Montana's governor, first lady, buys mansion for $4 million as governor's residence and will donate it to the state
HELENA, Mont. — Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte and first lady Susan Gianforte have purchased a historic Helena mansion for $4 million that they plan to eventually donate to the state for use as a governor's mansion, the governor's office announced Monday.
Gianforte, a Republican, is a multimillionaire who founded a cloud computing company that was sold to Oracle in 2011 in a $1.5 billion deal.
“Susan and I are fortunate to have achieved the American dream, and in doing so, we believe we have a duty to give back,” Gianforte said in a statement.
The Hauser House was built in 1885 by Samuel T. Hauser, an entrepreneur and one of Montana's territorial governors. It was also once owned by former Montana Governor Tim Babcock.
The nine-bedroom property, which is on the National Register of Historic Homes, was listed for sale in June for $6.18 million. Its assessed value with Lewis and Clark County is almost $1.36 million.
The Gianfortes bought the house last week and it will be their primary residence in Helena, his office said.
“After my service, we will donate this home to the state and people of Montana,” Gianforte said in a statement.
Officials in the governor's office did not immediately respond to a question about what might happen to the existing governor's mansion near the Capitol, which has been closed for renovations since 2021.
The Legislature has allocated more than $2 million for the work. The Ministry of Administration, which maintains the house, said renovation work was suspended due to supply chain delays and labor shortages, driving up costs.
The Ministry of Administration will decide whether to accept the donated mansion and, if so, what the state will use it for.
Gianforte “is committed to ensuring that future First Families have a Governor's Mansion that is in good condition, safe, healthy and family-friendly, while at the same time ensuring that the state is a good steward of taxpayer resources” , the statement said.
Gianforte's first term ends in January 2025. He has not said whether he will seek re-election, although it is widely expected he will.