Pioneers of Eastern Montana and Their Descendants
Tribute to Vernon Drake
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Past President – “Pioneers of Eastern Montana and Their Descendants”
(1922 – 2004)
[This Association is organized for the twofold purpose of
preserving the history of the settlement and progress of Eastern Montana, and
of promoting and preserving a brotherhood among those who were pioneers and
bore apart in the civilization and up building of this portion of our grand
commonwealth.]
Vernon’s ancestral past
in Yellowstone County dates back to the early 1900’s. Vernon’s family
resided in a cabin on Washington St. until 1938. Vernon’s father first
homesteaded on 40 acres in the Huntley Project in 1907. Later, about 1910
or 12 he took over the operation of his sister Mary’s' homestead on Duck
Creek and this was her place. This was where the family was raised and
lived until the spring of 1933, when they moved to a rented farm on the Big
Ditch, located north of Laurel. In the later 1920s Vernon purchased the
Zim place, (320 acres) and farmed there before going to college. While as a youth he worked for Dr. W. A. Allen
who had just discovered that a mineral clay substance (bentonite) near his
Canyon Creek property would make an excellent toothpaste, face cream and other
such preparations. Dr. Allen and Melville Moss established a joint venture to
market the product. The success of this venture and his awareness to the local
historical past created a fervent desire within in him to understand aged
events and to help preserve them for all times. He was a true living legend of
the high standards established for membership.
Here is what the Billings Gazette reported
about him and his efforts to preserve the Parmly Library and reestablish it as
the Western Heritage Center for future generations to enjoy. This is a reminder
that what may seem to be an obvious historical gem takes work to save, and it
must be made public, or it will be lost for future generations to appreciate.
“Billings was founded in 1882. By 1890, there
was an informal library club, which exchanged books. That effort failed because it didn’t have a good system to return
borrowed books. In 1895, the Billings City Council set aside part of the local
property tax to support a library.
The population grew from 3,221 in 1900 to 10,031 in 1910. The Billings’ family took the initiative to
approach the city about building a library to honor Parmly. Parmly ’s father,
Frederick, earlier had given money for the Congregational Church and the first
schools in Billings. The elder Billings died in 1890, and his son, Frederick
Billings Jr., a New York banker, was involved in details of the planning of the
library building, approving of the furnishings and giving a local committee
instruction to complete the building at 2822 Montana Ave. The structure, 60 feet long and 50 feet deep
with round towers in front, was to be built near the geographical center of the
city along the Northern Pacific tracks, a newspaper noted. The library was
built from sandstone quarried from the Rimrocks north of town on a granite base
and red terra-cotta tiling. The interior had oak desks, bookcases and chairs.
The cost of building originally was $10,000.
But, after Frederick Jr. suggested some changes, the cost went up to
$15,000. Oct. 1, 190 1, the day the
library was dedicated at the opera house, turned into a holiday for the
city. Frederick Billings Jr. traveled
to Montana for the library dedication.
Frederick
Jr. told the crowd that the real gift he was giving was not the money for the
library but the love he had for his brother.
The
library started with enough shelves for 5,000 books but opened with fewer than 1,000
volumes. Local residents donated many
volumes. After the donated books were sorted, the library committee contracted
Chapple Drug to order $3,000 worth of new books. They were to be ordered in
$300 lots, so they wouldn’t overwhelm the librarian. The Billings family continued its philanthropy to the library. A
newspaper account from 1901 noted that Frederick Jr. would be shipping books
and several pictures, including those of the Parthenon, Roman Coliseum and St.
Peter’s Basilica.
An
east wing
funded by Frederick Billings Jr. was built in 1911 for a children’s room. A
west wing funded by Parmly’s sister, Elizabeth Billings, was dedicated in 1923.
With cases of artifacts, minerals, coins and animal mounts, the west wing was
built as much for a museum as for library. Even with new additions, the library
was obsolete by the 1940s. Several plans for a new location for the library
were discussed, including a suggestion in the 1960s by then Mayor Willard
Fraser to build a new library at Cobb Field and move the athletic complex to
the West End. A hardware building on North Broadway became available, and was a
less-expensive alternative to constructing a new building. After the library moved in 1969, the old
building fell into disrepair and was scheduled to be torn down to make room for
a parking lot. Local architect Vernon
Drake heard about the plans and organized a local group to talk Northern
Pacific into donating the building and the Yellowstone County commissioners
into accepting it. After part of Stella Foote’s collection of historical
artifacts was moved into the building, the Western Heritage Center opened in
1971.”
These are the
events leading up to the preservation and creation of the Moss Mansion as an
entity for historic preservation, orchestrated by Vernon.
“As a small child coming to Billings from the Duck Creek ranch Vernon viewed the huge house with the high juniper hedge with awe and foreboding. As a teen on a scavenger hunt one winter night his team fearfully rang the doorbell in the quest for a top hat, which was offered to them. In the late 1960’s, as a member of the Billings Parks and Recreation Commission accompanied by Vern Prill and Rocky Brown, they studied how one day this durable and most visible reminder of the early days of this community could be permanently be preserved and placed in public ownership: Others of the same opinion and goal were working independently. Vernon was a stalwart member of the Billings Historic Preservation Board, which was primarily focused on the Historic Commercial District but well aware of the need to expand their mission to include other historic structures. Previously he had been evolved in the successful battles to save the old Chamber of Commerce Building [now Walkers Grill] and the Parmly Billings Library, now called the Western Heritage Center.
In 1980, at a “set up” luncheon arranged by Senia Hart took place at the Northern Hotel, Vernon was seated with Marjory and Melville Moss. About eight to ten other persons were present. The table talk was “general” about historic Billings but a later and more private talk directed by Senia had a purpose. When the luncheon was over she asked Vernon to accompany her and Miss Melville Moss to her car. On the way, she asked Melville if she would permit Vernon, an architect, to prepare documentation to place her home on the National Register of Historic Buildings. Dr. John Dehaas, Professor of Architecture at Montana State University, had started this process several years earlier. With urging she agreed, provided that Marjory would be present when Vernon visited her home.
The National register application required floor plans and elevation drawings along with interior and exterior photographs. When Vernon visited Miss Melville she was emphatic about several things. [1] This was the Moss residence and not the Moss Mansion. [2] Vernon was not permitted in most of the rooms so could not make measurements. [3] Vernon could not photograph the interior. It was because of these limitations and some misunderstandings that Dr. Dehaas had abandoned the application earlier. Senia Hart had obtained his files.
Marjory Moss allowed a sneaked look into the off limits kitchen. Miss Melville allowed Marjory to examine most of the second floor. Melville brought out the interior photos taken when the house was new and loaned some to me for copying for the submittal. Gary Drake, director of the Rescue Mission at that time, was studying photography at Eastern Montana College and agreed to take exterior photographs. Vernon failed to tell Melville and she was outraged at the invasion of her privacy and related how Jim Hoey, lawyer and artist had, without her permission, painted a watercolor that one of the banks was using for promotion. Melville wanted me to understand that this was her home. People wanting to view the house were besieging her and trespassers often invaded her property. If a door were left unlocked while she worked outside with the flowers she might find children touring the house; two linemen on lunch break came in unannounced and were making an unsupervised tour when she interrupted; three couples uninvited to her sisters Cully’s funeral were found making a tour when the family returned from the cemetery. “Everybody is just sitting around like a flock of crow on the fence waiting for me to die” she would say with anger. These actions contributed to the difficulty in preparing the home for placement onto the register.
Submitted about 1980, the document was approved and the Moss Mansion was placed on the National Register in 1982. Vernon then continued meeting with Melville and Marjory Moss exploring the possibility of having the family donate the property to the City of Billings, taking a tax deduction to avoid the estate tax but retaining life tenancy. She selected an attorney and accountant [Judge Morris Colberg]. A price was established and presented privately to the City officials. A Gazette reporter learned of the process and published the private information without authorization. The next day people began ringing the doorbell demanding entrance. It didn’t take Miss Melville long to withdraw the offer.
Miss Moss’s health declined. It was necessary that she receive full time nursing care so her
bed was brought to the main floor. Her
witty stories and remarks continued until her death on November 2, 1984 at the
age of 82. The Billings Preservation Society had been formed to “save the Moss”
but lacking tax-exempt status they asked the Parks and Recreation Foundation to
incorporate the board into their agency and add the word Preservation to their
name. This was a key element in the transformation and the acquisition and
preservation of the property was accomplished.” [Note: For those who might
want additional details, please contact the webmaster.[1]]
In 2000 Vernon
became concerned about the degradation and erosion of Pompey’s Pillar due to
air pollution, and wrote this letter for the Agri-News. He fought hard to
prevent the potential site damage.
“The DEQ’s air quality permit moves the
desecration of the most significant historic features in Montana is one step
closer to being an irreversible catastrophe. This site is
destined to be a featured tourist attraction and economic generator for all of
Montana during the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial period and thereafter. Appropriate site selection was shamelessly
ignored in the placement of the high-speed grain loading facilities being
constructed by United Harvest and Cenex.
It is possibly understandable that the Japanese partner would be
uninformed of the significance but for Cenex it borders on blatant stupidity
and a blatant insult to the people of this beautiful state and the history of
our nation.
There is no possible way in which the damage to the visual effect and environmental degradation. As an architect, had I been commissioned to develop a plan to deface the area, I would have been hard pressed to so effectively devastate the Monument. Paint would in no way change the situation nor would planting of trees and vines. The only solution is to relocate the facility. The cost may have to be borne in part by the public. The agricultural community cannot afford the by the national scandal that this foolish site selection will generate.”
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