Wallace D. Dickinson

History of Montana,by Joaquin Miller, 1894
USGENWEB Montana Archives
May be copied for non-profit purposes.

Wallace D. Dickinson, prominent among citizens of Great 
Falls, has the management of the Boston and Great Falls 
Land Company, of the Boston Electric Light & Power Company 
and of the Great Falls Street Railway Company; so that it 
is seen that he is a potent factor in business interests 
of vital importance in the growth and developmentof the city.

He is a native of New York, born at Malone, in 1852, of 
ancestors who came from England to America and settled in
Vermont. His father, H.G. Dickinson, was born in Bangor, 
New York and was for many years general agent for the Santa 
Fe Railroad Town-site Company in Kansas and Colorado and 
later was general manager of the San Diego Land and Town-
site Company. He married Sarah King, of his native town 
and all of their five children are living. Mr. Dickinson 
died in 1892 and his wife still survives him, residing in 
National City California.

Wallace D., the eldest child, received his education in the 
public schools of New York and in the Brooklyn Institute,
graduating at the latter in 1871. He then turned his 
attention to civil engineering; was for three years 
connected with the Northern Pacific Railroad; in 1871 
was employed on this line of road in Montana; and was 
for three years in Duluth, Minnesota, in the freight 
department of the road. Next he spent ten years in 
Topeka, Kansas in the employ of the Santa Fe Railroad Company, 
as their agent most of the time, but for two years had charge 
of a carpet andfurniture store in that city. In 1886 he went 
with his father to San Diego and was general sales agent and 
partner of the firm of C.E. Heath and Company. During his 
connection with the firm they did a very extensive business, 
having in charge nearly all the town-site sales.

In 1890 he came to Great Falls to accept his present position. 
When he arrived the street railway and electric-light plants 
were in their infancy and since that time he has given his 
undivided attention to them. He operates eight and a half 
miles of single track of electric railway, and has seven 
motor cars and four trail cars, which carry about
40,000 passengers per month. The power is derived 
from the Black Eagle Falls through the electric-light 
station there, the power being transmitted by turbine 
wheels in the basement to the dynamos above, and the 
building which feet in dimensions. The plant is a 
1,100 horsepower, is a brick structure, being two stories 
high and 40 x 160 and 
is using half of it at present. The company is supplying 
150 arc lamps and 3,900 incandescent lamps, besides a 
number of power motors.

Their land interests consists of 500 acres, the East Side 
addition to the city, just opposite the smelters. Only a 
part of the property is yet platted, on which are about 
eighty cottages and 400 other residences. The Central Avenue
street railway runs through this addition, giving half-hour 
service to the center of the city. Water pipes and 
electric lights extend through different streets of the 
addition. Mr. Dickinson is still a large property holder 
at San Diego and National City, California. Since coming 
to Great Falls he has been fully identified with her 
growth and improvement. His management of the large 
interests of which he is superintendent has given the 
highest satisfaction. Such has been his business record 
in this city that he and his family are among the most esteemed 
citizens.

He was married in 1880 to Marion Wood, a native of Galesburg, 
Illinois and they have three children: Adelaide, May King and 
Arthur Wood.

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