Cascade County Courthouse

On September 12, 1887, "An Act Creating Cascade County, its Boundaries, provisions for its organization and the officers to fill the various positions until the first election," was passed by the Territorial Legislative Assembly. Cascade County had been formed from parts of Meagher, Choteau and Lewis and Clarke* Counties. Great Falls was designated as the County Seat until otherwise determined by law. Included in the Act were portions of debts incurred by the original counties that would be paid by Cascade County,money transfers from county treasurers to be paid to the Cascade County Treasurer for the support of schools in the new county, provisions for the election of county officials, and the powers and duties of the officials.
*As was spelled in the 1887 Montana Code Book.

The Act also named the appointed officials and set their salaries:

• J.A. Harris, County Commissioner - no salary
• F.A. Wall, County Commissioner - no salary
• C.P. Downing, County Sheriff - $1,800.00
• Arthur E. Dickerman, Treasurer 1,500.00
• James W. Matkin, Clerk & Recorder 1,800.00
• Herbert P. Rolfe, Probate Judge 1,000.00
• Richard T. Gorham, Assessor 1,500.00
• George W. Taylor, County Attorney 450.00
• and such other fees as provided by law.
• John W. Fairfild, Coroner - no salary
• John W. Stanton, Public Administrator - no salary
• Bessie Ford, Superintendent of Public Instruction 600.00

These were yearly salaries. At the time of the formation of the county, the jobs that did not have a salary were not full time jobs as they are today. The people who did not receive a salary could perform their duties in their spare time, leaving them free to pursue their original occupations. Today, the various salaries of county officials is determined, in part, by the population of the respective county.

For the first fifteen years that Cascade County was, in fact, a county, all business was conducted in a small group of offices in a downtown building. As the county increased in population and more services were needed, it became evident that a separate building was necessary to accommodate the various offices to serve the public more efficiently.

"At the general election held November 6, 1900, the question of voting bonds inthe sum of $200,000 for the purpose of building a courthouse was submitted to the voters of Cascade County and carried.

Afterward, on the 22nd day of June, 1901 the bonds were sold to N.W. Harris & Co.of Chicago for the sum of $209,170.80. These bonds are payable semi-annually, payable in 20 years and draw interest at the rate of 4% per annum.

On the 25th of June, 1901, the contract for the plans and specifications for the building were awarded to Black & Longstaff, architects, for the plans and specifications and the general superintendence of the construction of the building, forwhich they received a commission of 5% on its total cost.

On the 10th day of July, 1901, the contract for the construction of the building waslet to Lease & Richards for the sum of $186,295.30. This did not include the excavation of the basement, the contract for which was awarded to W.J. Martin for $1,000,nor the stonework of the basement, the contract for which was awarded to Duncan McKenziefor $5,575, nor the furnishing of stone for the entire building, the contract for which was let to Vogel & Young for $11,000.

Other expenses of construction, furnishing, etc. are as follows:

• W.G. Andrews, frescoing $6,000.00
• Boston & Great Falls Electric
• Light and Power Co., lighting 3,000.00
• Wentworth & Co., plumbing 10,325.00
• A.P. Curtain & Co., furniture 16,000.00
• Harry Shepherd, grading grounds 3,200.00
• Architects commission 12,000.00
• Incidentals 4,000.00

Making the total cost of the building and equipment $258,320.00. The work on the excavation was commenced by W.J. Martin in February, 1901.

The work on the superstructure was begun by Lease & Richards on the 9th day of November, 1901.*

"At 2 O'clock the cornerstone of the county courthouse was laid at the northwest corner of the building by the Cascade Lodge No. 34, of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. The ceremonies were in the charge of Acting Grand Master Hepner. Past GrandMasters and others high up in the science of Masonry from around the state were in attendance.

The ceremonies were in accordance with the ancient rites of the order, and were the most imposing ever held in Great Falls.

The stone contained a box, in which was deposited many thing of historical interest weighing about 2,000 pounds. It was cut and finished by Barney Wagoner. The box rests in a hole in the underside of the stone. On the east side of the stone's face, when it was set, is cut Nov. 9, A.D. 1901."

Within the box was placed one of the most accurate histories of Cascade County that was ever gotten together. It was prepared by Vincent Fortune, County Clerk and Recorder. It consisted of seven sheets of bond cap paper, single spaced typewritten. It recites the Act of September 12, 1887, creating Cascade County, its boundaries, providing for its organization and the officers appointed to fill the various positions until the first election.

*Speech by Roger W. Berry, Cascade County Attorney from  the Great Falls Tribune July 4, 1903, p.7.

Also a copy of the Act of March 3, 1887, extending the boundaries of Cascade County and altering the boundaries of Cascade County and altering the boundaries of Meagher County to Cascade County; the Act of Feb. 28, 1899, to annex a portion of Meagher County Cascade County, further changing the boundaries of Meagher County and again the Act of March 3,1899 to annex another portion of Meagher County.

Also a list of the officers elected at the general election of Nov. 6, 1900 and the election of W.A. Clark as senior senator and Paris Gibson as junior senator by the seventh legislature.

There is also attached a city of the proceedings of the meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of Sept. 5, 1900, when the petition was presented by W.G. Conrad and others asking that the question of whether or not bonds for $200,000 be issued to build a new courthouse be submitted to the electors.

The paper winds up with a list of the officers elected at the general election, and the names of the new Board of County Commissioners who will complete the work of building the courthouse.

Other items deposited in the box is as follows: 

• A list of the county officials of Cascade County, together with the history of the County from its organization to Nov. 9, 1901.
• A list of the city officials of Great Falls prepared by W.H. Smith, City Clerk.
• The History of Company A, First Montana U.S. Veterans, including its casualties during the Spanish American War, together with a list of its members prepared by Captain John E. Moran.
• A photograph of the first train that ever came into Great Falls, reproduced by R. W. Fullerton from an original owned by M.W. Race.
• A photograph of United States Senator Paris Gibson, who was the founder of Great Falls.
• A list of the officers of the grand lodge, A.F. & A. M. of the State of Montana, Black Eagle Commandery No. 8; Great Falls Chapter No. 9, Cascade Lodge No. 34 A.F. & A. M., together with the members of the committee on arrangements for the laying of t he cornerstone of the Cascade County Courthouse.
• A copy of the Great Falls Daily Leader of Nov. 8, 1901.
• A copy of the Great Falls Tribune of Nov. 9, 1901.
• A copy of the Helena Record of Nov. 9, 1901.
• A copy of the Anaconda Standard of Nov. 9,1901.
• A copy of the Belt Valley Times of Nov. 7, 1901.
• Copies of views of principal buildings and places of interest in and around Great Falls, in the year 1900, presented by Andrew Rinker together with statistics of the city and county.
• Address by the Hon. A.C. Gormley.
• Address by Hon. A.J. Craven of Helena.
• Address by Senator Gibson.
• A copy of the program of the laying of the cornerstone exercises.
• Maps of the State, County and City.
• A copper cent, presented by Myrtle E. Roalswick.
• A nickel, presented by Vincent Fortune.
• A dime presented by W.D. Delphy.
• A quarter presented by Dorothy Marjorie Perry.
• A Columbian half-dollar presented by Albert E. Caufield.
• Names of the architects and builders of the courthouse.
• A small silk American Flag.
• A certificate of the population of Cascade County according to the census of 1900 - towit 25,377.**

After construction was well underway, a controversy developed between several of the contractors and the architects. According to the specifications, it was the intention of the architects to have a greater part of the dome of stone. The papers plainly showstone, according to the usual interpretation of the markings. The stone subcontractors claim that the dome is to be of copper and therefore the dispute.

Yesterday, Mr. Lease, building contractor, spent the day in the office of the Clerk and Recorder, looking over the specifications. As yet there has been no intimation received from the St. Paul Roofing & Cornice Company (contractors for the copper work) as to what construction they put on the specifications, but it is the general belief of the general contractors and architects that they will say stone."***

The dome of the courthouse is copper.

"In the summer of 1902, it was found that is would require $50,000 additional tocomplete the building and present Board of County Commissioners submitted the proposition to issue additional bonds of the county to the electors at the general election of Nov. 4,1902, and the proposition carried.

The building was finished by the contractors and turned over to the commissioners onthe 4th day of July, 1903. It thus required two years and four months for its construction.

This building was pronounced by good judges to be the finest building of the kind between St. Paul and the Pacific Coast."*

The courthouse is constructed of gray sandstone quarried within six miles of the city in the hills west of the Missouri River. The architecture is French Renaissance withslight modifications. The columns are of solid Tennessee marble and the halls and wainscoting are laid in mosaic tiling.

To the base of the Statue of Justice the courthouse measures 135 feet. The copper portion of the dome is approximately 35 feet and the base is 40 feet. The main building is 60 feet high. The statue is 15 feet high.

With the advent of the automobile and the need for more space, the carriage entrance, that was located under the front steps was converted into a storage area for the building engineers.

During the Second World War, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the dome was used twenty-four hours a day to watch for enemy aircraft.

Throughout the years, and with changing needs, much of the interior has been altered. In an effort to update the interior, much of the original furnishings were sold, and the gold leaf and copper were covered with paint.

In an effort to restore the copper dome to its original color, it was cleaned with asubstance that pitted the copper. The current cost of restoration of copper and gold leaf is such, that it may never be done. Some efforts at partial restoration are planned.

The courthouse is currently in the National Register of Historic Buildings.

**Great Falls Tribune, Nov. 9, 1901, p.6
****"The Great Falls Tribune" July 2, 1902, p.8
*Op, Cit., Berry Speech