This article lists the oldest extant buildings in Montana, including extant buildings and structures constructed prior to and during the United States rule over Montana. Only buildings built prior to 1870 are suitable for inclusion on this list, or the building must be the oldest of its type.
In order to qualify for the list, a structure must:
- be a recognizable building (defined as any human-made structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or continuous occupancy);
- incorporate features of building work from the claimed date to at least 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) in height and/or be a listed building.
This consciously excludes ruins of limited height, roads and statues. Bridges may be included if they otherwise fulfill the above criteria. Dates for many of the oldest structures have been arrived at by radiocarbon dating or dendrochronology and should be considered approximate. If the exact year of initial construction is estimated, it will be shown as a range of dates.
List of oldest buildings
| Building | Image | Location | First built | Use | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Connah Site | 
|
between St. Ignatius and Charlo, Montana | 1846 | Trading post | Oldest surviving building in Montana; Built of logs. |
| Robber's Roost | 
|
Alder, Montana | 1863 | Residence | Log house; Listed on National Register of Historic Places |
| Dr. Don L. Byam House | 
|
Nevada City, Montana | 1863 | Residence | Listed on NRHP |
| Stonewall Hall | 
|
Virginia City, Montana | 1864 | Government | "hosted the Territorial Legislature between 1865 and 1875"[1] |
| Virginia City Opera House | 
|
Virginia City, Montana | 1864 | Stable/Opera House | Began as a stone stable[2] |
| Fenney House | 
|
Nevada City, Montana | 1864 | Residence | Listed on NRHP |
| Glover Cabin | 
|
Anaconda, Montana | 1865 | Residence | |
| Pioneer Cabin and Caretaker’s House | Helena, Montana | 1864-1865 | Residence | Likely oldest house in Helena, MT | |
| St. Mary's Mission (Montana) | 
|
Stevensville, Montana | 1866 | Church | Oldest church building in Montana[3] |
| I.G. Baker House | 
|
Fort Benton, Montana | 1867 | Residence | |
| Union League of America Hall | 
|
White Sulphur Springs, Montana | 1867 | Hall | Men's Club, and later a church |
| Fort Logan and Blockhouse | 
|
White Sulphur Springs, Montana | ca. 1870 | Fort | [4] |
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Montana
- History of Montana
- List of the oldest buildings in the United States
References
- ^ "State starts restoration of Montana's oldest standing Capitol building, Stonewall Hall," INDEPENDENT RECORD Aug 31, 2022 Updated Sep 1, 2022
- ^ Sixty-Eight Years of Play The Virginia City Players Katie McGunagle | Saturday Jul. 1st, 2017 https://bozemanmagazine.com/articles/2017/07/01/102605-sixty-eight-years-of-play-the-virginia-city
- ^ Official Website
- ^ Thayer, Bill; Stanton, John. "Fort Logan (1)". Fort Wiki. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
