Preserving Montana's Past: Historic Buildings Get New Life Through SHPO Grants

Montana's weathered brick facades and century-old storefronts stand as silent witnesses to the state's rich past, each building harboring stories as compelling as the landscapes that surround them. Now, four remarkable buildings across the Treasure State are getting a second chance through a new funding initiative announced Tuesday by the Montana Historical Society's State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).

The inaugural SHPO Grant program, created through a legislative appropriation from Montana's 4% Lodging Facility Use Tax, will distribute $155,000 this summer to support rehabilitation and stabilization projects for historic properties. The initiative saw overwhelming demand in its first year, with 32 applications totaling more than $2.2 million in requests.

"The goal of this grant is to help reactivate underutilized historic buildings so that they can be used to strengthen communities socially and economically," explains Lindsay Tran, treasured contributor to Distinctly Montana Magazine and Historic Architecture Specialist at SHPO . "Sometimes these buildings are architecturally stunning, sometimes they are more quotidian. But they are all important to Montana history."

Among the four recipients is the Dayton State Bank in Dayton, an architectural gem that few Montanans may realize exists in their midst. This privately-owned 1913 building represents a rare example of Egyptian Revival architecture in the state and will receive $20,000 to replace its roof membrane and install new oak flooring to repair previous flood damage.

In eastern Montana, the State Bank of Terry will receive the largest award of $55,000. Now home to the Prairie County Museum, this 1906 concrete block building requires foundation stabilization, masonry and plaster repair, historic window restoration, and electrical upgrades. The work will ensure this county-owned treasure continues to preserve the region's history.

Virginia City, already known for its well-preserved frontier architecture, will see another historic building revitalized as its 1876 Schoolhouse begins transformation into a year-round arts education center. Currently under lease by the Virginia City Schoolhouse Foundation, the project will receive $40,000 to support masonry repair, gutter installation, and a French drain system in this first phase of rehabilitation.

The fourth recipient bridges Montana's industrial past with its artistic present. The Western Clay Manufacturing Tile Plant, located on Helena's Archie Bray Foundation campus, will receive $41,720 for structural stabilization, re-roofing, and repairs to brick and wooden elements. The work supports the historic industrial site's ongoing conversion into an exhibit and public meeting space, complementing the internationally-renowned ceramic arts center that surrounds it.

The grants were awarded through a competitive process considering factors like project feasibility, urgency, economic sustainability, and potential to support heritage tourism. Properties also needed to maintain National Register status and adhere to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.

For communities like Terry (population 605), these investments represent more than mere building repairs. Historic preservation projects often serve as catalysts for economic revitalization in rural areas, attracting heritage tourism dollars while strengthening community pride and identity.

The timing of these grants aligns with Montana's peak tourism season, when visitors flock to the state seeking authentic experiences. Historic preservation advocates have long argued that maintaining distinctive architecture helps communities stand out in an increasingly homogenized world.

Historic preservationists have long emphasized that these structures connect communities to their roots while providing tangible links to the past. Each building represents not just architectural heritage, but the cultural and economic history that shaped Montana.

As climate change and economic pressures continue to threaten aging structures across Montana, programs like the SHPO Grant offer a lifeline for buildings that might otherwise face deterioration or demolition. The competitive nature of this year's application process—with requests exceeding available funding by more than fourteen times—suggests the depth of need across the state.

For Montanans interested in these projects, SHPO is accepting public comments through May 21 as part of the Montana Environmental Policy Act review process. An informational online meeting will be held that same day, with details available on the Montana Historical Society website.

While $155,000 can't save every threatened historic building in Montana, these four projects represent an important step toward preserving the state's architectural heritage for future generations. In a place where history is written in both landscape and architecture, that's something worth celebrating.