Tubelite's 400 Series Curtainwall Featured on Montana's Pompeys Pillar National Monument
Walker, Mich. - Designed for low- and mid-rise applications, the durable framework of Tubelite Inc.'s 400 Series curtainwall can be seen on such notable projects as Pompeys Pillar National Monument.
Located 25 miles east of Billings, Montana, Pompeys Pillar is the site of the only remaining physical evidence on the trail of the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1803-1806. It was designated as a National Monument in 2001 to commemorate and emphasize Captain William Clark's journey along the Yellowstone River from Bozeman to the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers.
Captain Clark carved his name into the face of the 150-foot butte on July 25, 1806 during his return to the United States through the Yellowstone Valley. He named the Pillar "Pompeys Tower" in honor of Sacagawea's son, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, whom he had nicknamed "Pomp."
The Apsáalooke Tribe, also known as the Crow Nation, continues to use the Pillar for vision quests and as a prayer site. The Apsáalooke people called the Pillar "the place where the Mountain Lion lives," because the north face's natural sandstone formation resembles a mountain lion's head.
The Pompeys Pillar National Monument is open April 30-October 15. The information center was designed by Denver-based Anderson Mason Dale Architects. CCM Inc. of Hardin, Mont., was the general contractor. Glazing contractor Associated Glass of Billings, Mont., installed Tubelite's system in 2005.
Tubelite's 400 Series curtainwall provides industry-leading structural performance reducing the need for steel reinforcing. This system has a 2.5-inch sightline and the strength of back members varying in depth from 4 to 8 inches. An exterior screw-applied pressure bar secures the glass. Snap-on covers, available in a wide range of colors, allow for different finishes on interior and exterior exposed surfaces. Silicone glazed verticals are available for a seamless appearance.
The aluminum used to produce this curtainwall can be extruded by Tubelite using EcoLuminum(TM), a high recycled-content aluminum billet composition with eco-friendly, durable finishes. For Pompeys Tower, a Dark Bronze anodize was used to complement the natural woodwork and natural landscape.
To learn more about Tubelite's products and specific performance data, please visit www.tubeliteinc.com.
Tubelite was established in 1945 and is now part of Apogee Enterprises, Inc. The company's headquarters, distribution, warehousing and assembly operations are in Walker, Mich. Its additional facility in Reed City, Mich., houses the company's aluminum extrusion operation.
