Beanery by the Depot

By Keith J. Doll

Havre/Hill County Historic Preservation Commission

The Beanery was built in 1909 and located about 100 feet east of the new depot, also built in 1909. The former depot was wooden with clapboard siding. The new depot had dark red pressed brick and the Beanery was built of the same dark red pressed brick to match. The Sanborn Map of 1910 calls it the Railroad Lunch Counter and Restaurant. It was soon called the "Beanery" and was open 24 hours a day.

In 1905, a fire burned some of the buildings on property owned by Simon Pepin that were close to the depot. Simon Pepin donated the land by the depot for park purposes. This and other land on the railway right of way would soon become the city park. It would extend from Second Avenue to Fourth Avenue and be thirty feet wide with shade trees and flower beds. There was a space in the park on Main Street in front of the depot the width of Third Avenue where a fountain was installed. Then in 1909 came the new depot, to the east about 100 feet was a new lunch room, the Beanery. To the west of the depot about 50 feet was a service building, this building would contain the ice, coal and train supplies. They also laid a brick platform from First Avenue to Fourth Avenue. Later, between the depot and beanery they installed an "exhibit booth." This booth would face the tracks and have different kinds of grains and vegetables grown around here. This was to entice the home seekers to come to this area to farm. In March of 1916, an industrial track franchise was granted. The track was to go on Main Street to supply wholesale and manufacturing businesses. This track was to load and unload merchandise. The fountain was relocated and the track was laid. The track was flush with the street, planked and no problem driving over it.

The Beanery, faced the tracks and would soon become a place to go for engineers, conductors, railroad workers, and local residents. It would hold meetings and parties and was a place to go to have a cup of coffee and visit. Open 24 hours, they would serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. They also had homemade pie, rolls, cookies, ice cream, sodas and candy. Sportsmen would go to the Beanery for an early breakfast before they would go fishing or hunting. On Aug. 31, 1967, the Beanery closed, and the last week of February 1968 the landmark building was taken down to make room for parking.

A very special thank-you to Robert "Jiggs" Scherer for his memories and inspiring me to research and write this article.