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Timothy Edwards Collins Mansion facts for kids

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Collins, Timothy Edward, Mansion
Collins mansion great falls montana.jpg
Timothy Edwards Collins Mansion is located in Montana
Timothy Edwards Collins Mansion
Location in Montana
Timothy Edwards Collins Mansion is located in the United States
Timothy Edwards Collins Mansion
Location in the United States
Location 1003–1017 2nd Ave., NW, Great Falls, Montana
Area 1.3 acres (0.53 ha)
Built 1891
Architectural style Eclectic
NRHP reference No. 80002402
Added to NRHP August 27, 1980

The Collins Mansion is a special old home located in Great Falls, Montana, United States. It was built a long time ago, in 1891, by a businessman named Timothy Edward Collins. This house was one of the very first homes built on the west side of the Missouri River in Great Falls.

Discovering the Collins Mansion

The Collins Mansion is a beautiful and important building in Great Falls. It's known for its unique design and its place in the city's history. This house was the first in Great Falls to be added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes buildings, sites, and objects that are important to American history.

Who Was Timothy Collins?

Timothy Edward Collins was born in Ireland. He came to Montana during the exciting time of the gold rush. This was when many people moved to Montana hoping to find gold. After his gold rush adventures, Timothy Collins became a successful businessman in Great Falls. The Collins Mansion was his second home in the city.

The Mansion's Special Style

The Collins Mansion was originally built with bricks. Later, in the 1960s, a stucco (a type of plaster) covering was added to the outside. The house combines different building styles. It shows elements of both Edwardian and Norman Shaw Queen Anne styles.

Outside Details to Spot

Even with the stucco covering, many of the original Victorian details on the outside of the house are still there. These details make the mansion look very fancy and old-fashioned. You can see things like:

  • Classical modillions on the third-floor dormer (a window that sticks out from the roof). These are like small, decorative brackets.
  • Porch columns with an egg-and-dart design. This is a pattern that looks like eggs and arrows.
  • Dentillation under the cornice (the decorative molding at the top of the walls). This looks like a row of small, tooth-like blocks.
  • Pilasters (flat, decorative columns) next to the mullions (vertical bars that divide windows) in the front windows.

Inside the Mansion

The inside of the Collins Mansion is just as impressive as the outside. It features beautiful woodwork throughout the house. This includes different types of wood like:

  • Quarter-sawn oak
  • Maple
  • Cherry
  • Birch
  • Eastern pine

This variety of wood makes the interior feel warm and rich.

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