Distinctly Montana Magazine

W W W. D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA NA . C O M 77 CONTINUED e Castle WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS e small community of White Sulphur Springs rose up to serve the needs of ranchers in the area. e Castle, an imposing stone mansion, was designed and built by Byron Sherman in 1892. Born in New York, Sherman headed west to seek his fortune and ended up in the Smith River Valley. He left his mark on the local economy with the development of a stagecoach line between Helena and White Sulphur Springs, developing real estate and building the first local electric light plant. Money was no object in creating his "stone castle." Hand-cut granite blocks were hauled in by oxen from the Castle Mountains, a distance of 12 miles. Italian marble was featured in the washrooms. Sherman moved to California and sold the Castle in 1905. Today, this 12-room beauty is a seasonal museum operated by the Meagher County Historical Association. Soldier's Chapel BIG SKY e Soldier's Chapel has a firm grip on a peaceful corner of Big Sky despite being surrounded by an explosion of growth in the area over the last 20 years. is simple, non- denominational Christian memorial chapel, squarely framed by majestic Lone Peak, is visible along US 191. Colonel Nelson Story III, a descendant of Montana pioneer Nelson Story, was part of the 163rd Infantry Regiment. He lost his son in combat during WWII. To honor his son and the men of his Regiment, who also died in combat or from a disease on foreign soil, Story built the Soldier's Chapel. He donated the land, designed the Chapel, and covered most of the building costs. Dedicated in 1955, the Chapel is open daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day during the summer months with services at 11 a.m. on Sundays. It is also popular for weddings. Livingston Depot LIVINGSTON Livingston's history owes its beginnings to the Northern Pacific Railroad. e Railroad used the town as a jumping off point for visitors headed to Yellowstone Park, who would continue their journey via a spur line, then stagecoach into Yellowstone. To accommodate the growing numbers of passengers, the NP Railroad hired Reed & Stem, the architects that designed Grand Cen- tral Station in New York, to create a showpiece depot. Started in 1901 and completed in 1902, the elegant Livingston Depot featured two graceful colonnades on either side of the main building, which opened onto a central courtyard adjacent to the tracks. Over the years, with railway mergers and eventual decline of passenger rail service, the depot was no longer needed. e Liv- ingston Depot Foundation oversees the building (now owned by the City of Livingston) which functions as a museum during the summer months as well as a com- munity center for programs held throughout the year.

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