{"id":2840,"featured":0,"modified":"2026-04-17 19:40:14","latitude":46.1285726105522115858548204414546489715576171875,"longitude":-112.9505038267962078180062235333025455474853515625,"title":"Adams&#039;/Strain&#039;s Department Store","subtitle":"Anaconda Commercial Historic District","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/42598e4db87bc000d7b4a49640cacb23.jpg","address":"221 East Park Avenue, Anaconda, Montana","all_locations":[],"zoom":16,"creator":["Montana National Register Sign Program"],"description":"Contractor A. M. Walker constructed this simple one-story brick commercial block for department store owner S. C. Adams in 1902. Though Adams did not pay to embellish the exterior of the building, he did spend lavishly on advertising and events. His window displays included oriental rugs and mannequins, and on opening day crowds of gawkers waited outside for the store to open. Inside, a band surrounded by palm trees played in the center of the store, and the cashiers served punch. To drum up business in 1903, Adams staged an expensive campaign to sell union clothing by distributing 1,800 union-made cigars and store flyers to men at the smelter. The stunt worked, but Adams sold the store in 1905 to open a Butte store. Soon after, Adams declared bankruptcy. By 1906, department store giants, the Strain Brothers, moved their Anaconda store here. Strain’s operated large stores in Great Falls, Billings, and Helena with the motto “You Can Always Do Better at the Big Store.” Strain’s closed in 1933 but the building continued to house various department stores, including Montgomery Ward and Schwartz’s.","sponsor":null,"accessinfo":"Public","lede":"","website":"","related_resources":["<a href=\"https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/f3e23929-6aaf-4244-be35-c4fce6a405ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Read about the Anaconda Commercial Historic District</a>","<a href=\"https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/aad7f2de-8ee7-4015-85ca-dc587082e76f/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">See photos of the Anaconda Commercial Historic District</a>"],"factoids":[],"files":{"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/42598e4db87bc000d7b4a49640cacb23.jpg":{"id":3776,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Adam&#039;s/Strain&#039;s Department Store","description":"Adam&#039;s/Strain&#039;s Department Store. Front to side view of the building, facing southwest at the intersection of East Park Avenue and Cherry Street. | Montana State Historic Preservation Office | July 1994 | Meredith Hamm","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/42598e4db87bc000d7b4a49640cacb23.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/c551e4678652b966b2050ee9b4c96742.jpg":{"id":4779,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Adams&#039;/Strain&#039;s Department Store","description":"Adams&#039;/Strain&#039;s Department Store. Close view of the front entry of the building, facing southeast off of East Park Avenue. | Montana Historical Society | July 2020 | Joe Furshong","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/c551e4678652b966b2050ee9b4c96742.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/46a58debc705c7218bade0c31ac2feef.jpg":{"id":4780,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Adams&#039;/Strain&#039;s Department Store","description":"Adams&#039;/Strain&#039;s Department Store. Front to side view of the building, facing south to southwest near the corner of East Park Avenue and Cherry Street. | Montana Historical Society | July 2020 | Joe Furshong","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/46a58debc705c7218bade0c31ac2feef.jpg"}}}