Community members receive 2018 Preservation Award

Wednesday, the Havre/Hill County Historic Preservation Commission presented their 2018 Preservation Award to two Havre community homeowners.

The Preservation Commission was created in 2003 to preserve and protect, through awareness, the historic and prehistoric resources of the community.

"During National Preservation Month - the commission recognizes organizations or individuals in Havre/Hill County who 'preserve and protect our historic resources,'" Commission Historic Preservation Officer Becki Miller said in an email. "This year, we decided to focus our awards on residential homes. Both of the homes recognized this year are over 100 years old and it has only been through the stewardship of the owners of these properties that they have been preserved for us to enjoy in the Residential District."

The two residences that were picked this year were the Exzelia Pepin House at 606 Third Ave., which was built by Fuglevand and Sundberg  in 1914 and is now owned by Jeff and Norma Ralph, and the Jospeh Gussenhoven House, otherwise known as The Castle, at 26 Third St., which was built by Joseph Gussenhoven in 1903 and is now owned by Larry and Rebecca Coleman.

Jeff Ralph, who with his wife bought the Pepin House in August 2016, said they decided to purchase the house because when they first moved to Havre his wife fell in love with the house at first sight.

He added that his wife said she wanted to buy it if it ever went up for sale, so when it did they purchased it.

Ralph said they have been putting a ton of work into the house and are focusing on fixing up the outside first.

The distinctive pillars need to be protected, he said, so they want to put some concrete under those soon.

"It is really a nice honor," Ralph said about receiving the commission's award. "Havre is a good community."

Larry Coleman said he and his wife, who have owned The Castle for 15 years, first saw the house when they were living in Malta and were driving around.

Its nature made them want to buy it, he said.

"We are antique, historical people," he added.

The house had been vacant for five years before they bought it, Coleman said, and it took him about a year to fix it up.

"The crown moldings were ripped out ... the doors were all in the basement ... the lighting was stolen and there were holes in the walls," he said about the condition of the house.

Coleman said they have The Castle up for sale, but if it doesn't sell, he is OK with that.

"It (The Castle) is my favorite of all of them," he said about his properties.

He added the only reason they have it for sale is because they are getting older and it is becoming a lot of work.

"We are 75 years old," Coleman said, "My wife is a clean fanatic, she wants to clean the house from top to bottom. ... It is a big job for her."

Miller said the Preservation Commission is hoping to provide signage for these two residences through the National Register Sign Program, which was developed by the Montana Historical Society.

Since 1990, this program has put up hundreds of these National Register signs that include a special logo and a description of the historical significance of the property, hoping to improve the public's knowledge about the rich heritage of Montana.

For more information on the Sign Program, people can visit http://mhs.mt.gov/Shpo/Signs/, and more information on the Preservation Commission can be found at http://www.havrehillpreservation.org/index.html/.