Flathead Valley Landmarks & Legends

12/14/2017

“They should make Kalispell an architectural Disney World and charge admission,” Chaix said. “The place is a portal to the past, in the sense of architecture”—if you know me well enough, then you know that's pretty much me verbatim...
Kudos to Clare Menzel for writing a great article about Kalispell architect Fred Brinkman in the latest issue of Flathead Living Magazine...

Fred Brinkman, with up to 100 structures to his name, including some of the town’s most recognizable homes and businesses, is perhaps more responsible for shaping Kalispell’s appearance than any other person

12/08/2017

Most folks think there's not much of architecture (or late 19th-century culture) to be found in the Flathead. Then again, whether in Kalispell, Columbia Falls, or Whitefish, with a few right turns, you can find plenty—it's one of those quirks that makes the Flathead remarkably special...

10/29/2017

Yep, a "Horse Restaurant"—the corner of 2nd & 2nd on the west side of Kalispell has long since been a place of eats and commerce, as this photo attests (it's where Sykes now stands).

09/12/2017

Funny thing about DEMERSVILLE... Technically speaking, the namesake of the "Cliff House," J.E. Clifford is still the mayor. Despite being a petty thief, spending some time at Deer Lodge, trying to swindle land from the Flathead Reservation—Demersville was never unincorporated, and more than 125 years later, Clifford remains the mayor. Clifford also holds another distinction: at the Demersville Cemetery, his name appears on a gravestone—much larger than the actual three prospectors who were buried there. But I'll let you form your own opinion of his character... ;-)

09/11/2017

It’s an unassuming and largely hidden sight, the last remnant of the first local town of any great importance. The Demersville Cemetery, tucked on the southern outskirts of Kalispell, spreads... more

08/26/2017

Trivia: this is a picture of what kind of house?
Here's a hint: it's likely the only one of its kind left in the Flathead, if not all of Northwest Montana...

08/15/2017

If you want to experience Flathead history—get to the Threshing Bee!
And if you can't make it, please consider supporting the Northwest Antique Power Association. I can only say that I am in awe of these folks and their efforts to keep Northwest history alive—and working. At the least, please share and help spread the word!

THE PLACE TO BE!

08/07/2017

Here's what the Kalispell Malt & Brewing Co. looked like circa 1894. Along with one of the "attendence" tokens workers would give the foreman to "sign in" and "sign out" of work (the tokens or coins would be hung on a "sign" to show who was in the factory).

Note: the symbol on the token dates to the turn of the century—at least a decade before it could ever have been used by the NSDAP in Germany. But it was precisely through the long, historical association of this symbol with work and prosperity that it was adopted by the NSDAP.

And indeed, there are two fellas standing on the "Best Bottle Beer" sign—on top of the old Kalispell Malt & Brewing Co. Spend a moment looking over that photo and you'll find some suprises—like what's no longer there, and surprisingly, what remains still.

I'll look around for some of the other photos I have. And needless to say, It's a shame to see this important landmark fade...

08/07/2017

Someone asked about the Kalispell Malting & Brewery factory in Kalispell, so I thought I'd start this post to sharing what I've found. There's a link to an article I wrote in the old "Landmarks" column in the Flathead Beacon awhile back: http://flatheadbeacon.com/2014/09/02/kalispell-malting-brewing-co/

The Kalispell Malting & Brewing Co. was established in 1894 by Gust Gamer and the Lindlahr brothers, Henry and Charles (not to be confused with the new, exciting Kalispell Brewing... more

08/04/2017

Long ago, people rode the "dinky" train from Kalispell to Somers to swim in Flathead Lake. But one day in 1908, runaway locomotive #215 drove itself from Kalispell to Somers and ended up running off the dock (taking a plunge of a different kind). A more respectable photo of the "Kalispell dinky" at the Somers dock from 1913, shows a more prideful crew.

07/29/2017

A century ago, "Happy Hollow" just below Seven Row in Somers, looked a bit different—as did some of its earlier residents—shown here taking part in a parade in Somers in 1907.

07/24/2017

This photo marks the moment that the last of the Periman Cedar mill faded into memory. At the time, I knew it was the end of a more recent era in the Flathead Valley. But I'll admit, I didn't know just how profound it was until I read the article Margorie Periman wrote as a tribute to her husband Lawrence. It's a good reminder about a little bit of history, and its meaning passes by all around us—a little bit everyday...
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/archive/article-f14e1450-9b27-11e2-ae02-0019bb2963f4.html