{"id":3028,"featured":1,"modified":"2026-04-17 19:58:07","latitude":46.01248346878575290475055226124823093414306640625,"longitude":-112.5390744209289692889797152020037174224853515625,"title":"Stephens Block","subtitle":"140-146 West Park","fullsize":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/fullsize/5e1706c4f7d2e59c8812814cb7cff544.jpg","address":"140-146 West Park St., Butte, Montana","all_locations":[],"zoom":16,"creator":["Montana Historical Society"],"description":"Successful Irish immigrant Frank Stephens built this prominent, Queen Anne style retail and boardinghouse block in 1891. Stephens chose the Park and Montana location because the basement was already dug. He wrote a check for $499 for the “hole in the ground” on May 4, 1889. The building’s richly ornamented corner turret, decorative cast-iron pilasters (flat columns), and soaring plate-glass windows represented the height of fashion. The thirty-two-room Stephen’s Hotel operated as a boardinghouse and apartments for decades. The upper floors remain in near original condition, with few modern improvements made over the last century. In fact, the upper two floors still have only one bath and one water closet (toilet) per floor. The main floor and basement were home to many successful businesses including Lutey’s Grocers, one of the first self-serve grocery stores in Butte. Below the sidewalks, Joseph Richards, the Butte Undertaker, operated one of Butte’s first undertaking businesses until 1908. When Frank Stephens died in 1898, he was laid in state in the hall at the top of the first flight of stairs.","sponsor":null,"accessinfo":"public","lede":"","website":"","related_resources":[],"factoids":[],"files":{"https://storyofbutte.org/files/fullsize/5e1706c4f7d2e59c8812814cb7cff544.jpg":{"id":4689,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Stephens Block, Butte","description":"Early view of Stephens Grocery with horse-drawn wagon in front | The Montana Standard, Dec. 12, 1948 newspaper article | ca. 1898 | Montana Standard newspaper","thumbnail":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/square_thumbnails/5e1706c4f7d2e59c8812814cb7cff544.jpg"},"https://storyofbutte.org/files/fullsize/012f1544a24022d4354ad409d7721fc2.jpg":{"id":4686,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"South side of West Park Street, Butte, MT","description":"South side of West Park Street looking west with some signs of buildings on the north side of the street visible; Stephens Hotel (lower left) and Lincoln Hotel (upper left). | Smithers.30.203.01, Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives, Butte, MT. | ca. 1900 | C. Owen Smithers, photographer","thumbnail":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/square_thumbnails/012f1544a24022d4354ad409d7721fc2.jpg"},"https://storyofbutte.org/files/fullsize/41c555ae1090ecf7781b9475f91d962d.jpg":{"id":4684,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Stephens Block, Butte, MT","description":"View looking east on Park Street, with the intersection at Montana Street in the foreground and busy pedestrian and automobile traffic, as well as a trolley. Prominent buildings include the Stephens Block (Bee Hive Candy Store) at right, Symons Department Store, and the Metals Bank building (top right). | C. Owen Smithers Photograph Collection, Smithers.30.022.01, Butte-Silver Bow Archives, Butte, Montana | 1923 | C. Owen Smithers, photographer","thumbnail":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/square_thumbnails/41c555ae1090ecf7781b9475f91d962d.jpg"},"https://storyofbutte.org/files/fullsize/5d4fd5300060d19de074e69444372da0.jpg":{"id":4685,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Smithers Block, Butte, MT","description":"Parade float on Park Street near Montana, looking west and showing buildings on the south side of the street including the Stephens Block, Tretheway&#039;s Music Box, LeSage&#039;s, and the Bow Theater.<br />\r\n | C. Owen Smithers Photograph Collection, Smithers.30.196.01, Butte-Silver Bow Archives, Butte, Montana | 1958 | C. Owen Smither&#039;s, photographer","thumbnail":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/square_thumbnails/5d4fd5300060d19de074e69444372da0.jpg"},"https://storyofbutte.org/files/fullsize/6235dfe7a6e24c019f1a1816347cff2a.jpg":{"id":4687,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Smithers Block, Butte, MT","description":"PH091.045 Stephens Block, Aetna Finance, 146 West Park Street | PH091.003, This collection is a photographic array of uptown building locations prepared as a possible business space and building inventory for the Butte-Silver Bow County Community Development Department. | ca. 1970 | Community Development Photograph Collection","thumbnail":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/square_thumbnails/6235dfe7a6e24c019f1a1816347cff2a.jpg"},"https://storyofbutte.org/files/fullsize/cce652813f4eb8da2dc36ca4d631d2e2.jpg":{"id":5075,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Stephens Block, Butte, MT","description":"View looking southeast at Stephens Block. | iPhone 8 image capture | May 28, 2021 | Martha Koh, photographer","thumbnail":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/square_thumbnails/cce652813f4eb8da2dc36ca4d631d2e2.jpg"},"https://storyofbutte.org/files/fullsize/02f07b9c889625a18254bb687c020dc2.jpg":{"id":5076,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Stephens Block, Butte, MT","description":"View looking southwest along West Park Street at facade and faded ghost sign. | iPhone 8 image capture | May 28, 2021 | Martha Kohl, photographer","thumbnail":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/square_thumbnails/02f07b9c889625a18254bb687c020dc2.jpg"},"https://storyofbutte.org/files/fullsize/da02b57457fff8b8ff5eca0e4b203c7a.jpg":{"id":5078,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Stephens Block, Butte, MT","description":"Detail view of oriel window | Historic American Engineering Record, Creator, Cass Gilbert, H M Patterson, William Owsley, Frederick Kees, F Augustus Heinze, Link &amp; Haire, et al., Lowe, Jet, photographer. Butte Historic District, Bounded by Copper, Arizona, Mercury &amp; Continental Streets, Butte, Silver Bow County, MT. Butte Silver Bow County Montana, 1968. translateds by Hawley, Monica Emitter Documentation Compiled After. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/mt0040/.","thumbnail":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/square_thumbnails/da02b57457fff8b8ff5eca0e4b203c7a.jpg"},"https://storyofbutte.org/files/fullsize/cf828f259eb0d0387c4ed817bd2a0e5e.jpg":{"id":5079,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"West Park Street, Butte, MT","description":"View looking east along West Park Street with Stephens Block at right. | Historic American Engineering Record, Creator, Cass Gilbert, H M Patterson, William Owsley, Frederick Kees, F Augustus Heinze, Link &amp; Haire, et al., Lowe, Jet, photographer. Butte Historic District, Bounded by Copper, Arizona, Mercury &amp; Continental Streets, Butte, Silver Bow County, MT. Butte Silver Bow County Montana, 1968. translateds by Hawley, Monica Emitter Documentation Compiled After. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/mt0040/.","thumbnail":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/square_thumbnails/cf828f259eb0d0387c4ed817bd2a0e5e.jpg"},"https://storyofbutte.org/files/original/09ea7663bf4b04261cc94b1ffb92495b.pdf":{"id":5267,"mime-type":"application/pdf","title":"The Stephens Block, Butte, MT","description":"A collection of newspaper article clippings from various Butte newspapers pertaining to the owner and occupants of the large building.  | Newspapers.com | The Butte Daily Post and The Butte Miner.","thumbnail":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/square_thumbnails/09ea7663bf4b04261cc94b1ffb92495b.jpg"}}}