Recollections of Old Milestown (Main Street)

It will no doubt be a surprising bit of information to the majority of the present residents of Miles City to learn that the Main street of the early days began more than two blocks west of the Olive hotel corner, but that is an uncontrovertible fact. Fourth street and Third street were busy thoroughfares then, and there was a fractional block beyond Third street to the west, before Tongue river was encountered. The Main street frontage from Third to Fourth was occupied by the "Diamond R" corral, more than half of which and all to the west of it, has since been gradually eaten into by the hungry Tongue river. Since the "cut-off " was made under the Farr administration, throwing the Tongue river into a new channel, all this lost territory has been restored by the alluvial deposits of the spring floods, though at a lower grade than the area that was taken.

It will no doubt be a surprising bit of information to the majority of the present residents of Miles City to learn that the Main street of the early days began more than two blocks west of the Olive hotel corner, but that is an uncontrovertible fact. Fourth street and Third street were busy thoroughfares then, and there was a fractional block beyond Third street to the west, before Tongue river was encountered. The Main street frontage from Third to Fourth was occupied by the "Diamond R" corral, more than half of which and all to the west of it, has since been gradually eaten into by the hungry Tongue river. Since the "cut-off " was made under the Farr administration, throwing the Tongue river into a new channel, all this lost territory has been restored by the alluvial deposits of the spring floods, though at a lower grade than the area that was taken.

Next beyond the Diamond R corral looking east, in those very early days, came Major Borchardt's store which was also for a time -- the postoffice. This was at the corner, now the site of the Hyde flats. Major Borchardt was postmaster for a long time and during the greater part of his incumbency, J. B. Collins was his deputy and practically acting postmaster. The Borchardt store was a two-story frame building, but the rest of the buildings up to the Jordan brick, were one-story frame shacks, occupied so variously by the changing population of that day that it will suffice to say that those that were not saloons were vaudeville theaters, and there was one tailor shop. One identity worth mentioning among the occupants of. this section, is [[John Chinnick]], whose saloon -- and also his ranch home, located in the neighborhood of the baseball park -- were acknowledged "hangouts" for all the desperadoes who happened this way. John himself was never misjudged by his fellow citizens. They knew him for just what he was, but in his daily contact with the world he was in many respects a decent sort and always ready and willing to join in public movements. And in those days inquiry into one's antecedents or private business was discouraged.

Next beyond the Diamond R corral looking east, in those very early days, came Major Borchardt's store which was also for a time -- the postoffice. This was at the corner, now the site of the Hyde flats. Major Borchardt was postmaster for a long time and during the greater part of his incumbency, J. B. Collins was his deputy and practically acting postmaster. The Borchardt store was a two-story frame building, but the rest of the buildings up to the Jordan brick, were one-story frame shacks, occupied so variously by the changing population of that day that it will suffice to say that those that were not saloons were vaudeville theaters, and there was one tailor shop. One identity worth mentioning among the occupants of. this section, is [[John Chinnick]], whose saloon -- and also his ranch home, located in the neighborhood of the baseball park -- were acknowledged "hangouts" for all the desperadoes who happened this way. John himself was never misjudged by his fellow citizens. They knew him for just what he was, but in his daily contact with the world he was in many respects a decent sort and always ready and willing to join in public movements. And in those days inquiry into one's antecedents or private business was discouraged.