The photo above is a Main street parade, July 4, 1916.  Town founder, Walter J. Winnett’s house is on the left behind his freight team.

What we lack in people we make up for in history and personality. Learn about the buildings still standing from the days when sheep drovers, oil drillers, and cowboys and cowgirls were king.

Click to enlarge the map here, and scroll down for the walking tour!

A Brief History of Winnett:

• Winnett, named for Walter J. Winnett, is the county seat of Petroleum County. W. J. Winnett established a ranch in the area in 1879, then built up a freight line business to haul in supplies. Each of his outfits consisted of ten to twenty horses and big wagons.  He built the Log Cabin Saloon reportedly to keep his many ranch hands and freight-wagon drivers closer to home.  As homesteaders flocked to the area and staked their claims nearby, he opened a store in one of the ranch buildings and petitioned for a post office which was officially sanctioned in 1910.  In 1913 the Milwaukee Land Company  secured a portion of land from Mr. Winnett for a town-site.  The town was platted and on July 18, 1914 the first sale of lots brought  $64,000, selling from the steps of the Calvert Hotel in Lewistown. 
• By the time of the first printing of the Winnett Times in September of 1914, a headline read:  “Thirty-two Business Houses in Winnett.”  A surprising number of these buildings still stand.
• The homesteading boom was already on the wane in Winnett and folks were worried about the survival of the town, when oil provided another boom;  an April 20, 1920 Winnett Times article stated: “Twenty-two four-horse teams left Winnett Tuesday morning with supplies for the oil field.”  In August of 1920 the first oil from Cat Creek flowed through a pipeline laid on top of the ground to Winnett.  It was loaded into railroad cars and the thrice-weekly train schedule was increased to, on occasion, three trains a day. 
• In the summer of 1921 the newspaper reported, “Within just six weeks there were 48 new homes built.”  In June of 1921 the paper reported, “Thirty hotels and rooming houses are packed to capacity for the big stampede and rodeo.”  Stories of beds in halls and lobbies, and of the tent hotel wherein the beds, not the rooms, were rented and not by the day, but by the shift.  Listings in the Polk Directory indicate there were nearly 200 businesses by the end of 1921.  The boom and bust cycle is evident when researching the deeds on these buildings left standing in our town.  Many a building had a bank or the county as temporary owners.
• A resurgence and revitalization is happening in Winnett, with historical buildings being preserved, updated and new ones completed in the past few years!
  

Timeline:

1880: Open Range Boom 

1909: Sheepman Walter Winnett builds a saloon, general store, and post office near his ranch.

1912: Schoolhouse built

July 18, 1914: First sale of Winnett town lots took place.

Oct 10, 1917: Railroad extension completed from Grass Range to Winnett.

February 19, 1920: Oil discovered at Cat Creek, North East of Winnett. Town soon grew to 200 registered businesses.

February 22, 1925: The new county government of Petroleum County began operating, separating from Fergus County.

The growth and optimism from the oil boom and county separation lasted briefly.  Winnett went from an estimated population of 2,000 in 1923 to 408 in 1930.

1930's: Drought and the Great Depression

1940's: A mini oil boom at Cat Creek in the mid-1940s caused excitement and brief speculation, and again now in the 2020's, modern advancements mean there is still oil being produced at Cat Creek. 

1960: Community Pool Built
1970's: Courthouse Remodeled, school expanded.
1990's: Another school remodeling and expansion completed

2023: Petroleum County Community Center completed, and 55 Main Building moved to present location.

Walking Tour of Winnett

Assembled By Laura Nowlin and Chelsea Hollender

Start at the intersection of Main & Broadway in the center of Winnett. Head south.

1.  Harness Shop - c. 1914
(now a private residence, do not disturb)
 
Built approximately 1914 with Dan Sommerfield as the owner-operator.  Multiple harness shops opened in Winnett, this is the only building left standing as a reminder of those past occupations.  The two-story Harness Shop served also as the Sommerfield residence.  They owned the building until 1942, when they sold it to George D. Ore.  Ore became the Petroleum County Attorney in 1943, the law office on the second floor of the county courthouse still bears his name. George also volunteered as the janitor and maintenance man at the Methodist Church and his wife, Jessie, taught at the rural Weede School.  Subsequient owners have been Clinton and Maxin Arthur, Richard and Marion Tripp, Paul Schmidt and Dennis Carmony;  all have used the building as a residence.

Now head west on Milsap Avenue.

The Little White Schoolhouse, now the Methodist Church, is the oldest building in Winnett, MT. Built in 1912.

2.  Little White Schoolhouse - 1912
(Now the Methodist Church)
 
Constructed in 1912 by Frank Moshner, this building served as Winnett’s first school and is the oldest building in town today.  It stood at 101 South Broadway, the location of our current school facilities.  It had one room and was 20 x 40 in size.  Around twenty-five students filled the building in its first year under the direction of Agnes Jones.  Alma Frye (later Edwards) finished the year when Miss Jones died.  The Little White Schoolhouse held grade school classes until the construction of a much larger school building in 1921.  It then provided space for shop and mechanics classes.  In 1965, the school sold the building to the Methodist Church and the building was moved to its present site.  It was remodeled into a church with an entryway added.  In the 1990s a multipurpose room and kitchen was added and the Winnett school rented it for music and home economics classes.  Today, it also serves as the location of Sweet Peas Daycare, again hearing the voices of children.

Head north to Main Street, then turn left (West) to the old Eager Mercantile, just across from the city park and pool.

5.  Eager Mercantile, 1914
(now the Catholic Church) on Main Street, across from the City Pool.

The present day Catholic Church began as the Eager Mercantile in 1914. Elmer Eager operated general stores in Winnett for decades. When he  moved from  this building to a larger one, the original Eager Mercantile then accommodated high school classes from 1917-1920, the Valley Lumber Company, and a land office for A.W. Ogg.

The Catholic parish began using and remodeling the interior during 1923, purchasing it in 1924. It housed the first Catholic wedding in Winnett, that of Anna Kleiman and Joseph Solf on April 10, 1923.  Father Aloysius Mueller, from Hilger, Montana, was transferred to Winnett, and regular church services were held every Sunday. In 1929, the exterior was remodeled to more resemble a church, removing the store front, adding a steeple, cutting additional windows on the sides and placing the large stained glass windows from the old church on the front. The carpentry work was performed by Ted Svindland and the wood refinishing and painting was done by Otis Hewes. In the 1960’s, the building was moved back from the sidewalk onto a new foundation.

Walk East down Main Street 1/2 block and cross to the north side.

6. Winnett Times, 1918
(now a private residence, do not disturb.)
North Side of Main Street, Just East of the Swimming Pool & Park.

Built in 1918, this building had several early owners, including Henry Stenson who owned the Stenson Garage, a salesroom for the Chevrolet Company and a service station. The Winnett Times moved into the building in November 1925 and remained there until the last publication of the newspaper in Winnett in 1986. Rudy and Bernice Glatz began operating the Winnett Times in 1940 and lived there until 1997. After a remodel, the building housed Donna Troutwine’s hair salon in the front and the Bill and Donna Troutwine residence in the back. Currently, it is a owned by a local resident.

Walk east to the old Northrub Barber on the North Side of Main Street.

7.  Northrup Barber, 1914
North Side of Main Street, West of the Post Office.

Built in 1914, it was one of the first buildings in Block 10 on Main Street. William Northrup purchased the property from the Milwaukee Land Co in 1918. Northrup ran the barbershop in addition to giving women’s manicures and facials. He did all this while his legs were disabled. Northrup died in 1919 and H.B. Greene bought the property from his estate in 1920. The building then served as a furniture exchange, a dress shop and millinery for Mrs. Walker, the Winnett Bakery and the Eager Mercantile store. It has been in the possession of a member of the Bauer family since 1945.

Cross to the south side of Main Street.

Plans for the buildings refurbishing. Click to enlarge.

 8.  Temple Billiard Parlor/Oddfellows Building, c. 1915
Now 55 Main - Being Refurbished as a multi-use building.

Pictured here in its former location, farther East down Main Street, next to the current Community Center.

Built prior to 1916. Ray Moll owned and operated the building. The second story served as a classroom for the Winnett 7th and 8th graders and the first high school students. Winnett Lodge #129 of the IOOF (Odd Fellows) purchased the building in 1932, leasing the main floor to many businesses through the years, including Scotty Spear’s restaurant, Buhler Cafe, Bauer Cafe, Williams Restaurant, Winnett Meat Co., Scheurman Store, Winnett Drug, Winnett Pharmacy, (1942-59), Winnett Drug and Gift Shop, and Sugar Shack.  IOOF sold it to Ralph Corbett and Carol Schaeffer in 1986.

In 2022, the Community Enhancement Committee of the local non-profit, ACES (winnettaces.org) secured funds to move the building, given to them from the Community Center board, to its current location. In 2022 and 2023, extensive restoration is ongoing to create an upstairs apartment, and main level retail/restaurant space, a small visitor center, and laundry, shower, and restrooms for visitors in the rear of the building.

Continue East to the building next door.

9.  Marti Bros. Grocery, c 1921
Stucco Building on South Side of Main Street, Between 55 Main & The Kozy Korner Cafe.

Built around 1921 during the oil boom, the grocery operated in the building until 1926, when it became the post office. Ownership remained with the Marti family, then Elmer Eager, then Elmer’s son, Rex, all the time that the building was a post office. In 1972, the Town of Winnett converted the building into a fire hall, purchasing it in 1979. The Emergency Services Building, constructed in 1989, became the new fire hall. The old building is now used for storage.

Continue to the building next door to the East, the Kozy Korner.

10.  City Service Station, 1936
(now Kozy Korner)
SW Corner of Main & Broadway

Built in 1936. The City Service Station was built here by Dow Hough.   It was converted to a restaurant and named the Kozy Korner in 1984 with a bar added in 1986.  It was owned and operated by Buck and Ellen Wood for many years, and was featured in Gourmet Magazine.

Walk North up Broadway, crossing Wheeler Street.

11.  Basin Lumber and Implement Company, 1916
 
Constructed in 1916 for the Basin Lumber and Implement Company, which then became the Monarch Lumber Co in 1921. The company  sold their stock to the Montana Lumber and Hardware Company in 1942 and the former Monarch manager, T. N. Sandaker, owned the building briefly. Lloyd Lafond and his wife, Mildred, purchased the property in December of 1945 and made it into the Rimrock Theater.  Mr. Lafond also helped to build the new school building in the 1950’s. When Bob and Cecilia Clark bought the building in 1961, they remodeled it into a laundromat, a barbershop and beauty salon, and used the back as a warehouse. Ronnie and Lurene Olson bought it from the Jack Clarks in 1973 and it is currently storage.

Walk North to Olson's Grocery.

12.  City Food Lockers  (Olson’s Grocery), 1947

Opened March 21, 1947 by WW II veterans, Arnold Hansen and James Dundom, it originally housed lockers, food processing equipment, and electrical appliances. Floyd Hill purchased the property in 1948 and ran it until 1949, when he sold all but the rights to the appliance franchise to Charles and Louise Allen. They stocked the former appliance display area with groceries. Bob and Cecelia Clark bought it in 1952. The Clarks expanded the store three times in an attempt to provide a wide array of goods to the community.  Ronald and Lurene Olson bought the store and meat processing building in 1973 from Mr. and Mrs. Jack Clark. It continues to be run by Lurene today.

Cross Broadway, heading East, to the tall grain elevator.

13.  Montana Elevator, 1917
George Conrad opened the Montana Elevator in 1917 and ran it until 1921. Austin Saylor operated the Elevator briefly in 1929-30. The railroad tracks ran directly south of the Elevator.  It was used until the discontinuation of the railroad in 1972.  It is owned by the Bohn Family today and used as storage.

Walk south down Broadway and return to Broadway and Main. Head left (East) to the Winnett Bar and Grill.

Winnett Bar & Grill was originally the Central Billiard Parlor, built 1914

14.  Central Billiard Parlor, 1914
(now the Winnett Bar & Grill)

Joe Shumate opened this business (the third from the right in this 1916 photo) on October 19, 1914.  He advertised candy, cigars, tobaccos and soft drinks in addition to billiard tables.  Elmer and Lillie Eager owned the building from 1918 to 1945 when Harold and Merry Tunnicliff, who had been operating a bar in the building, bought it.  It was known as the Tunnicliff Hall and served for a short time as a theater.  Harold’s daughter, Idamae, later gave the building to the Town of Winnett as a memorial to her father to be used as a recreational hall.  Art Moore purchased it in 1978 and opened the Winnett Bar.  It is now owned and operated as a bar & grill by the Sandman family. You can still get a cold drink and play a game of pool here.

Look south across Main Street to the general store.

15. An entire city block wiped out...

Directly across from the Winnett Bar and Grill, on the south side of Main Street, you will see the general store. This entire block (9 businesses and one home) burned in a fire in September of 1929.

One of the buildings burned here was the Eager Mercantile (after it moved from what is now the Catholic Church.) In 1925, the Winnett Times ran a notice from the mayor that all persons bathing in McDonald creek within the city limits had to wear proper bathing suits. (no skinny dipping allowed!) In response, the Eager Mercantile ran an ad in the Winnett Times advertising their selection of "moral" bathing suits, available for men, women and children.

Head East down Main Street two blocks to the large sandstone building.

Historic Winnett Block, Oct 10, 1917, on the day the first train ran to Winnett.

Jacob Vogel is seated behind the wheel of his Model T with Ella Dyer and young William Vogel. 1919. Jacob wrote on the back of the picture, "This is the new stone $40,000 building at Winnett, Montana. Mr Winnett built it, but he had a wool clip worth $50,000; so I guess he could afford it!!!"

16.  Winnett Block, 1917
Petroleum County Court House
Large sandstone building at the East End of Main Street
National Register of Historic Places

This building was reportedly built by stonemasons from Croatia for Mr. Winnett in 1917. The Eagle Sandstone came from the nearby Rimrocks and the lumber came from Grass Range by wagon. When originally built, it was known as the Winnett Block. The First State Bank, the Winnett Times Print Shop, and the Montana Lumber and Hardware Company occupied the first floor. The basement housed a restaurant and the third floor contained business offices. Reports claim that the basement also housed a place of ill repute during the 1920’s oil boom.

Winnett reportedly had several of these houses of ill repute, and the town council ruled that the ladies who worked there had to wear red shoes when about town, so they could be identified (and ostracized). They also could only be out running errands, etc, between 10am and 3pm, to ensure no school age children crossed their paths.

Mr. Winnett sold the Winnett Block to Benjamin Lepper in 1928. He remodeled it and leased it in 1930 to Petroleum County for $200/month as the county courthouse.  In 1943 after Mr. Lepper died, the county bought the building from the estate for $6,400. During the depression, the basement of the building was used to store goods before they were distributed to folks in need. It also held a library. In 1977, the basement was remodeled into a hospitality and Senior Citizen Center. Bricks in the fireplace came from the Walter Winnett house. The Petroleum County Court House has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places and is currently being restored to include housing on the top level.

Continue to the next building to the East...

The Historic Winnett Block (courthouse) next to the Montana Lumber & Hardware Building

Historical Displays in the Petroleum County Community Center

17.  Montana Lumber and Hardware Building, 1929
(now "The Lodge")

Built in 1929. The Montana Lumber Company, owned by George Wiedeman, purchased property from Mr. Walter Winnett in 1916 and operated in the east third of the Winnett Block. In 1929 MT Lumber Co built and moved into this building, operating as the Montana Lumber and Hardware until 1971. The Bauer Family bought the building and Vernon and Janet opened the Trading Post Hardware store which operated until 1979. Since then the building has been used for roller skating, dances, community gatherings, a vet clinic, a hair salon, and is now The Lodge - able to be rented for visitors and gatherings.

Side Excursion: PCCC Historical Display
Stop into the Petroleum County Community Center (open M-F 9-5) and check out the historical display in the Wesley room. Learn more about the area, Winnett, and the oil boom and bust at Cat Creek. Please be respectful - if the room is being used for an event, come back at another time.

Cross main street heading south, travel one block south down Ashley Avenue past the community center, look to the left (West) and find our next stop, a white barn-roofed home.

Silver Rooms, Winnett MT

18.  Silver Rooms, c. 1920
(now a private residence, do not disturb)

Built before 1921. W. J. Winnett‘s foreman and builder of this house, Sam Pribble, was also a homesteader and implement dealer.  When his wife became ill in 1921, the Pribbles moved to Utah.  This building is listed in late 1921 as the “Silver Rooms."  Oooh la la. It shows on the 1922 fire insurance maps as one of 10 lodging businesses in Winnett along with 2 hotels.  The Freeds bought it in a sheriff’s sale in 1924. Their daughter, Ruth Petaja, is later listed as owner until 1963 when Jack Hanson purchased it. It is now owned by a local resident.

Head back north to the alley or all the way to Main Street, and walk west to Lepper Ave, turn left (south) and find the brick building at the south end of Lepper Ave.

Winnett's historic Park Hotel, c. 1920

19.  Park Hotel, c. 1920
(now a private residence, do not disturb)

Built before 1920 by John Valach. Frank Minato owned it from 1920 to 1925 and operated it as the Park Hotel.  It contained 23 rooms that were all lighted and heated.  It was rumored to have been a house of ill repute, at one time, as well! It also served as the high school dormitory in the 1920-21 school year and as a hospital in 1924.  The Farmers’ and Merchants’ Bank took possession of it in 1925 and shortly thereafter Petroleum County became the owner.  It began serving as the Masonic Temple in 1926, selling to the Masons in 1928. In 1997, Linda Augier purchased the building from the Jerusalem Lodge and remodeled it into a residence.  It is now owned by a local resident.

Take the alley or Milsap Ave west to Broadway. Our last stop is next to Winnett Town Hall, at Milsap and Broadway.

20.  Old Town Hall, c. 1935

Built circa 1935.  It was first used by the US Soil Conservation Service.  The Town of Winnett acquired it in the mid-50’s under the condition that the building be used for education or health purposes.  In addition to the town clerk’s office, it housed the public library.  The library moved to the new school in 1974, and in 1989, a new Town Hall was constructed next door.

Turn around, and you're back at the Harness Shop where we began! Thank you for touring Winnett, MT!

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