Old Missoula

Some of Garden City’s Earliest Houses Still Shelter Families

A few of Missoula’s earliest homes have survived nearly 100 years, still standing and some still sheltering families.

What has been reported to be Missoula’s first home, that of William T. Hamilton, was said by him to have been constructed near the mouth of Rattlesnake Creek in 1858 and later used as a saloon. No trace of it has been found by historians and it is believed, if it existed, it was torn down or destroyed by fire in the early days of the city’s growth.

Constructed for Bride

The oldest house standing today in Missoula is that of Maj. Washington J. McCormick. McCormick came to Missoula in 1868. The following year he married Katherine Higgins, sister of Christopher P. Higgins, and built the house for his bride. It was constructed in the 100 block of North Higgins avenue, somewhere between the present location of Hotel Florence and the Missoula Hotel.

This house, remodeled at least twice, now stands at 195 McCormick St. McCormick apparently had built a home before he constructed the one for his bride, this one in 1868 at the corner of Broadway and Owen streets on the corner now occupied by the 1928 addition to St. Patrick Hospital.

Freight Cost High

This early structure was estimated to cost about $5,000, much of the expense in an 11-cent-a-pound freight rate from Fort Benton to Missoula. McCormick later sold the house and three blocks of land to the Jesuits for $1,500 for the start of the Catholic buildings still occupying the site. Before that the Catholic residents of the city had to travel four miles west to St. Michael’s Church at Hell Gate for services.

McCormick constructed a comfortable home which is long before the Victorian gingerbread era in style. It is a simple frame home which was at one time the social center of the state.

Worden Builds Showplace

In about 1875 Frank L. Worden built a two-and-a-half-floor showplace in the young city. No record was found of the earliest home of Worden. Several versions place the first Worden home at 120 N. Higgins Ave., near the end of the block where the B & H Jewelry Co. is now, or about three miles east of the city at the foot of Marshall Gulch.

It is established, however, that Worden built, lived in and died in the house at 328 E. Pine St. Worden, a native of Vermont, reportedly had trees and shrubs sent here over the long route up the Missouri by steamer and then by wagon from Fort Benton. Some of the maple trees and lilac bushes now standing in the yard were planted by Worden in the 1870’s. Reports say his were the first lilacs in Montana.

Worden’s piano, a huge square grand in ebony finish, was the first in Missoula. Worden’s home was built by W. B. S. Higgins. The lumber was sawed in the Grant Creek area at a mill operated by John Rankin.

Homes Rise in 1870s

Another home of the old days was the house at 321 E. Front St., which was built in 1872 on what was then the outskirts of the town. Its owner was Dr. McKee, an early physician. There is little doubt about the date of construction because the late Will Cave, a student of local history, was reared in the house.

Dr. McKee about whom little is known, sold the house to the Rev. Thomas C. Iliff who built the first church in Missoula. Iliff gained fame for establishing Methodist churches in early day Montana. He sold the house on Front street to Alfred Cave, father of Will.

Early Brick Home

One of the first homes to be made of brick, if not the first, was the McWhirk house, or the Hartman house, at 625 E. Front St. According to Will Cave, the McWhirk house was built before 1874.

The house was built by the McWhirk for whom the McWhirk Addition to the city is named. McWhirk homesteaded 160 acres extending from near where the house stands west to the vicinity of Clay street. It is believed he built a home in that general area at that time, probably in the late 1860s. Shortly after that he built the brick house. He sold it to George Hartman, who lived there for a number of years. Either Hartman or McWhirk operated a ferry in the vicinity of the Van Buren street bridge.

The house was built about 200 feet back from where the street is now, possibly to conform to Capt. John Mullan’s military road, which at that point jogged south to cross the Rattlesnake Creek at a ford.