605 North Second West

Tucked between two other historic dwellings, this small residence adds significantly to the maturity of the block. Floyd J. Logan, an attorney and local agent for Ford automobiles, built the house as an investment rental between 1908 and 1910. The dwelling is an excellent example of the basic one-story vernacular shotgun house, a type of folk housing typically one room wide and several rooms deep.

The shotgun house is common in Missoula, tracing its origin to nineteenth-century New Orleans. The form made its way west associated with lumberyards and the railroad. A front-gabled entry with heavy brackets and a vintage window box, both inspired by the popular Craftsman style, give this home its distinct personality.

Henry McNamara, his wife Joanna, and their two grown sons rented the house in 1910. Henry and one of his sons, like many of their neighbors, worked for the railroad. The importance of this well-maintained cottage to the blue-collar character of the district exceeds it small size.