The
Lee Building in Chinatown
14-16 West State Street • Demolished During
Urban Renewal
The
site of the Lee Building is now occupied by the Lewis
& Clark Library. West State Street was eliminated
during Urban renewal in the 1970s.
Before
the Lee Building was constructed circa 1886, the site was
occupied by a Chinese "wash house" (laundry).
Chinatown occupied an area extending several blocks south
of the Lee Building site, between West Main and Clore (now
S. Park Avenue).
|
The
Lee Building circa 1920, Seen from Old City Hall
COURTESY
OF SEAN LOGAN
The Lee Building
was constructed circa 1886.
The
Lee Building, Vigilante Parade, 1940s
COURTESY
OF SEAN LOGAN • CLICK ON IMAGE FOR A BIG
VIEW IN A NEW WINDOW
| An architectural
survey of the building was done in 1968 as part of the Urban Renewal
program. By that time, the ornate cornice had been removed and
the tall first-floor windows had been mostly boarded over. The
building was then owned by Helena attorney Arthur P. Acher, and
was classified in the survey as a "Slum Dwelling". It
was demolished in the early 1970s. |
Lee
Building, 1968
COURTESY
OF SEAN LOGAN
