Harlowton, Montana – Early on Sunday, flames in Harlowton decimated the historic Graves Hotel.
At around 4:30 in the morning, a fire was reported at the 106 S. Central Ave. building.
The structure appears to be completely destroyed.
One of the first businesses to be built following a fire that largely devastated downtown Harlowton in 1907 was the hotel, which was commissioned by A. C. Graves, and a significant role in the town’s early development. Although sandstone soon became a popular building material, the hotel was Harlowton’s first sandstone structure. Its exterior has a projecting corner oriel window that is crowned by a metal cupola. The hotel not only accommodated guests and railroad passengers but also operated as a community center and economic hub. On August 6, 1980, the hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
According to the authorities, nobody was hurt in the fire, and everyone got out of the building without incident.
Apparently, the kitchen is where the fire began.
