DOWNTOWNER



I am lucky to live in a very nice place called the Downtowner. It is a retirement home that also takes in disabled people like myself.


I have been able to gather a little history about this place, and hope someday to add some pictures.



I received this information from a nicelady at the library here in Great Falls:


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Here is a brief history of the Downtowner that we compiled from our Great Falls files:

Built as the Park Hotel in 1886 by Paris Gibson and H.C. Chowen for $50,000. Paris Gibson lived there with his wife. The original building burned in 1915 and was replaced by the present building.

KFBB radio was housed there January-October 1, 1930.

Intermountain College took an option on the Park Hotel in 1936, intending to add on and run a school there.

From 1944-1946, the original Tracy's coffee shop was in the building.

By 1978, the Park Hotel had become the Downtowner Retirement Home.

According to the building manager, Dwayne Roe is writing a book on the history of the Park/Downtowner.

The library has clippings and photographs of the building.

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