Visit Terry Montana

Please click on the following link for the full guide to historical sights in and around Terry, Montana:

Here are the details on when and how to travel to our area:

Dates: 5/1/2010 – 11/30/2010

City / State: Terry, Montana

Event Name: Historic Prairie Trail

Event Type: Seasonal Walk

Distance – Trail Ratings: 10km – 1+

Description: The Historic Prairie Trail starts at with the Historic Kempton Hotel and meanders through Terry, Montana, past the Prairie County Museum and Cameron Gallery, historical homes and early-time buildings. See an old brick jail and outhouse plus homes and buildings with a colorful history of the “Small Town Below the Terry Badlands,” which are visible in the north from the center of the town.

Amenities: Strollers: Medium | Wheelchairs: Medium | Pets: Yes |

Restrooms: Yes

Special Classifications: This event doesn’t have any special classifications assigned.

Location: Kempton Hotel, 204 Spring Street, Terry, Montana 406-635-5543

Start Point / Driving Directions: Exit Interstate 94 at Terry Montana, proceed north about a mile past the gas station to the first intersection and turn left on Spring Street. The Kempton Hotel is located on the left approx. 4 blocks down.

Comments: Great tour of historical sights of the old West

Welcome to Terry, Montana

Enjoy our Historic Prairie Trail…along the Yellowstone Trail

An American Volkssport Association Trail,
Developed for the Prairie County Chamber of Commerce
by Darlene L. Strobel, Trail Chairman

Terry, Montana is the “Official Home of the Evelyn Cameron Gallery”

204 Spring Street – KEMPTON HOTEL, at the beginning of the Terry Volkswalk Trail, was a modern 40-room hotel constructed in 1912-13. Martha Kempton served dinners at the Kempton Ranch just south of town and in the hotel restaurant until 1945. Current owners have kept the Kempton in its original state and décor and are restoring it back to its original grand condition. In the past they have counted Teddy Roosevelt and Calamity Jane among their famous guests.

215 Park – TERRY SCHOOLS were established as District 5 in 1883, the fifth district in Custer County, to which Prairie County belonged until 1915.

Bolin Elementary School was built in 1953, named after Terry’s second superintendent, Russell C. Bolin, who came to Terry in 1947.

Grandey Middle School was the first school in Terry, constructed of brick in 1908. It had two stories with four classrooms and electrical wiring. The bond issue for $20,000 received no nay votes. The southern section of the building was added in 1916, more than doubling the size, adding a basketball court, study hall and indoor plumbing. By 1925 enrollment was 1,355.

Terry High School was built in 1929, a $70,000 structure. In 1966 a new gymnasium and lobby were added, named Ray Frank Gymnasium, for a long-time teacher/coach/superintendent.

413 S. Courtenay – STITH HOUSE was built at 117 S. Logan and was the home of J.W. and Cornelia Stith. It was moved to its current location in 1974, to make room for the new State Bank of Terry, and served as an apartment building until Todd and Annette Ban returned its use to a single-family dwelling.

514 Josephine – MURN PARK was established in 1913. Improvements were slow until Thomas Murn became superintendent in 1928. The pool was constructed by the WPA in 1938. The southern end of the park borders the Yellowstone Trail route.

514 S. Towne – COWBOY BANDSTAND was used by the Terry Cornbelt Band which was formed in 1909 and gave weekly summer concerts. After serenading Pres. Calvin Coolidge in the Black Hills in 1927 and presenting him with a pair of cowboy chaps, the band was known as the Terry Cowboy Band. The Bandstand is preserved by County Homemakers, who moved it to the park.

302 S. McDonald – SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH was established as a mission in 1908, served by the only priest in 15,000 square miles of eastern Montana, which he traveled by train and horseback, holding services between trains., It was dedicated September 1910 and an Altar Society organized in 1914. In August 1953 it became the 61st parish of the Diocese and included Fallon with Mildred as a mission. The first priest came in 1953. A rectory was built in 1955.

217 W. Park – PRAIRIE COUNTY COURTHOUSE was constructed in 1998 after the old Courthouse was damaged the summer of 1995 by arson by a local disgruntled husband, causing extensive smoke and water damage. From 1995 to 1998 county offices were located in office spaces around town.

303 S. Logan – TERRY POST OFFICE had called other sites home, including the present American Legion, before construction was completed of this building.

317 S. Logan – TERRY COMMUNITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH came into existence as the need for worship was answered with meetings in a wool shed, sacks of wool serving as pews. On May 10, 1906 erecting a church was considered and it was built in 1907 for $2,157, from bell to Bible. A manse was built next door in 1913. A 1917 remodel added the present altar, creating a cross-shaped sanctuary. Used oak pews were bought in 1928; the altar crypt was built in 1936. A 1979 remodel added classrooms. A member of Yellowstone Presbytery, TCPC serves 100 members.

403 S. Logan – BRUBAKER HOME (now the home of Jim and Jo Ausk) is noted just south of the Presbyterian Church in photos as early as 1915.

503 S. Logan – McDOWELL HOME (now owned by Dale & Jaynee Hellman) was built in 1917, an ultra-modern home for its time with the first indoor plumbing and a sink in each of the upstairs rooms. The main floor has the original leaded glass cabinets and rich woodwork. E.H. McDowell cast the first yea vote for formation of Prairie County; his wife, Ada, was the first woman to vote for it in the first election after women gained the right to vote. He purchased the defunct Terry Tribune in 1910 and edited it until his 1925 death.

601 S. Logan – THE JANET WILLIAMS HOUSE was the home of Evelyn Cameron’s dear friend, who inherited Cameron’s belongings upon her death from complications of appendectomy surgery in 1928. Included were historical original photos by Cameron, which were eventually re-discovered in the 1980′s by author Donna Lucey. They were donated to the Montana Historical Society with many of the glass negatives now located in Helena. Photos taken and developed by Evelyn Cameron were recently acquired by the Evelyn Cameron Heritage Inc., a private local group.

418 S. Garfield – THE ROUND HOUSE was built in 1932 by George Johnson to be used as an independent church. The structure was made round so, as the story goes, “The devil couldn’t corner you.” It has now been converted into a home.

317 S. Garfield – PRAIRIE MANOR is a stucco building built in 1930, as a full-service hospital until 1970. It briefly housed the fledgling Prairie County Museum and in 1975 began a third career as a senior citizen residence. It is now unoccupied and for sale by Prairie County.

409 Bowen – PRAIRIE COUNTY CLINIC was built in the 1930′s by residents who banded together as the Clinic Board to improve facilities, hoping to attract doctors to Terry. The building was purchased as a kit from Sears Roebuck Foundation, a program to help small towns. Several Terry homes were purchased from Sears or Montgomery Ward mail order catalogues.

404 S. Adams – TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH, Wisconsin Synod, was organized with Pastor Elden Boden serving Terry with preaching stations at Crow Rock and Mildred. Crow Rock joined Terry and in 1943 the Jess Noff house was purchased to become the church on Adams; an addition was dedicated in 1962.

312 S. Adams – PRAIRIE COMMUNITY Hospital, constructed in 1970, is a critical access hospital/nursing home served by physician assistants.

309 S. Garfield – PRAIRIE COUNTY LIBRARY was established in 1920 by Terry Women’s Club and by the County Commissioners on June 7, 1944. The old Broadview Bench School was moved to the site in 1945 to be the library, which was given an addition and new look in 1984.

409 W. Park – THE LOG HOUSE is believed to have been the first log house in Terry.

204 S. Garfield – THE OLD PRAIRIE COUNTY COURTHOUSE was a temporary courthouse that was occupied 80 years, 1915-1995. When Prairie County was officially established on Feb. 5, 1915, a county headquarters was needed and offices were opened in a restaurant building. The Cameron Laundry building was bought Feb. 15, 1915 for $5,000 to be used until a new building site could be found.

In late August 1995 a local resident sneaked into the Sheriff’s Office to “burn the place down” in retaliation for officers serving papers on him. A prisoner was removed to safety before the office was doused with gasoline and lit on fire. It suffered severe smoke and water damage. The building was unoccupied for a while and is now used as a private residence.

***Note: This is the end of the three-mile version of the walk, continue across Spring Street to Laundre and turn right, completing the walk.

PRAIRIE COUNTY CEMETERY was platted in 1920 with 2950 lots; all but 300 have been purchased or are occupied. It includes a Veteran’s section, recently increased from 48 to 156 lots. This is the resting place of Evelyn Cameron and her friend Janet (Jennie) Williams. The Cemetery Board has short and long-term improvement goals for the grounds including plantings and a new south entrance.

PRAIRIE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS – Fairgrounds Road – hosted the first fair in 1920, with deep community pride, attracting homegrown exhibits from all corners of the county. Beginning in 1913 a farmers’ fair had been sponsored by Terry businessmen at the Opera House. To make the fair a reality, 160 acres were purchased from Northern Pacific Railway. The fair is held on the first weekend of August.

608 W. Laundre – THE CPS BUILDING was home to prisoners of war (conscientious objectors who could not serve due to religious training/belief) in the 1940′s. In January 1943 prisoners were assigned to construct Buffalo Rapids Irrigation Project, approved by US Congress in August 1937. It later served as offices, a church and now as storage.

408 W. Laundre – THE LAUNDRY housed Security State Bank and George T. Gibson Drygoods and Laundry. It has been renovated into an attractive one-family home.

214 Small – FIRST TERRY JAIL is a round-roofed brick structure across the tracks was the center of action where the hub of Terry began. It now serves as a feed shed with barred windows.

201 S Logan and 202 W. Laundre – PRAIRIE COUNTY MUSEUM COMPLEX
The Depot –
The Caboose –
Rosina Roesler Homestead house is restored, complete with furnishings she might have used.
The Stith Brick Outhouse eloquently served residents of the Stith home originally located at 117 S. Logan, until its move to the museum complex.

The Larsen Memorial Building was constructed in late 2006 by the family of longtime Prairie County Sheriff Gary Larsen, in his memory.

State Bank of Terry (1906-1916) is now referred to as The Little Bank. It was replaced in 1916 by the present main Museum building. STOP! You are on the Yellowstone Trail indicated by the trail sign painted years ago on the back of the Little Bank, which has been kept up by repainting.

Prairie County Museum is housed in the elegant State Bank of Terry (1916-1976), boasting of marble and fine wood on the interior. It was donated to the County when a new State Bank was built at 117 Logan.

107 S. Logan – EVELYN CAMERON GALLERY was a drug store, grocery and now houses a historic gallery of photos taken by pioneer photographer Evelyn Cameron.

200 W. Laundre – ROYLEE MERCANTILE is now an apartment and accounting office.

204 S. Logan – REYNOLDS MARKET is now home of Terry SuperValu.

112 S. Logan – AMERICAN LEGION POST 32 building has held the US Post Office, a Coast to Coast store and now the Legion, which was relocated after its building burned at the site of the present courthouse.

114 S. Logan – PRAIRIE UNIQUE was constructed in 1906 by Mrs. Collins, who is the author of the book “Meetings with Mrs. Collins – Sketches of Life and Events on Montana’s Open Range: from the Diaries of Frontier Photographer Evelyn Cameron 1893-1907″, on lots first owned by George McDonald in 1889. It was home of the Terry Post Office in 1910 and Brost Clothing from 1945 to 1975. Then for about 10 years Kaul’s Klothing called it home. It sat vacant until Dale and Kathy Galland opened Prairie Unique, a Montana-made product and hobby shop.

116 S. Logan – HELLMAN INSURANCE was built by an attorney during a Terry boom time and became Security State in the mid-1920′s. It went into receivership in 1931. The building was revived as Montana-Dakota Utilities offices, 1941-1972. It then housed Brost Clothing; Kaul’s Klothing and was purchased by the Hellmans in 1988.

117 S. Logan – STOCKMAN BANK building was constructed as State Bank of Terry in 1974-76, operated by the Brubaker family. It became Stockman Bank Sept. 23, 1999.

118 S. Logan – SASSY ONE was built by Bertha and JW Greenwood. It was built as a men’s clothing store in 1916. This building has been home to grocery stores, a drug store and at present time, Sassy One Clothing owned by Chris and Glenda Ueland. . Note the historic front door and the original tin ceiling inside the store.

201 S. Logan – MASONIC TEMPLE was constructed in 1916 with the upper floor used by Masonic and Eastern Star chapters. The ground floor has served other businesses and is now a funeral home.

200 S. Logan – NETZER TRUSTWORTHY HARDWARE has been open since the mid-1800′s when John W. Stith opened a hardware/lumber shop in a blacksmith shop he had built for a man who skipped town without paying for the job. He sold everything from English ironstone china to plows and pumps. This building was built circa 1916 and has housed a mortuary, hardware and furniture store. Caskets were stored upstairs, embalming conducted in the basement and the main floor offered hardware. The attached building was later a John Deere dealership. The next owners were Travis and Darlene Reyman who eventually sold to Elden and Laris Netzer in 1994.

204 Spring Street – Returning to the Kempton Hotel ends our trail.

Thank you for joining us on the Historic Prairie Trail…along the Yellowstone Trail.