Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Shelby

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
Rainbow Conoco
Photo: Xnatedawgx, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons · tap to enlarge
National Register of Historic Places

Rainbow Conoco

Also known as Joe's

Shelby’s first place on the National RegisterListed Aug 16, 1994; only 695 of Montana’s 1,242 listings are older
Domestic Style Gas StationListed 1994Shelby
DirectionsAdd an old photo

Many listed buildings are private homes. Please enjoy them from the street.

About

About Rainbow Conoco

Rainbow Conoco, at 400 Main St., was added to the National Register of Historic Places on Aug 16, 1994: the first place in Shelby to be listed. Only 695 of Montana’s 1,242 listings are older. The Register lists it for its architecture and commerce, at the local level. It describes its style as Domestic Style Gas Station, as it does for 2 other Montana listings. It was listed as part of Roadside Architecture Along US 2 in Montana MPS.

What it isGas station in Shelby, Montana, United States. From Wikidata (CC0). Read about it on Wikipedia ↗

PDFRead the original nominationThe form that put it on the Register, with its history, photos and a map · 13 MB · National Archives↗
Through the years

1936 to today

  1. 1936Built
  2. 1994Added to the National Register of Historic Places
  3. 2026On the Register for 32 years
Visit

Make it a walk: 2 landmarks in about 10 minutes

400 Main St., Shelby · about 0.2 miles on foot, as the crow flies

DirectionsWalk the tour in Google Maps
  1. 1Rainbow ConocoStart here
  2. 2Shelby Town HallLate 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements · Built 1923 · 0.2 mi on

Memories of Rainbow Conoco

The record says what it is. Neighbors know what it means.

Town Square →
Weigh in
Have you been to Rainbow Conoco?

Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.

Start a conversation
Have an old photo of it?Add it · +10

Questions about Rainbow Conoco

Is Rainbow Conoco on the National Register of Historic Places?

Yes. It was added on Aug 16, 1994 (Register number 94000866).

Is Rainbow Conoco a National Historic Landmark?

No. It is on the National Register; Montana has 25 National Historic Landmarks.

Can you visit Rainbow Conoco?

Our record doesn’t say whether it is open to visitors. Many listed buildings are private, so it may only be seen from the street.

Where can I read the history of Rainbow Conoco?

In its National Register nomination, the form that put it on the Register: a 13 MB PDF at the National Archives, linked on this page.

Sources: National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places (05/22/2026) · National Archives catalog record 71975515 · Wikidata. Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors.