{"id":306,"featured":0,"modified":"2026-04-17 19:40:06","latitude":46.13005288137890858024547924287617206573486328125,"longitude":-112.952470779528113098422181792557239532470703125,"title":"Electric Light Building","subtitle":"Anaconda Commercial Historic District","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/974dd05a8ea1720965e18e7caa78d868.jpg","address":"101 Main Street, Anaconda, Montana","all_locations":[],"zoom":17,"creator":["Montana National Register Sign Program"],"description":"A heavy metal cornice, cast iron columns, and a metal frieze still embellish this building, constructed in 1895. Two cast-iron oriel windows once also graced the upper story. The Anaconda Company’s foundry produced the decorative metal front, a prime example of the many iron fronts that once ornamented Anaconda’s business blocks. The building, constructed by Conrad Kohrs, W. H. Gehrman, and J. M. Boardman—apparently with Anaconda founder Marcus Daly’s backing—housed the Montana Butchering Company. Beef sold here in the early years likely came from Daly’s Bitterroot Stock Farm and Kohrs’ Deer Lodge ranch. Though the building and business changed hands, a butcher shop remained a prominent fixture on this corner until 1910. That year the Anaconda Company purchased the building for its Electric Light and Railway Department, Water Department, pay office, and medical offices. To promote the use of electricity and advertise its role in power production, the Company illuminated the façade with a row of light bulbs, the sockets for which are still visible along the roofline.","sponsor":null,"accessinfo":"private","lede":"","website":"","related_resources":["<a href=\"https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/f3e23929-6aaf-4244-be35-c4fce6a405ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Read more about the Anaconda Commercial Historic District</a>","<a href=\"https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/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/974dd05a8ea1720965e18e7caa78d868.jpg":{"id":4661,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Electric Light Building, Anaconda, MT","description":"View looking south down Main Street with corner entrance of Electric Light Building at left.  | Smelter City Brewing, Anaconda, MT | ca. 1895 | photographer unknown","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/974dd05a8ea1720965e18e7caa78d868.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/5eea2111f49bdae7ca83102b5fed7aaa.jpg":{"id":4660,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Electric Light Building, Anaconda, MT","description":"View looking east down Commercial Street with Ida Block at left and Electric Light building at right.  | Smelter City Brewing Facebook page, Anaconda, MT | ca. 1900 | photographer unknown","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/5eea2111f49bdae7ca83102b5fed7aaa.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/93693eaa488e019c7c93f6d2cab1ae12.jpg":{"id":416,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Electric Light Building","description":"Digital ID: <span>hhh linkmt0107-data</span>&nbsp;<br />MT Photos from <a href=\"https://www.loc.gov/item/mt0107/\">Survey HABS MT-53-0</a> | Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division | [no date] | Jet Lowe, photographer","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/93693eaa488e019c7c93f6d2cab1ae12.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/863ae950f3ea5547d526aca94f45dc81.jpg":{"id":4659,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Electric Light Building, Anaconda, MT","description":"View looking southwest at Electric Light building at night.  | Smelter City Brewing Facebook page | 2015 | Smelter City Brewing, Anaconda, MT","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/863ae950f3ea5547d526aca94f45dc81.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/7d896b2a1bdb767aa9e7b736fce96786.jpg":{"id":4667,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Electric Light Building, Anaconda, MT","description":"View looking southwest at corner entrance of Electric Light building | May 2019 | Joe Furshong, photographer","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/7d896b2a1bdb767aa9e7b736fce96786.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/c637bbe12d755d6bf69ef6f881e1cd53.jpg":{"id":4668,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Electric Light building, Anaconda, MT","description":"View looking southwest at east elevation of Electric Light building | May 2019 | Joe Furshong, photographer","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/c637bbe12d755d6bf69ef6f881e1cd53.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/f002c2c2be34b3e6b76f6d3b8a1b4a9d.jpg":{"id":4669,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Electric Light building, Anaconda, MT","description":"View looking east at north (main) elevation of the Electric Light building | May 2019 | Joe Furshong, photographer","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/f002c2c2be34b3e6b76f6d3b8a1b4a9d.jpg"}}}