[5] Great Falls was founded in 1883 when businessman Paris Gibson surveyed the city and platted a permanent settlement on the south side of the river.

[9] The four young women constituted the first class, which met in a corner of a classroom in the Whittier Building (which, by that time, featured instruction in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades).

[10] White's Romanesque Revival three-story structure featured a small central circular building, two rectangular wings, and an eight-story, four-faced clock tower.

[10][11] Wood for the interior supports, roof, and steps were cut from massive trees logged in the Rocky Mountains and floated down the Missouri River.

[10] Ornate brass doorknobs and hinges were used throughout the building, and heat was supplied by cast iron radiators with delicate, filigreed covers.

[10] An urban legend (which may have begun as early as the 1910s) began to circulate that the old boiler room was turned into a swimming pool, and that a student drowned in the pool—leaving the high school haunted.

[13] (Nonetheless, in July 2010, museum executive director Kathy Lear admitted that she once heard ghostly radio music coming from the basement late one afternoon.

Frank Miles was given $150 and allowed to construct an apartment for himself, his wife, and his five children in the southeast corner of the high school's attic.

But he touched a power line as he climbed off the elevator, giving him a severe electrical shock and causing his shirt to catch fire.

The low brick, steel, glass, and plaster building, constructed in 1950, occupied half a city block next to the Ursuline Academy.

However, the building closed in 1973 due to lower enrollment, rising costs, and fewer volunteer priests and nuns to act as teachers.

Jean Warden Dybdal[10] and Pam Marlen,[22] leaders in the Junior League chapter in Great Falls, organized an informal citizen's task force to come up with a plan to save the high school building.

The Junior League and its allies successfully pushed the Great Falls Public Schools and Commissioners of Cascade County to sign an agreement whereby the structure became jointly owned by both governmental bodies.

[26] As part of the agreement with GFPS, the museum also agreed to devote a substantial portion of its resources to educating students and the public about art and art-making.

However, the 3-foot (0.91 m) high oak wainscoting and historic slate blackboards were covered over with drywall, which both protected them from damage as well as provided much-needed display space.

[12] As the Great Falls High School structure was renovated, the museum quickly began acquiring art for display, primarily through donations.

City and GFPS officials agreed that the 1913 brick annex, which was not historic and which marred the southern side of the structure, should be demolished.

Additionally, the county sought voter approval for a mill levy which would generate income to support both the museum and the historical society.

[27] In its early years, the museum built is collection and upgraded its space to accommodate its mission of displaying contemporary artwork as well as providing classrooms for lectures, art-making, teaching, and performances.

[34] In 2002, PGSMA commissioned a new work, titled "Two Sisters", from Great Falls High School art teacher Lisa Easton.

[26] The funds allowed the museum to remove the sod from its north entrance and reinstall a historically accurate circular driveway.

[22] A commemorative sidewalk of brick, inscribed with the names of major donors to the capital campaign, was added between the staircase and the driveway.

In the spring, the Cascade County Historical Society moved into the International Harvester Building (which was renamed the High Plains Heritage Center), which been undergoing a renovation since 1999.

[50] In September, the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences (a federal grant-making agency), awarded PGSMA $70,815 to expand its community outreach program.

Houck took the reins of PGSMA too late for planning for the museum's popular Christmas Collection art show to begin.

[66] Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art is housed in a Romanesque Revival building made of grey sandstone.

The second floor also houses classroom space, where courses (by the museum and by other groups), performances, lectures, and other educational activities are offered.

The museum's "Vision, Strength and Access Program" is aimed at at-risk youth; people with mental, physical and developmental challenges; and senior citizens.

This program provides these individuals with the opportunity to create art in a setting specifically designed to meet their developmental, educational, emotional, mental, and physical challenges.

This program provides a nurturing and safe environment that not only allows children to express their creativity but also develop critical thinking skills.