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Townsend Schools Seventh Graders gathered at the Historic Radersburg Schoolhouse for a presentation from Broadwater County Museum Curator Linda Huth about the history of Radersburg during the second annual Radersburg History Outing sponsored by the Broadwater County Museum, Radersburg Historic Preserveration, Inc. and Preserve Broadwater History.

To read more about the outing click on Second Annual Radersburg History Outing


 

The first account of gold found at Radersburg appearing of record was made by Reuben Rader in 1863 and by 1866 the town could boast of a livery stable, saloon, general merchandise store, barber shop, drug store and a shoemaker shop. The little town grew by leaps and bound, and by 1878-1880 the business circle of the town had grown considerably. 

At this time there were:

  • J.E. Dougherty: general merchandiser
  • J.R. Weston: Drugs, tobaccos and notions
  • Charles Hossfeld: meat market and stock dealer
  • D.G. Warner: livery stable
  • Mrs. M.A. Parks: Central Hotel
  • Archie Macomber: hotel
  • S.S. Huntley: sheep grower
  • Charles Hallbeck: saloon and brewery
  • G.E. Norem: blacksmith
  • F.M. Smith: blacksmith

In 1884-1885, Lesson's History of Montana gives the following list of businessmen:

  • F.M. Batchler: notions, tobaccos and postmaster
  • J.E. Dougherty: general merchant
  • Frank Wells: general merchant
  • J. Ripley: liquor dealer
  • A.H. Dougherty: liquor dealer and deputy sheriff
  • Charles Hossfeld: horses and cattle
  • S.S. Huntley: horses and cattle
  • P.B. Clark: horses and cattle
  • Sam Shuff: blacksmith
  • Skinner: blacksmith
  • R. Norem: shoemaker
  • John Johnson: carpenter
  • Albert Sederburg: carpenter
  • D.G. Warner: Judge of Probate

During the 1860's Owen Gillogly and Richard Shaw had a blacksmith shop here. Richard Shaw was the father of Charlie Shaw, well-known in the county for many years. Charlie was born in Radersburg he operated his own blacksmith shop in Townsend.

Some other businesses conducted in the ensuing years have included:

  • Brown Brothers Lumber co. - 1914
  • C.R. Stevenson: general merchandise
  • Otto Allbrecht: general merchandise, men's furnishings, notary public and postmaster
  • W.E. Spangler: groceries, fruits, confectionery, drugs, tobacco and postmaster (1906-1908)
  • Theodore Fuhrken: general merchandise, groceries, hardware, miner's supplies, boots and shoes (1899)
  • Flora Holling: boarding house
  • Mr. and Mrs. Bill Moffitt: boarding house

Alex Moffitt was the sheriff of Jefferson County during the 1870's. Another was Mr. Lineberger.  This note from Leeson's History of Montana 1885 shows that even the office of the law was not safe. 

On the night of Dec. 31, 1874 the safe in the Treasurer's office was opened during the absence of Mr. Lineberger, the Sheriff, and $8,000 in money belonging to the county and $2,000 belonging to Lineberger  was stolen.

As mentioned before, Mrs. M.A. Parks operated the Central Hotel wich was subsequently operated by Mr. Lineberger, J.D. Ripely, John Keating, Mr. Augustine, Mr Leathleon, and Frank Wells.  Mr. and Mrs. Moffitt then acquired it and they ran the hotel and boarding house. In 1909 William and Minnie (Hossfeld) Holdaway purchased the Central Hotel which is still owned by the family and was until recently occupied by William Holdaway, Jr.  The Moffitts build a house on the eastern edge of town and continued the boarding house business. This house is presently occupied by Tim Roberts.

  • George Trask and Vick Blacker operated a saloon in 1895.
  • John Poe owned a butcher shop in the 1870s.
  • J. S. Hargrove was a postmaster
  • George B. Clark tended a saloon
  • a man named Shepard operated Shep's Saloon
  • G.E. Poole: cigars, tobaccos and confections

The Silver Dollar Bar was originally the $8,000 jail erected beside the Courthouse. It was operated at various times by Cleve Beckwith, Ray Barroughs, Mr. Randolph, Joe Corey and Bert Chaney.

From about 1918, a bar across the street has been operated by Betty McCabe, Ben Martin, Gee Clark, Guy Williams, Jack Robbins, Tom Grey, Slap Berg, Lawrence Beckwith, Robert and Dorothy Seaman, Cloyd "Bud" Harris and Jim and Rose Baxter. Then Art and Ann Roberts ran the Nite Owl.

There was also:

  • Gerharz Jaqueth Engineering Company
  • Thomas McClusky: hardware and lumber yard (1912)
  • Ray Kingsley: Forest Ranger
  • The Radersburg Lighting Company with C.R. Stevenson as agent
  • Frank WIlliams: general merchandise (1917)
  • A.F. Smith Company: general merchandise (1912)

August Keitel proprietor for the Montana Meat Market (1914). Mr. Keitel closed his shop on the 1st day of July. Before closing he had a sign hung on his door that said "The First of July will be the last of August!" -- and it was...