If You Went to MSU Anytime Before 2000, You Partied In This Big House

It would be genuinely difficult to find a Montana State alum who hasn't spent some celebratory time in this historic Bozeman home. Many a keg has passed through it's doors and it might actually be the most common denominator among generations of Bobcats.

It's one of the last large homes that sits on a full block of property. Bozeman still has a few of these, but they're becoming more rare across the entire state. Those of which DO sill exist are often publicly owned - as is the big house we're chatting about here.

The Story Mansion has been a beautiful, impressively large piece of property since it was built by T. Byron Story and his wife, Katheryn Ferris, in 1910. (T. Byron Story was one of Nelson's sons.) Although it's currently a park owned by the City of Bozeman, people in town who have lived here a while know it as the old SAE House. Bozeman didn't purchase the property until 2013, according to the Friends of the Story Mansion. (It was a confusing process, but it happened. The story is worth reading at the link above.)

Sigma Alpha Epsilon established their Bozeman Alpha chapter in October of 1919, but SAE purchased the Story Mansion for $30,000 in 1922 and it became occupied by members of the fraternity in 1923. Generations of Montana State Bobcats 'celebrated' weekends, football wins, and countless other occasions within the halls of the Story Mansion and it's Carriage House. It's volleyball court played host to many an impromptu afternoon party, and the expansive lawn was obviously the perfect mini football field.

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LEARN ABOUT THE FRIENDS OF THE STORY MANSION HERE

Located at 811 South Willson Avenue in Bozeman, the Story Mansion is technically owned by you and me since it's owned by the City of Bozeman. That does come with some advantages because you can rent the property for your gatherings. (You DO need to be a local resident to rent it, FYI, and they will check your status.)

The Story Mansion is available for the public to rent for meetings, dinners, receptions and other special occasions. Reservations may be made up to 12 months in advance.

You can view availability and make an online reservation. You may only reserve this facility online more than one week in advance. If it is less than one week, you must reserve in person.

HOW TO RENT THE STORY MANSION IN BOZEMAN (DETAILS)