The Great Falls-Cascade County Historic Preservation Advisory Commission (HPAC) and The History Museum & Research Center will host a joint ceremony for the 2026 Preservation & Legacy Awards, hosted in the Ozark Club event room on Second Saturday, May 9. This free admission event with light refreshments will take place at 1:00pm, followed by the museum’s annual membership meeting.
The Beckman’s Building, stewarded by Shari Jenkins Schmit, will receive a 2026 Preservation Award from HPAC. The building at 309 Central Avenue was constructed in 1888 by contractor William Roberts for A.W. Kingsbury and was originally designed in a Victorian style. Over its history, it has housed a range of businesses, including the W.B. Raleigh Company, the Imperial Theater, and most notably Beckman Brothers Furriers, which operated there from 1928 to 1990. Known throughout the region for their expertly crafted garments and popular fashion shows, the Beckman Brothers left a lasting mark on the community and the building itself, adding significant Art Deco alterations in 1929 which shaped the building’s appearance. In more recent years, the space was home to Feather Your Nest. Shari Jenkins Schmit acquired the building in 2024 and began a careful restoration to honor its past while preparing it for exciting new uses.
Union Bethel AME Church will also receive a 2026 Preservation Award. The church, established in 1890 as the center of Great Falls’ African American community, constructed its current building in 1917 after the original wood-frame church fell into disrepair. Built with contributions from its congregation and local supporters, the Gothic Revival-style structure has long served as both a religious and cultural hub, playing a central role in the city’s African American civil rights history and community life. Recently, a significant preservation effort has focused on stabilizing and restoring the church’s historic masonry, including repointing the exterior brick walls, repairing parapets, and reinforcing the building’s structural integrity. This project, supported by major state and national preservation grants and implemented by a dedicated congregation, carefully maintains the church’s historic materials and appearance. This ongoing work ensures that Union Bethel AME Church continues to serve as a vital landmark and enduring symbol of community, heritage, and resilience in Great Falls.
The History Museum & Research Center’s Individual Legacy Award honors Dr. Edrienne (Cindy) Kittredge. She was born and raised on her family’s ranch outside of Cascade, Montana. Dr. Kittredge studied at the College of William and Mary, Arizona State University, the U of M and MSU. She served as the executive director of the Cascade County Historical Society for 18 years, from 1987 to 2004. During that time, Dr. Kittredge ushered it from two rooms at Paris Gibson Square to the current building on Machinery Row. She was the first full-time executive director and the longest serving director of the society. After her tenure at The History Museum, Dr. Kittredge led programs to recognize and support the arts in rural Montana. She helped create the Montana’s Circle of American Masters program and developed My Artrepreneur Program (MAP), which helps rural folk artists to succeed. Now she is focusing on writing and has a book coming out later in 2026: Crossing Bird Creek: A Land Ethic for Montana and the New West. Throughout her career, Dr. Kittredge has championed history and traditional lifeways. This award recognizes her dedication to preserving our past through this year’s individual legacy award.
This year’s 100 Year Legacy Award honors the Fagenstrom Company. For the Fagenstrom family, construction is in the blood. Joe and Hjalmar Fagenstrom came to Great Falls in 1908, working on building the railroad line from Armington to Billings. The brothers formed a partnership, creating Fagenstrom Bros. around 1914. They did well as general contractors until the Depression caused them to be stuck with new houses they couldn’t sell. WWII came, sending Joe’s sons, Jim and Dick off to war. They both returned safely and in 1948, Joe started a new business with his son Jim, called Joe Fagenstrom & Son. They focused then on utility construction, mainly sewer and water pipe installation. Joe retired in 1968. Jim had four children: sons Kurt, Brett, Kim and daughter Eve. Jim and his family moved to Portland, OR and left the business in the care of a manager. When the manager was killed in an accident in 1974, Kurt and Brett returned to take care of the business. Kim joined them in 1977. The sons have kept the business alive, diversifying into pre-cast concrete and adding new facilities. Greg Fagenstrom is now the 4th generation co-owner.