The building itself is an important landmark in Philipsburg. It was built in 1918 by Morris and Humphrey Courtney, who owned a successful manganese mine. What was somewhat unique about the building is that it not only operated as a hotel but also as car dealership and service station. Hotel rooms and offices occupied the second and third floors, while the dealership was located on the first floor and the service station was in the basement. The dealership and service station reflect the emergence of the automobile industry in the country, which was just beginning around this time. This aspect of the building adds to its historical significance. It is a contributing property of the Philipsburg Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Granite County Museum is housed in the historic Courtney Hotel, which was built in 1918.

The Granite County Museum was established in 1992 to preserve and promote the county's mining and pioneering history. It features exhibits that explore what life was like for ranchers, miners, and residents. A variety of items and artifacts are on display including clothing and furniture. The basement is recreated as a mine, featuring mining equipment and a mural of the ghost town of Granite. The museum is located in the historic Courtney Hotel building, which was erected in 1918.  

Granite County Museum 

Philipsburg was established in the late 19th century, and its history is connected to mining and lumber. Although the town has less than a thousand residents, its historic buildings and museums makes this a worthwhile day trip for visitors. This short walk through the town begins at the Granite County Museum and includes the well-preserved Sayrs Building, Granite County Courthouse, and several other historic buildings and homes. 

Philipsburg Montana Walking Tour

Josep Hyde was born in Savannah, Missouri in 1847. He started to work on a farm when he was 13 and later found a job as a clerk in a store in Omaha, Nebraska in 1864. Two years later, he became a cabin boy on a steamship that traveled up the Missouri River to Helena, Montana. He got a job working as a clerk for his uncle who owned a store there. After working at another store for a few years, he started his business career in 1874, opening up a livery with a partner in Deer Lodge. In 1877 he moved to Butte and opened a hardware store with another partner. Hyde sold the interest in that business and became president of a publishing company in 1880. Two years later, he got a job as cashier of First National Bank of Butte City and remained in that position for several years. As noted above, Hyde constructed the Hyde Block building in 1888 and opened First National Bank. The bank operated until 1893 when the silver market crashed. In addition to banking, Hyde was also involved in real estate, owning land and erected buildings in Butte City and Deer Lodge. He married his wife, Mary, in 1873; they had seven children.Information about Frank Sayrs or what he used the building for isn't readily available. However, in the years that followed his purchase of it in 1904, a number of businesses occupied the building including drug stores, a tailor's shop, and a recreation center. The Philipsburg Brewing Company opened in 2012.

Also known as Hyde Block, the Sayrs Building boasts one of the more striking facades in Philipsburg. It was erected in 1888 by Joseph Hyde, who opened a bank in the building called First National Bank. The building features elaborate, colorful woodwork including short columns in between the windows, ornate brackets supporting the cornice at the top of the walls, and the beveled corner of the building. Now home to the Philipsburg Brewing Company, it is named after the man who bought it in 1904, Frank Sayrs. The building is a contributing property of the Philipsburg Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Sayrs Building

Prominent Montana architects John Link and Charles Haire, who operated one of the more prolific architecture firms in the state, designed the courthouse (and more than 1,000 buildings in the Northwest, including many other courthouses and the wings of the Montana state capitol building). The courthouse was built on the northwest corner of the original townsite, where the town's first school was located (this spot is known as "School Hill"). Courthouse offices were first housed in a building on Broadway Street erected in 1887. The current courthouse was the first purpose-built location for the county government. It is a contributing property of the Philipsburg Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986

Situated on a hill overlooking the surrounding neighborhood, the Granite County Courthouse has served as the seat of county government since 1913. It is an excellent example of Neoclassical architecture, featuring a granite and buff-colored brick exterior, two large columns on the southern facade and an arched main entrance. It is across the street from the historic Granite County Jail, which has its own Clio entry.

Granite County Courthouse

When the jail was built, Philipsburg was thriving as a mining town. It was named after mining engineer Philip Deidsheimer, the superintendent of Hope Mining Company, which mined the Comstock and Cordova silver lodes. Deidsheimer built a silver ore smelter here and the town grew around it. More broadly, he is also known for inventing the square-set timber system, which prevented cavern ceilings and walls from collapsing (see image). Mines around the world used this method for several decades.The jail has been maintained over the years and remains in good condition. In the 1920s, the jail cell, which was a large space, was divided into cell blocks to keep adult and juvenile offenders separated. The old building has been renovated in recent times, allowing it to still be used today. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The courthouse located across the street was erected in 1912.

Erected in 1896, the Granite County Jail is an excellent example of vernacular architecture, combining elements from a number of architectural styles. Additionally, as the city's first major public building constructed after Philipsburg was chosen as the county seat, it reflects the aspirations of the residents who wanted law and order, which they felt was necessary for the town to remain prosperous. The red-brick building features cell blocks, the attached sheriff's residence, a tall 45-foot medieval square tower with turrets on each corner and a pyramidal roof, and arched entryways to the jail and residence. The building continues to operate as a jail. 

Granite County Jail

The Kaiser House was a popular hotel for many years after it opened. It was so well known that it was on par with the best hotels in Helena. The Kaiser had an ornate bar, a restaurant on the first floor, and a billiard and gambling room in the basement. Many patrons enjoyed gambling and John Kaiser (presumably Michael's brother) would sometimes stay awake for several days in a row to deal poker games. Guests also liked the 50-cent steaks the restaurant served. The hotel eventually closed and the building was used for a variety of purposes including as a Redmen's Hall (a fraternal organization) and, in the 1950s, a Veterans of Foreign Wars facility. It was renovated to become a hotel once again and also includes a wine and cheese cellar.

The Kaiser House is a historic hotel built in 1881 by Michael Kaiser, who established the Philipsburg Water Company. One of the oldest brick buildings in the city, it originally had a wraparound porch on the second floor that is now only on the front facade. Other notable features include original second-story French doors, four Norman arched double doors, and decorative brickwork. The hotel is a contributing property of the Philipsburg Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Kaiser House

Marshall Doe, who was known as M.E. Doe, was born in Canada in 1856. His family moved to Shepardsville, Michigan in 1864 and Doe spent the rest of his childhood there. He moved to Butte, Montana when was 23 where in worked in mining, ran a skating rink, and worked as a surveyor in Anaconda. After spending a year in California he arrived in Philipsburg in 1885 and opened the store with his brother-in-law J.D. Thomas. They hired a pharmacist in 1888 who started a pharmacy and it appears the name of the store became M.E. Doe Drug Store. By the next year, Doe moved the store to a new location on Broadway Street (it appears that a restaurant occupies this building now using the Doe name). In the coming years he became a member of the Woodmen of the World, the Philipsburg Chamber of Commerce, and the Ladies Aid Society.Doe married his wife, Jennie, in 1895 and they had four children together, one of whom, a son, died at a young age. Another son, Everett, trained as a pharmacist and worked at the store for almost 45 years. Doe passed away at the house in 1928 from bronchial pneumonia and Jennie died in 1938. Everett worked at the store until 1965 and moved to Arcadia, California, where he passed away in 1967.

The M.E. Doe House is a historic home built by its first owner, Marshall E. Doe, who ran a drug store in Philipsburg for around 20 years. The house is also a beautiful example of late Victorian architecture, making it one of the more attractive residences in the city. Built in 1902, it features elaborate woodwork, an ornate wraparound porch with a Japanese-style balustrade and lattice work, a conical turret, and large double-hung windows. As for Doe, he was a successful businessman and a prominent resident of Philipsburg in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. 

Philipsburg Montana Walking Tour

Granite County Museum

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources