When Montana downtowns burn, main streets face uncertain future

Speaking from his auto shop on the Hi-Line Wednesday, Robert Spicher looked out the window and described what he saw.

"Everything that was burnt is still there," he reported from downtown Hingham.

Four months ago, Hingham’s main drag was ablaze, becoming the most recent event in what has become a grim trend in Montana that started with the natural gas explosion and fire that devastated Bozeman two years ago today.

On the same day as the Bozeman blast, downtown Whitehall erupted in flames. That fire destroyed two buildings and at least six buildings in the heart of the small Jefferson County town.

Two weeks later, a fire in Mile City destroyed most of the 700 block of Main Street’s north side and put out seven businesses. Last September, Malta, 120 miles east of Hingham on U.S. Highway 2, lost five businesses to fire.

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The interviews showed a common thread: in the face of adversity, the towns, and the state at large, have rallied in support. People bought local, contributed to recovery funds and came out in droves for fairs, fests and sales.

By DANIEL PERSON, Chronicle Staff Writer The Bozeman Daily Chronicle

Full Story: http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/article_55fbe83e-46c8-11e0-802b-001cc4c002e0.html

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Two years after the explosion, Bozeman’s historic downtown thriving

By JODI HAUSEN Chronicle Staff Writer The Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Full Story: http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/article_51b9a3c6-46ee-11e0-87aa-001cc4c03286.html