102 NORTH CHURCH · 503 EAST MENDENHALL

A corner of Bozeman.
A century of stories.

Before Loft503 welcomed travelers, this brick house was home to the Huffman family. Its story connects early Bozeman, a longtime local business and a careful restoration for a new generation.

Two unidentified people on the historic brick house porch — The historic porch, reproduced in the published restoration gallery. Date and people are unidentified.

THE HUFFMAN HOME

One house. Two familiar addresses.

Historically known as 503 East Mendenhall Street, the corner building is also identified today as 102 North Church Avenue. Loft503 occupies the upstairs residence, above the ground-floor commercial offices.

George and Susan Huffman built the two-story brick home in 1889–1890. Their children Hugh, George R. and Anna grew up here. Anna married George Orswell at the family home in 1912; Susan remained here until her death in 1947, and Hugh continued living in the house until 1951.

The family photographs preserve a connection to the people behind the address: Susan on the porch, Anna in her Ladies’ Imperial Band uniform and Hilda May Huffman in her Red Cross uniform.

The Fisher Court Reporting chapter.

The building later became a place of work. A federal hearing transcript dated July 24, 2014 lists Charles Fisher Court Reporting at 503 East Mendenhall, documenting the court-reporting business remembered at this corner.

THE EARLY 1900s & FAMILY ARCHIVE

The people behind the place.

Family portraits and porch scenes connect the house to its early years. Open any image to explore the full photograph.

Huffman family portrait with Hugh, George R., Anna and Susan — Huffman family, circa 1910s. Clockwise from left: Hugh, George R., Anna and Susan. Gallatin History Museum archives, as published in Bozeman Magazine. Source ↗

Susan Huffman standing on the porch at 503 East Mendenhall — Susan Huffman at the family residence, 503 East Mendenhall. Exact date unspecified. Gallatin History Museum archives, as published in Bozeman Magazine. Source ↗

Anna Huffman wearing her Ladies’ Imperial Band uniform — Anna Huffman in her Ladies’ Imperial Band uniform, circa 1910s. Gallatin History Museum archives, as published in Bozeman Magazine. Source ↗

Hilda May Huffman wearing a Red Cross uniform — Hilda May Huffman in her Red Cross uniform, late 1910s. Gallatin History Museum archives, as published in Bozeman Magazine. Source ↗

Historic brick porch with two unidentified people — Historic porch view. Date and identities unconfirmed; shown in the published 503 Mendenhall restoration gallery.

Family history and photograph identifications: Rachel Phillips, Research Coordinator, Gallatin History Museum, “The Huffman Women: Their Lives in Pictures,” Bozeman Magazine, March 1, 2024. Photographs retain their source credits.

2016–2017 · A NEW CHAPTER

Restore the structure.
Keep the character.

Dan & Jodi approached the project as a way to give a historic building a useful future. The work reached well beyond finishes: foundation repairs, structural masonry stabilization, major floor and roof framing work, and renewed electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems.

A small east-side addition provided storage below and outdoor deck space above. The completed building brought commercial offices downstairs and a welcoming residence upstairs into the same restored shell.

Project leadership: Dan & Jodi.
Interior design: Jodi.
Construction: Dan and Allan Hathaway / A.S. Hathaway Construction.

Exposed framing and roof timbers during the 102 North Church restoration — During restoration · February 13, 2017. Photograph from Dan’s construction documentation.

Completed downstairs commercial office with exposed brick and meeting table — Completed ground-floor commercial office, documented in October 2017. Project archive.

A completed office workspace beside exposed brick and a tall window — Downstairs office detail, October 2017. Project archive.

Restored Loft503 upstairs interior — The upstairs residence today: historic materials, contemporary comfort.

PRESERVATION RECOGNIZED

Award-winning restoration.

The 503 Mendenhall / 102 North Church project received the City of Bozeman’s Outstanding Achievement in Restoration & Rehabilitation recognition.

It is part of a broader commitment to bringing Bozeman’s historic places into contemporary use. Explore the recognition for Rouse House at Vintage Estate, too.

Explore the records.

Gallatin History Museum historian’s family account and photographs ↗
City of Bozeman historic structures inventory ↗ · 503 E Mendenhall, record 2240, estimated construction 1889–1890.
July 24, 2014 hearing transcript ↗ · Business address for Charles Fisher Court Reporting.

Additional project sources: dated construction photographs and completed-space photographs from October 2017.

Stay in its next chapter.

Make this historic corner your downtown home base.

Explore Loft503 ↗

A corner of Bozeman.A century of stories.