National Register of Historic Places

Great Falls Central High School

Great Falls, Cascade County, Montana
Listed
August 31, 1976
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
76001120

About this property

Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art (also known as The Square, or PGSMoA), is an art museum located at 1400 First Avenue North in Great Falls, Montana, in the United States. Its building was constructed in 1896 to house the city's first high school, Great Falls High School (later known as Great Falls Central High School). The high school moved to new quarters in 1931, at which time the building was renamed Paris Gibson Junior High School. The junior high school vacated the premises in 1975 for a new building. In 1977, Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art was formed, and it took ownership of the building. It is one of twelve museums in the city. The structure has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since September 1976. The museum focuses primarily on contemporary art by artists from the region. Much of its collection consists of folk art, abstract art, postmodern art, and functional artwork such as jewelry. In addition to two floors of galleries, the museum also hosts an outdoor sculpture garden. (The structure should not be confused with the Roman Catholic parochial school also named Great Falls Central High School. The Square should also not be confused with Paris Gibson Education Center, an alternative high school which opened in 2007).

Location

1400 1st Ave., N.
Great Falls, Cascade County, Montana
47.50590, -111.28272

Categories

EDUCATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Russell, Charles M., House and Studio
Modern
0.3 mi
Randall, Harry E., House
Industrial
0.4 mi
Great Falls High School Historic District
Industrial
0.4 mi
Great Falls Railroad Historic District
Listed
0.5 mi
Masonic Temple
Industrial
0.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Great Falls Central High School listed on the National Register?

Great Falls Central High School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 31, 1976.

What type of historic resource is Great Falls Central High School?

Great Falls Central High School is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Great Falls Central High School?

The period of significance for Great Falls Central High School is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Great Falls Central High School?

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