In 1903, entrepreneur Preston Boyd Moss built the Moss Mansion, greatly influencing the culture of Billings, Montana.

New York architect Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, designer of the original Waldorf Astoria and Plaza Hotels, employed features from his notable work to create a mansion that showcases inspired architecture, unrivaled craftsmanship and exquisite décor. The mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has graced the silver screen on several occasions as the perfect site for period films such as Son of the Morning Star and Return to Lonesome Dove.

The Moss family legacy is preserved and shared lovingly with the world through this amazing window into history. Original art by matriarch Mattie Woodson Moss and family friend W.E. Rollins is on display year round, and the incredible accomplishments of P.B. Moss are woven into tours of the remarkable home.

Melville Moss, the third of six Moss children, resided in the single-family home until the mid-1980’s. It is to her credit that the house and its original fixtures remain intact. Modern day visitors marvel at the home’s original amenities including heated indoor plumbing on each floor, an electric bell system for the servants, and an early rotary telephone among other impressive feats of technology for the period. The home turned museum now represents early Billings development and culture but also interprets the inner workings of the family through various letters and other documents preserved in Moss Mansion Museum archives.

Today the Moss is a cultural center that celebrates the influential entrepreneurial accomplishments of Mr. Moss and the ongoing legacy nurtured by Mattie and Melville. From social events to fundraisers, from daily tours to educational partnerships, every visit is an opportunity to experience some aspect of this legacy. The property is now owned jointly by the City of Billings and the State of Montana. The Billings Preservation Society leases and operates the historic property and is independently responsible for all costs of operation and preservation. Funds are raised by the local board of directors, a small staff and a diverse team of volunteers from events, fundraisers, tours, donations, and memberships as well as small temporary grants that assist with preservation, conservation, programming and capital projects.

You are invited - come make history with us!