that would work for our law firm, wanted to stay downtown, and we were drawn to the ‘grand old building’.”
When purchased, the interior was completely gutted and the building had a false ceiling in the “lantern” or main area. During the renovation they found a 1942 edition of the New York Times up there. “We believe the false ceiling was added sometime in the 1940s to conserve energy due to energy shortage during WWII.” A unique future of the building is the dumbwaiter that used to move books between the upstairs and downstairs. Challenges were to make the building handicap accessible and an expensive elevator.
Presentation time: 11:30 am Friday May 3rd, but open to the public from 10:30 am until 2:30pm.
Location: 35 N Bozeman Ave, Bozeman MT
History: Few buildings in Bozeman have done more to preserve the character of our historic core than the Carnegie Library. Built in 1903 as one of 17 Carnegie Libraries in Montana, this Classical Revival landmark was part of philanthropist Andrew Carnegie’s extraordinary gift of 1,687 libraries to communities across America. Designed by noted Montana architect C.S. Haire, the library’s Greek Cross plan, grand Roman Doric columns, and temple-like pediment embodied both dignity and civic pride.
“It was rewarding to see the building brought back to its original grandeur. The green space surrounding the building is a gathering place for people downtown during the summer months. The firm has held many functions at the building. It is a beautiful place to gather.”
Today, Live from the Divide
Formerly, a wholesale grocery, then a cold storage facility (maybe some bare knuckle boxing at one point?)
For all the difficulties, the rewards are many; “getting to see various creative businesses throughout the years, the fun interaction between many of those entities, the feeling of accomplishment in achieving the vision that I had. Seeing the building getting enjoyed by the public and saving a major piece of the North Side history.”
“I have always been drawn to the more industrial parts of towns where there is usually a blend of artists and craftspeople who rent older more commercial spaces. I had several artist friends that were looking to find affordable studio spaces so it was a natural fit to reclaim some of the older cooler spaces and re-use them as creative spaces.”
Presentation time: 1:30pm Saturday May 3, but open to the public from 10:00am - 3pm.
Location: 627 E. Peach, Bozeman MT
History: This building was originally constructed around 1905. The state Historic Architecture Inventory form says its original use was as a wholesale grocery, which would have been ideally situated near the railroad tracks. For decades it was used as a cold storage facility, and the current owner says a major challenge in the adaptive reuse process was, “removing an absolute ton of old wiring and piping that was involved in the cold storage areas.”
More info and photos on their website: Live from the Divide. Visit during the May 3rd Open House from 10:00 - 3pm, and attend the presentation at 1:30pm for a chance to ask about the bare knuckle boxing and the ghost!
