{"id":2747,"featured":0,"modified":"2026-04-17 19:40:14","latitude":45.2937960000000003901732270605862140655517578125,"longitude":-111.94612300000000004729372449219226837158203125,"title":"Henderson&#039;s Paint Shop","subtitle":"Virginia City Historic District","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/5411b49af033d6a799d36fd01ea7fe68.jpg","address":"Virginia City, Montana","all_locations":[],"zoom":7,"creator":["Montana National Register Sign Program"],"description":"John Henderson’s painting business occupied this humble log building beginning in 1864. In addition to painting buildings, Henderson also offered decorative painting and sign writing. In Virginia City’s boom days, when new buildings on Wallace Street emerged and changed owners often, Henderson’s artistic hand was in high demand. He designed and hand-painted a wide variety of signs from large dry goods store and political campaign signs to small hand-lettered signs on office doors. He even labeled and decorated Virginia City’s first hook and ladder fire wagon in 1865. Henderson was an active member of the Virginia City Masonic Lodge No. 1, ran for alderman in 1865, and county treasurer in 1867. Virginia City’s building boom faded by the late 1860s, and like so many other early territorial entrepreneurs, Henderson moved to Helena in 1868. Nevertheless, the name Henderson’s Paint Shop stayed with the building for years after. Henderson’s shop remained a practical rental property owned by several successful Virginia City residents, including blacksmith George Thexton, businessman James Vanderbeck, Montana’s sixth governor Sam Stewart, and builder/butcher George Vickers.","sponsor":null,"accessinfo":"Private","lede":"","website":"","related_resources":["<a href=\"https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/655c36e6-eba6-4a96-999f-dc578b052864/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Read about the Virginia City Historic District</a>","<a href=\"https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/8960a28e-0c37-4eb0-baa7-fc3d66d59220\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">See photos of the Virginia City Historic District</a>"],"factoids":[],"files":{"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/5411b49af033d6a799d36fd01ea7fe68.jpg":{"id":2271,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Henderson&#039;s Paint Shop, Virginia City","description":"View looking north at cabin facade | Courtesy of Montana Heritage Commission | Oct 2019 | Kate Steeley, Montana Heritage Commission","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/5411b49af033d6a799d36fd01ea7fe68.jpg"}}}