Montana Historical and Architectural Inventory (Site # 015)

Description:

A two-color common bond brick façade characterizes this two-story flat roof commercial structure. The façade is capped with a very unusual sheet metal "entablature" comprised of a simple concave, cornice and dentil course, six large geometric medallions acting as consoles (that create 5 bays), no frieze (other than the brick plane of the wall), and a simple sheet metal architrave. The "frieze" area is penetrated by three rectangular mechanical openings. The darker brick accents the façade with stringcourses at first and second floor windowsills and heads, as well as a narrow stringcourse at the transom height of second floor windows. The sill and head courses are punctuated with cut stone lintels and sills giving an overscaled checkerboard or diapered effect to the entire composition. Darker brick is also used in the frieze area above the architrave. Rectangular windows within the five bays have been replaced and are fixed glass. Brick below the first floor windows has been rusticated; the four basement windows have been filled in. The lower right hand (first floor) bay is occupied by a formal entry with a projected brick pilaster and portico forming an architrave around the entry. The triangular pediment has simple linear cornice elements and an undecorated tympanum; the door is natural colored contemporary aluminum. Sidewalls are brick with segmental arches above double hung windows and are capped with a concrete coping.

This commercial structure qualifies for register listing under Criteria C. It typifies commercial construction in Lewistown during the growth years of the central business district. Architectural scale, massing and materials are consistent with commercial structures of this period.

Classification: eclectic; commercial style influences and Classic Revival elements are both visible on this building.

Historical Significance:

The Dial Exchange Building is significant because it illustrates patterns of development in Lewistown.

Small locally owned telephone companies gave the Lewistown area its first telephone service. Austin W. Warr of banking fame was the first president of the first such company, which began operating in both Lewistown and Harlowton in 1899. A few years later, things got complicated for telephone users, when a second company started up and obtained 100 subscribers, and ran separate lines to them. This situation lasted only about a year, when Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph bought out both local companies and the two sets of lines were unified through one exchange. By 1911, when Lewistown had a population of about 3000, there were 976 telephones in use.

The Dial Exchange Building was designed by Mountain Bell in their Denver office and is still in use (for relay equipment). An adjacent business office was built in 1961.

Integrity: This structure is original construction that all penetrations on the street elevation have been replaced. The building is on the original site.