Grand Hotel

Introduction

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With its vibrant red-brick exterior, the historic Grand Hotel has offered lodging to customers since its construction in 1890. When it was built, it symbolized the town's status as a thriving economic center and aspirations for further prosperity. It was also an important place for residents and visitors to gather, socialize, and conduct business. Today, the hotel operates a restaurant and bar on the first floor. In terms of design, the building features recessed brick panels above and below the second-floor windows, a beveled corner which was where the main entrance was first located, and decorative brickwork along the top portion of the wall. The hotel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

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The historic Grand Hotel was built in 1890.

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

Big Timber was established in 1883. Originally, it was named Dornix and was located where the Boulder and Yellowstone Rivers met. It was given its new name after the large cottonwood trees that grew along the rivers. Big Timber grew quickly thanks in large part to the Northern Pacific Railroad, which built a depot here. Northern Pacific was drawn here because of the wool industry, which got its start in 1880 when two Irishmen drove a large herd of sheep to the area. Between 1890 and 1893, many brick buildings were constructed. The first woolen mill was erected in 1901.

The opening of the Grand Hotel was a big event for the community, which by then had a population of 265 residents. It was well equipped and comfortable, originally featuring a large bar and billiards room, a barbershop, dining room, baggage room, and a laundry room in the basement. The hotel was refurbished in 1897. By that year, other important buildings had been erected including a hospital, bank, courthouse, and three other hotels. Unfortunately, a fire in 1908 destroyed more than a third of town's commercial and residential structures. The Grand Hotel was one of the few on McLeod Street left standing.

Sources

"City of Big Timber, Montana." City of Big Timber. Accessed July 14, 2020. https://cityofbigtimber.com.

O'Leary, Michael F. "Grand Hotel." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. September 19, 1985. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/85002424_text.

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Grand Hotel

Additional Information

Grand Hotel