Miles City began to be settled after Fort Keogh was established in 1876. Once the Native Americans were forced to move to a reservation in the Dakota Territory, cattlemen and settlers arrived in large numbers to the area. The Great Northern Railroad arrived in 1881, spurring this growth even more. As a result of these developments, the town's grew form 200 in 1877 to 2,000 in 1883.As noted above, E. H. Johnson built the house around 1886 and served as the town's first mayor. William Harmon bought it in 1891, eleven years after he bought a large 2,500-acre cattle ranch 75 miles southeast of the town. He also built the carriage house in 1891. He sold the property to state senator Kenneth McLean, who was also a cattle rancher, in 1900. In the coming years, McLean modified the house to what it looks like today. It was divided into apartments in 1951 but converted back to a single-family residence, presumably in 1962 when Ella M. and David G. Rivenes bought it.

The William Harmon House was originally built in c.1886 by E.H. Johnson, the city's first mayor. It is a good example of Queen Anne architecture.

National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: William Harmon House

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Click to see more pictures of the exterior and interior of the house.

While named after its second owner, William Harmon, this home was originally built around 1886 by E. H. Johnson, the first mayor of Miles City. It is believed that local architect Byron Vreeland designed it because it is a good example of the Queen Anne style, which he used for other buildings. Harmon and other owners modified the house over the years but it remains one of the earliest extant brick houses in the city. Its notable features include a large porch, an arched entryway, three original fireplaces, and parquet-patterned wood floors. Behind the home is a carriage house built in 1891. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the William Harmon House remains a private residence today.

William Harmon House

This short drive (or extended walk of 3.8 miles) through Miles City starts at the Holy Rosary Hospital which was established in 1910 and heads south and west to include several historic homes, downtown buildings, museums and landmarks of this eastern Montana community. The tour concludes with WaterWorks Art Museum and Wolf Mountains Battlefield National Historic Landmark.  

Miles City's history dates back to 1876 when Fort Keogh was established. Settlers, cattle ranchers, merchants and others arrived, attracted by the security the fort provided against Indian attacks. The town grew rapidly after the Northern Pacific Railroad arrived in 1881. Although the population decreased in the late 1880s as a result of the bad winter of 1886-1887, which decimated cattle stock, the town persevered. In 1908, the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad (commonly known as the Milwaukee Road) built a line to the city and also repaired steam locomotives here. Both railroads, the Milwaukee and Great Northern, spurred the city's growth during these years. Then in 1909, Congress passed the Homestead Act, which drew even more settlers to the region.In order to meet the health needs of the growing population, the county decided to build the new hospital. As alluded to above, in 1907, the county converted a house into a hospital but it quickly proved to be too small. So two years later, the county bought the land on which the building now stands and hired Link &amp; Haire to design it. The county also asked the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who were located in Aberdeen, South Dakota, to run the hospital. The hospital opened on October 7, 1910 with 35-beds. It also established a nursing certificate program within a year.During the 1918 -1919 influenza pandemic, support for the hospital grew. Donations increased as did the number of nursing students. These factors prompted the Sisters to build an addition in 1922, which raised the number of beds to 85. The addition also included a nurses dormitory, chapel, and a laundry room. The Sisters built a modern high-rise in 1948 directly east of the hospital buildings. Beginning in the 1960s, the functions of the hospital changed. The 1910 building and the 1922 addition became a rest home. The 1922 addition was briefly used as a drug and rehabilitation center for 18 months beginning in 1979. Finally, in 1995 the entire complex was abandoned when the hospital moved to a new facility. Miles City residents rallied to save the old hospital from demolition in the 2000s. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. The 1948 high-rise no longer exists; all that remains are the original 1910 hospital and the 1922 addition.

Now a public housing apartment building, the former Holy Rosary Hospital was established in 1910 and closed in 1995. It is historically significant in the areas of healthcare and architecture. Before it was built, the county hospital was located in a converted two-story house. This was inadequate for the growing community, which needed a larger medical facility to treat both injured railroad workers and residents. In terms of architecture, the old hospital was designed by the prominent Montana firm Link & Haire in a combination of styles including the Spanish Revival and Craftsman styles. It was converted into the apartments in 2007.

Holy Rosary Hospital

George Miles arrived in Montana in 1876. He served as the quartermaster clerk for the Fifth Regiment at Fort Keogh, which, as noted above, was established by his uncle General Nelson A. Miles. General Miles established the fort as part of the U.S. Army's effort to fight Native Americans after the Battle of Little Big Horn (June 25-26, 1876), the famous battle where Plains tribes soundly defeated General George Custer and his men. The Army was eventually successful, forcing the tribes to the Standing Point Reservation in the Dakota Territory within a year.As a result, Fort Keogh and others in the region were eventually no longer needed. George Miles left the Army and got into sheep ranching (to grow wool). After several years he, along with a few others, founded the First National Bank in 1882. By then, the population in the area grew and it became apparent that a bank was needed. Miles became president of the bank in 1907 and remained so until 1929. The other positions he held included serving as the first U.S. Commissioner and the first notary public in the county, a senior partner of a hardware firm, president of Miles City Trust and Realty Company, president of Ekalala Telephone Company, and superintendent of the Presbyterian Sunday School. Miles lived in the house until 1913.

Local businessman George M. Miles built this historic home in 1899. At the time, it was among the first large homes built in the city which is named after his uncle, General Nelson A. Miles. General Miles established Fort Keogh in 1876, and his nephew George Miles held a number of prominent public offices and important positions with local companies and organizations during his career. In terms of architecture, the house is a fine example of the Queen Anne style. Its notable features include an asymmetrical design, gables, a large porch that wraps around the southwestern corner, paired Doric columns that support the porch roof, and a triangular pediment with decorative woodwork. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 for its architecture as well as its association with George Miles. 

George M. Miles House

The Range Riders Museum is a Western history museum located in Miles City. It was founded in 1939 and has grown to 13 acres containing several buildings, some of which are historic. It houses thousands of items and artifacts distributed in its buildings. These include dinosaur bones, a large collection of 1,200 Native American arrowheads, farm tools and equipment, vintage cars and wagon, and various other items. The museum is probably most well known for the Bert Clark Gun collection, which has attracted visitors from around the world. Some of the buildings are exhibits themselves, depicting life in 19th century

Range Riders Museum

By the time Joseph Leighton erected the hotel, Miles City had become the region's economic and social center. Homesteaders, merchants, cattlemen and others had been arriving in the area since the mid-1870s. Their numbers increased even more after the arrival of the Great Northern Railroad in 1881. These developments solidified the town's status as stable and thriving community. This was the context in which the hotel was built. Joseph Leighton erected the hotel after a fire in 1897 destroyed another hotel called the McQueen House. A few years later, his son, Alvin, took over and changed the name to Olive Hotel. When it was remodeled and expanded in 1908, a barbershop and cafe were also added. A garage was built in the back of the building as well, and another was built in 1912. Apparently, an auto business (repairing and selling cars) was located in the garages, run by a man who lived at the hotel. After 1925, drought and falling grain prices forced many people in the area to leave. As a result, Miles City's economy declined and the hotel's importance as a meeting place decreased as well. The hotel endured, however, and remains a vital part of the community today.

Olive Hotel has been an integral part of Miles City's economic and social history since it opened in 1899. Miles City booster Joseph Leighton built it and originally named it "The Leighton." For many years, the hotel was an important gathering place for locals and visitors. It still operates today and includes a restaurant, casino, and bar. The hotel, which was enlarged in 1908 using a new design by local architect Brynjulf Rivenes, is also significant for its architecture. Its notable features include decorative brickwork, arched stained glass windows above a few windows on the first floor, and a pressed-metal cornice. The hotel was added to the National Register of Historic Places and is a contributing property of the Main Street Historic District, which is also listed on the register.

Olive Hotel

The Northern Pacific Railroad (NPR) first arrived in Miles City in 1881. It was a significant event as it secured the city's status as an important economic center in southeast Montana. Because it facilitated trade and transportation (especially of livestock), the railroad attracted homesteaders, cattle ranchers, businessmen and others to the city and surrounding region. As a result, the population grew steadily in the coming years and the community thrived. The NPR built a small wood-frame depot in 1882 and then a red-brick depot in 1900. It should be noted that the Milwaukee, Chicago &amp; St. Paul Railroad (more commonly known as the Milwaukee Road) arrived in 1907 and built its own station in 1909. Both railroads contributed to the area's development. Miles City continued to thrive until 1917 when drought slowed the area's growth. The NPR, however, felt bullish about the city's future and decided to build the depot in 1922. Construction began in the summer of 1923 and was finished in January 1924. Although the city did not experience the same amount of growth as it did during its first few decades, the depot was a vital part of the community, serving the city and region for several decades. In fact the service the depot provided helped stabilize and support the local economy during the Great Depression and after World War II. It was also a secure place of employment.However, demand for passenger train travel began to decline in the 1950s. Eventually the Milwaukee Road ended passenger service in 1964. The NPR didn't last much longer, ceasing passenger service 1971. Amtrak took over but it only offered long-distance trips and trains only came once a day. As a result, the businesses located near the depot (hotels, stores, etc.) closed. Amtrak stopped service in 1979 and the depot began to fall into disrepair. In 2009, the city saved the depot from demolition. However, it remains vacant as of 2020.

Built in 1924, the Northern Pacific Railway Depot is one of the most historic buildings in Miles City. Located just a few blocks south of Main Street, the depot represents the tremendous impact the Northern Pacific had on the city's development. Though long vacant and largely left to disrepair, the depot is also significant for its Second Renaissance Revival architecture. It was built with a red-brick facade and its notable features include arched windows, circular concrete medallions, and a low-slung hipped roofline. The depot operated until 1979 and was later added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010. 

Northern Pacific Railway Depot

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The battle took place in the 1876 winter when about 2000
Northern Cheyenne and Sioux were regularly at the southern areas of the
Yellowstone River.&nbsp; Following a
disappointing scout in the Musselshell region, Colonel Miles and the 5th
Infantry went back to the Tongue River Cantonment.&nbsp; At this time on December 16, 5 Sioux members
that belonged to the Crazy Horse camp came upon the cantonment in an attempt to
figure out a possible end to the problem.&nbsp;
As soon as the Sioux arrived they were ambushed without cause by Miles’
Crow scouts.&nbsp; The U.S. troops attempted
to stop the Crow scouts but to no avail.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The Crow murdered all of the Sioux that had arrived.&nbsp; 

After
this attack and hearing about recent raiding south of them, Miles decided to
move his men to the field on December 31.&nbsp;
On January 7 the temperature had fallen to 0˚ Fahrenheit and there was 3
inches of new snow on the ground.&nbsp; The
moving soldiers came into contact with a party of Native American women and
babies who were taken as prisoners.&nbsp; A
fight then broke out between some Native Americans and 4 companies of
troops.&nbsp; It is said that at one point
during the battle a Northern Cheyenne called Big Crow repeatedly walked in
front of the troops on a ridgeline to show his powerful medicine and his
resistance to bullets.&nbsp; However, he was
shot and the other Native Americans on site had to move him.&nbsp; 

It
has been recorded that in the cold weather the Native Americans built fires to
stay warm due to the fact that they did not wear much clothing.&nbsp; At the same time it is said that the troops
marched around to keep circulation during the battle.&nbsp; On January 8, some of Crazy Horse’s men
arrived cause more fighting; the weather that morning consisted of snow with a
temperature of 12˚ and dropping.&nbsp;
Following about 5 hours the number of Native Americans on the
battlefield were becoming less.&nbsp; Each
side began to take care of their injured and in the afternoon the Native
Americans left altogether; it was discovered later that there were several
blood and drag marks in the snow along the path the Native Americans took when
they left the battlefield.&nbsp; Despite this
retreat Miles’ men tried to find the Native Americans on January 9, however
Miles eventually decided to bring them back to the cantonment, all while having
to fight the horrible weather.&nbsp; The
weather went anywhere from -28˚ to 44˚ and the troops had to cross and re-cross
the Tongue River several times, therefore suffering more.&nbsp; By the time the campaign of the Battle of
Wolf Mountains was over the troops had travelled through the river 125 times.1

	Wolf Mountains Battlefield is where the last battle of the Great Sioux War (1876-1877) took place.  The site is also known as “Where Big Crow Walked Back and Forth.”  It gained status as a National Historic Landmark in the year of 2008.  Today the battlefield remains for the most part unchanged to how it was when it hosted this battle.

Wolf Mountains Battlefield National Historic Landmark

Before the waterworks building was erected, the city drew water first from wells and then from the Tongue River. Both sources eventually became insufficient for the growing community. To remedy the issue, the City Council passed a resolution in 1909 to raise funds to build a new water plant (as well as other improvements) and a bond sale was authorized in 1910. However, since the plant was to be constructed on property owned by federal government, Congress had to approve the project, which it did in March the next year. Construction went fairly quickly and the station started pumping water on December 2nd.It operated until 1974 when a new plant was built. The old plant didn't stay vacant for long, however, as the Custer County Art and Heritage Center leased the building that year. It appears that the Center either closed or became the WaterWorks Art Museum in 1977.

The WaterWorks Art Museum showcases contemporary and historical art and is committed to providing art-related educational opportunities to the general public. It is located next to the Yellowstone River in the historic Miles City Waterworks building, which was built in 1911 and still contains much of the original pumping equipment. The museum is situated at the north end of Pumping Plant Park, which itself holds historical significance. The park was part of the Tongue River Cantonment (a cantonment is a military camp) which was established in 1876; the next year it was relocated to just southwest of the city and renamed Fort Keogh. The waterworks building and park are listed together on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Miles City Montana Tour

William Harmon House

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information