The Commercial Hotel
 | Author:
Victor Sample
Vic Sample: MT43 News Treasurer |
YesterYear
The Commerical Hotel
The Commercial Hotel was built in 1889, 5 years after the Townsend House was built by W.E. Tierney and partners, Dan D. McCarthy and J.R. Marks. Realizing that the lot directly across from the Northern Pacific Rail Road Depot would be a great spot for guests traveling on the train.
William (Billie) Pierce was originally from Vermont and was part of the Green Mountain Boys Army Division. He came west and married Mary Nolan, daughter of Canton Ferry homesteaders. Both Billie and Mary loved cooking and were intrigued by the idea of opening a restaurant in Townsend after the town was created by NPRR.
The Pierces sold their ranch and built a restaurant at 100 Broadway (the empty lot across from the Commercial). They also built a cottage on Pine Street. There was a small canal that ran along the back of their home and Mary Pierce had a large garden that provided vegetables for the restaurant.
Billie and Mary then had the Commercial Hotel built across the street from the restaurant. The Hotel was built by T.N. Averill (Trenna Scoffield’s grandfather) and G.E. Burns. The original hotel had 12 rooms.
After retiring in 1905, the Pierce’s leased the hotel to their daughter Pearl and her husband Walter Ogle. A number of different people leased the hotel until 1909 when C. D. W. Smith decided to move from Hassel to Townsend and buy the Commercial Hotel.
C. D. W. Smith immediately started making improvements to the building. He added 28 rooms to the hotel, added an east wing and a third floor. The Commercial Hotel expanded from the original 12 rooms to 40 rooms. They also added a dining room to the hotel.
The dining room was known throughout the state as a fine dining room. Salome Smith (daughter of C. D. W. and his wife) was the chef and overseer of the hotel kitchen for many years. C. D. W. Smith died in 1915 and his wife and daughter continued to run the hotel for many years until Mrs. Smith died in 1956.
The hotel closed but the Commercial continued as a bar with many different owners: Bob Griffith, Scotty Goddard, Phyllis and Wesley Diehl, Denny Schenk and the Kondolick’s.
John Fuchs now owns the building and has completely renovated the exterior of the building and added a stairway to the second floor which was closed off for many years.
The information in this article came from Linda Huth’s presentation “A Walk Down Mainstreet” and from the Broadwater Bygones. Linda is currently doing a series of “A Walk Down Mainstreet” presentations every Wednesday through November at the Canyon Ferry Brewery on Broadway. The Broadwater Bygones is available at the Broadwater County Museum. Visit the Museum to learn more about the Commercial Hotel and about the history of Townsend.
The pictures of the Commercial Hotel and the dining room can be viewed at the Museum along with other historical pictures of Townsend.
Caption for Picture 1: The original Commercial Hotel Building
Caption for Picture 2: The Commercial Hotel Dining Room
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