From its origins in 1880 as a cattle town with a lively reputation as one of the toughest towns north of the Rio Grande, Wibaux evolved after the turn of the century into a farming community and agricultural center, reflecting a transformation shared by many small Montana towns. The dryland farming movement from 1905 to 1915 brought an influx of settlers, increased the number of farms, and eliminated open range cattle ranching, shifting Wibaux from the stockyard industry to agricultural trade. After a devastating fire destroyed the principal business blocks in 1906, frame false-fronted buildings and board sidewalks gave way to closely grouped one- and two-story brick buildings constructed between 1905 and 1917. These buildings gave the district architectural cohesiveness through transitional elements between Classical Revival and the more modern Prairie school of commercial design. In 1910 alone, commercial construction expenditures exceeded $92,000, and Wibaux supported almost 50 businesses.