Brynjulf Rivenes (July 4, 1874 – December 21, 1929) was a Norwegian-American architect practicing in Miles City, a city in sparsely settled eastern Montana.Who's Who in the Northwest. Vol. 2. 1917.
Biography Rivenes was born in Norway in 1874, and was educated there. In 1904, he and his brother David immigrated to the United States, settling in Glendive, Montana. In 1905, Brynjulf went to the state capitol in Helena where he worked as a draftsman for architect and engineer John Hackett Kent of Bell & Kent. He then returned to Glendive, where he and his brother established an architect's office.
After a brief practice in Glendive, Rivenes moved his office to Miles City in 1906,Improvement Bulletin 7 April 1906. with David staying behind to operate the Glendive office as a branch. At the time, Miles City was undergoing a period of major economic growth, and Rivenes had the opportunity to design many of the new buildings that the expanding city required.
Rivenes practiced as an architect in Miles City until his unexpected death four days before Christmas of 1929.Burkhard, Dan. "Saving Rivenes Norwegian's work still a showcase of early 20th-century design". http://billingsgazette.com/. 22 June 2002. In order to raise money, what remained of the business was sold off.Western Architect 1930: 36.
Architectural works 1908 - Olive Hotel, 501 Main St, Miles City, MontanaOlive Hotel NRHP Nomination. 1988. 1909 - First M. E. Church, 209 N. Kendrick Ave, Glendive, Montana With . 1909 - Jackson Block, 808 Main St, Miles City, MontanaMain Street Historic District NRHP Nomination. 1989. 1909 - Lorenzo W. Stacy House, 2206 Main St, Miles City, MontanaEast Main Street Residential Historic District NRHP Nomination. 1990. 1910 - George Foster House, 1912 Main St, Miles City, Montana 1910 - Miles & Ulmer Building, 425 Main St, Miles City, Montana 1910 - Y. M. C. A. Building, 24 N 8th St, Miles City, Montana 1911 - Harry J. Horton House, 1918 Main St, Miles City, Montana 1911 - Masonic Temple, 1049 Main St, Forsyth, MontanaForsyth Main Street Historic District NRHP Nomination. 1990. 1912 - Forsyth High School, 917 Park St, Forsyth, MontanaSchool Board Journal June 1912: 61. Demolished 1912 - Masonic Temple, 909 Main St, Miles City, Montana 1912 - Scandinavian Lutheran Church, 2 N Lake Ave, Miles City, Montana 1912 - Smith Block, 811 Main St, Miles City, Montana 1913 - Kenney Block, 612 Main St, Miles City, Montana 1913 - Miles City Auditorium, 20 N 8th St, Miles City, MontanaEngineering Record 18 Jan. 1913: 41. 1913 - Washington School, 505 N Meade Ave, Glendive, MontanaConstruction News 22 Nov. 1913: 30. 1914 - Glendive City Hall (included in Merrill Avenue Historic District), 300 S Merrill Ave, Glendive, Montana.Western Contractor 11 March 1914: 18. With . 1915 - Douglas & Mead Building (Remodeling, included in Merrill Avenue Historic District), 119-121 N Merrill Ave, Glendive, MontanaA Guide to Historic Glendive. 1998. Altered 1915 - James Hunter House, 2216 Main St, Miles City, Montana 1915 - Washington School, 210 N 10th St, Miles City, MontanaEngineering Record 21 Aug. 1915: 83. 1916 - First Presbyterian Church, 1401 Main St, Miles City, Montana 1919 - Lambert School, 3rd Ave N, Fox Lake, MontanaAmerican Contractor 5 July 1919: 85. Demolished 1925 - Sacred Heart R. C. Church, 316 W Benham St, Glendive, Montana With . 1928 - First Christian Church, 1720 Main St, Miles City, Montana 1929 - Johnson House, 2105 Main St, Miles City, Montana
Other works in the Merrill Avenue Historic District by Rivenes (with unknown dates) are: Krug Building, Rivenes-West Hardware Company Building, First National Bank Building (since remodeled), and Dion Brother Building (1910s remodeling).
See also Merrill Avenue Historic District (Glendive, Montana)
References
Other sources Guide to Historic Glendive (Montana Historical Society. 1998)