Paris Gibson Square In Great Falls, Montana

What do you really know about it?  It's been there on Central Avenue my whole life.  I know it used to be a school, that it was in a movie or two and now it's a museum.  But the history is so much more.

Paris Gibson Square Through The Years

I love a good time line, so I went right to the source, the Paris Gibson Square website to get the scoop.

From TheSquare.org:

• 1893: Bond is passed to build the structure, but financial uncertainty in 1893 slowed the progress and bidding out of construction
• 1894: McKay Brothers Construction firm awarded contract for $59, 940.  The total cost of the build was around $110,000.  Even though nearly twice the planned amount, that building has stood the test of time.
• 1896: Dedication Ceremony held for the school
• 1913: Brick addition designed by W.R. Lowery, construction price $200,000
• 1916: Clock Tower removed
• 1970's: Brick annex addition closed
• 1975: School officially closed
• 1977: January, building dedicated as Paris Gibson Square
• 1977: February, brick annex demolished for the movie Telefon

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Cool Facts For Paris Gibson Square

• Building is made of Sandstone
• Served as Central High School for 34 years
• Served as Paris Gibson Junior High for 35 years
• Building was unused for a couple of years
• 1977: a group of citizens volunteered to renovate and reopen the square
• 1977: The first year the building was known as the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art
• The Clock Tower had to be removed because the weight of it was crushing the building
• Legend: In 1913 when the boiler room was transferred to the basement to in between both buildings, legend has it there was a pool in the basement and it was used by students until one of them drowned in 1917.  After the student drowned, the pool was demolished and filled in.  This story has neither been proven or disproven
• Dedicated November 1, 1896, founder of Great Falls, Paris Gibson, attended the event