The Passion Pit is located within the
Courthouse (left) Historic District.
When it was established, our home
was but a shadow of it's former self.
Post fifty plus years as The Ramona
Apartments, it had become a run
down convalescent home. Nobody
had any passion for the Passion Pit
including the preservation experts
who designated almost every other
home historic but ours. Finally it's
ready to resume it's role as one of
Lewistown's finest homes!
Mrs. Annie Crowley built a
lovely home two blocks from
ours in 1905. In those days
wood was quite costly given
it had to be shipped in from
afar. Like the Passion Pit,
this home was later divided
into apartments. Today it's a
lovely aluminum clad ghost
of it's former self. Let's hope
that our restoration inspires
some fools to transform this
grande dame back to life.
Some things never change. This
1907 view towards the newly
built Courthouse shows another
newbee erected home next to an
empty lot on it's left. Today that
same home still stands with that
spacious lot adjacent. The only
addition being a two car garage.
Currently up for sale, it's yours
for the asking at only $182,900.
While low to most of us, that's
seems a tad steep for Lewistown.
My suggestion... click here.
Across from the Courthouse
facing Main Street is the old
Lehman house. While it now
appears somewhat humble,
this structure is one of our
first substantial homes. Built
in 1900 of expensive brick,
it's bunk house still sits to the
rear constructed out of more
affordable local stone. Both
structures were converted into
office buildings. Can others
still see the beauty beneath?
There's no doubt that men like
George Cook (shown left) felt
that our neighborhood above
downtown was the best place
to live. In fact, our area of the
city is called "Cook's Division".
Sadly many of our neighbors
fell on hard times during the
"dirty thirties". Slowly a love
for our heritage is taking hold
here in Lewistown. Soon the
dreams that men like George
had may finally become reality.
All of the historic photographs on today's blog are from the Lewistown Montana Carnegie Library Collection. You can access it by clicking here onto The Montana Memory Project.
