First Schoolhouse, First Teacher, First Courthouse
Captions for 3 photos on page 22, Section A of the Missoulian Centennial issue are shown below.
First Schoolhouse in City
The first building constructed here expressly for school purposes still stands in Missoula. This photo was made in 1948 when the building was being remodeled for use as doctor’s offices at 407 E. Main St.
Missoula’s First Teacher
This is Mrs. W. H. H. Dickinson, the first Missoula teacher in the public schools. As Miss Emma Slack she had her first classes in July of 1869 for the children of Missoula’s 25 families. (Courtesy of Isabel Haynes, niece of Mrs. Dickinson)
First Courthouse Finished in 1871
The first Missoula County Courthouse constructed on the site of the present one, was completed in 1871 on a contract with J. J. Tasker. The contract was let Aug. 15, 1870. This project cost the county $15,600. Tasker also built the old stone jail about the same time for about $7,000. The fence surrounding the square, together with the clearing of the area and incidentals, cost an additional $3,200. These were considered excessive costs for that time. It was explained that there were no available funds, and construction payments had to be made by county warrants, which were salable [saleable] at only 25 cents on the dollar. The contractor took this into consideration in bidding on the project.
This article was accompanied by a photo of the courthouse courtesy of H. S. Jewett.