Nestled in the heart of the Beaverhead Valley, Dillon, Montana is a bucolic community steeped in history. It had actually formed thanks to the concerted efforts of Stanley Dillon, president of the now famous Union Pacific Railroad. Dillon had originally visited the region to survey potential routes for a spur of the Union Pacific known as the “Utah and Northern Railroad.” The project was a mammoth undertaking, as the potential railroad would traverse for miles through rugged terrain toward the city of Butte. Quickly realizing that few local communities could host any train depots, Dillon immediately set about founding a new series of towns that would cater to the prospective railway. Among the first settlements that Dillon helped create was the town of “Terminus” in 1880, which debuted near a series of prosperous gold mines just beyond the Beaverhead River. Dillon and the town’s first inhabitants specifically created a small interlocking street grid that was lined with many beautiful buildings. But Terminus soon began to expand exponentially shortly thereafter, as freight shipped along the railroad transformed the town into an important regional commercial center. In fact, most of the goods originated from the mines further north, giving Terminus another identity as a big mining town.

The robust financial activity attracted many more residents, as well as a few important cultural institutions. Perhaps the greatest civic facility to open at the time was the prestigious Montana Normal College in 1893. To honor the railroad for what it had done for Terminus, the residents even opted to rename it as “Dillon” after Stanley Dillon himself. While Dillon is no longer the same bustling railroad hub it was back in the 19th century, it has nonetheless retained its magnificent Gilded Age charm. Its unique rustic ambiance and fascinating past have since attracted countless cultural heritage travelers from across the United States. They have been particularly allured by the numerous historical landmarks surrounding the town, including Big Hole National Battlefield, the Old Montana Prison, and the Lewis & Clark Historic District. (Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led their legendary expedition through the region briefly in 1805.) Montana’s first two historic capitals—Bannack and Virginia City—are located nearby, as are several amazing outdoor destinations, like Red Rock’s Wildlife Refuge, Beaverhead Rock State Park, and Clare Canyon Reservoir.

When Harry Andrus decided to develop a brand-new hotel in his hometown of Dillon, Montana, he sought out the expertise of Seattle-based architect Jesse Warren. Together, the two men crafted a brilliant three-story building with some of the finest Renaissance Revival-style architecture seen in the area. Andrus had spared no expense, as the whole project had taken more than $165,000 to complete! The building’s ground floor contained many brilliant facilities, including a restaurant, bar, billiard parlor, and even a bank. Upstairs on the second floor awaited 30 spectacular guestrooms that Andrus and Warren had outfitted with the finest amenities, such as telephones, plush carpeting, and private bathrooms. The final floor contained multiple apartments for long-term guests, as well as spacious showrooms for traveling salesmen. Perhaps the most outstanding feature Andrus and Warren created inside the Hotel Andrus was the gorgeous lobby and its red marble staircase. Additional fixtures inside the lobby included decorative wood balustrade, stained-glass windows, and faux plaster classical columns. Guests could even expect the services of an elevator near the entrance, then the first of its kind to debut in all of Montana! The Andrus Hotel’s current owner, Dr. John Micha, has since striven to preserve the building’s original architectural features for future generations to appreciate.

Renaissance Revival itself architecture—sometimes referred to as "Neo-Renaissance”—is a group of architecture revival styles that date back to the 19th century. Neither Grecian nor Gothic in their appearance, Renaissance Revival-style architecture drew inspiration from a wide range of structural motifs found throughout Early Modern Western Europe. Architects in France and Italy were the first to embrace the artistic movement, believing that the revival of Renaissance architectural forms would reinvigorate their communities and inspire a renewed sense of civic pride. As such, those intellectuals incorporated the colonnades and low-pitched roofs of Renaissance-era buildings with the specific characteristics of Mannerist and Baroque-themed architecture. Perhaps the greatest structural component to a Renaissance Revival-style building involved the installation of a grand staircase similar to those located at both the Château de Blois and the Château de Chambord in France’s Loire Valley. This particular feature served as a central focal point for the design, often directing guests to a magnificent lobby or exterior courtyard. But the nebulous nature of Renaissance Revival architecture meant that its appearance varied widely across Europe. As such, historians today sometimes find it difficult to provide a specific definition for the architectural movement. Regardless, Renaissance Revival architecture today remains one of the world’s most enduring, appearing in countless places across the globe.