Brigadier General Lester Sebastion Willson was a Civil War officer in the Union, later coming west to become a pioneer citizen of Bozeman. Arriving in Bozeman on May 22, 1867, he became a partner in a very successful mercantile business and a prominent citizen of Bozeman. Wilsson's son
Fred Fielding Willson went on to become one of Bozeman's most prominent and prolific architects, designing, among other things, all of Bozeman’s older schools (Emerson, Willson (named in his honour), Longfellow, Hawthorne, Irving and the original part of the high school. Willson also had a hand in the Armory, Baxter Hotel, County Courthouse, Pioneer Museum (formerly the jail), Ellen Theatre and several dorms, the student union building and fieldhouse on MSU’s campus. As Fred did not begin his practice in Bozeman until 1910 it is unlikely that he designed the Willson Company Building for his father.
While most turn of the century buildings have their ground floor facades substantially modified, the Willson Company Building seems to retain its original facade. Then again, this could all be a pressed metal replica.
See Section number 8, Page 19.
Willson Company Building
In 1882 the Willson Company, which was founded by Bozeman pioneer and prominent citizen, General Lester S. Willson, built a block very similar to the Osborn Block, the latter of which still stands today at 229-231 E. Main. In 1903, the Company built a new commercial building, presently standing at 101 E. Main.
From the NRHP Continuation Sheet