The Conrad Mansion was constructed in 1895. The house is now a museum but is still regarded as one of the most historic homes in Kalispell. Kalispell's mansion was named after the city's founding father, Charles E. Conrad, and was designed by architect Kirtland Cutter. The mansion is available for tours where guests can explore its lavish architecture, historical furniture, and beautiful gardens.
The Hockaday Museum of Art opened in 1969 to showcase the art of Glacier National Park and the works of Montana artists. It is housed in the historic Carnegie Library building, which was built in 1903. The museum's collection features a wide range of works of art and related items including photographs and vintage maps. Notable artists represented in the permanent collection include painter Charles M. Russell, painter Adolph Heinze, and photographer Fred H. Kiser. The art depicts Glacier National Park, the Blackfeet Indian Nation, the Empire Builder Railroad, and the pioneers who settled in northwest Montana. The museum offers permanent and changing exhibitions as well as a variety of events and programs.
The Northwest Montana History Museum is dedicated to preserving and promoting the cultural, economic, and social history of northwestern Montana. It is housed in the historic 1894 Central School Building. The Northwest Montana Historical Society operates the museum, which opened in 1999. The museum features permanent and temporary exhibits that explore the Native American cultures of northwest Montana, the history of Flathead Valley, the timber industry, the history of Central School, and the story of local pioneer Frank Bird Linderman. The old school is a contributing property of the East Side Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The former Great Northern Railway Depot is a historic train station situated in the aptly named Depot Park. It was originally built in 1892 by the the Great Northern Railway, which envisioned Kalispell as a division point for its main train line. While Great Northern relocated the main line to pass through the town of Whitefish in 1904, by then the depot had helped establish Kalispell as an important economic center and remained integral to furthering the town's development in the decades to come. The depot is two-stories tall and was renovated on a few occasions, the last major one taking place in 1928. Today it houses the offices of the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.
This historic building, now home to a restaurant, was built in the early 1910s as Blacksmith shop. It is named after one of its owners, Paris Logan Boyd, who occupied it from 1928 to 1934. It is historically significant for two main reasons. One is that it's among the last wood-frame buildings with a false front still standing in Kalispell. It also represents the period when residents started to use automobiles rather than horses as a primary means of transportation. For these reasons, Boyd's Shop was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The historic 1892 Fisher House is named after Rev. George McVey Fisher, who was one of Kalispell's prominent figures during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Fisher was a pioneer Presbyterian minister known for his interest in farming, providing food and shelter to those who needed help including local Indians, and founding a congregation here in Kalispell and five others in Flathead Valley . As for the house itself, it was designed in the Stick/Eastlake style with features of the Queen Anne style as well, such as bay windows. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.
The former Scandinavian Methodist Church is historically significant for its association with the Scandinavian immigrant community, which was instrumental in developing Kalispell and the Flathead Valley in the early 20th century. Built in 1896, it is also one of the first churches built in the city (the congregation itself was founded in early 1895). Several of its original members were tradesmen, carpenters, farmers, and lumberjacks. In fact, a number of them helped build the church. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994, the old church has operated as a thrift store since 1957.
Despite its ordinary appearance, the historic c.1895 Beaman House has an interesting past. Local resident Alex Goyette built it as a rental property in the working-class section of Kalispell. Interestingly however, Goyette was active the local Populist Party which was critical of capitalism. Apparently he did not have problem collecting rent from the very people he supported politically. Additionally, the house is also significant for its Queen Anne architecture and somewhat unusual design. Goyette built it as a duplex with each residence side-by-side (versus one on each floor). The house is a single-family home today but its original layout wasn't obvious from the outside.
Named after its builder and first owner, Frederick Ferguson, this historic home is a well-preserved example of a typical railroad worker house in Kalispell from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Ferguson worked for the Great Northern Railway and built the house around 1897. The house is designed in the Queen Anne style and Ferguson likely chose the design from a pattern book. Notable Queen Anne details of the house include a large porch with turned porch supports and a front gable end with a small arched window and decorative wood shingles.
Now a library, the former Federal Building in downtown Kalispell is historically significant in the areas of architecture and governance. It was built in 1917 and is an excellent example of Colonial Revival architecture. It serves as a reminder of the important role the federal government played in the city and the region during the first half of the 20th century. For many years it housed the post office and offices of the U.S. Weather Bureau, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Weather Bureau, and the U.S. Land Office. Interesting architectural features include a brick facade, large arched windows, pilasters (decorative elements that resemble columns), and a balustrade (railing) along the roofline. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.
Built in 1905, the Flathead County Courthouse is one of the most historic landmarks in Kalispell. It is the centerpiece of the Courthouse Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. While other modern county government structures have been built, the courthouse still retains important government functions as it houses the offices of the county clerk, the county recorder, and other county departments. It is also significant for its Chateauesque architecture, featuring a steeply pitched roof, a large clock tower, spires topped with finials, decorative belts of orange concrete above and below windows, and a large curved window above the main entrance. The Courthouse Historic District includes many other contributing properties in the surrounding area.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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This short walk through Kalispell starts at the Conrad Mansion Museum and includes several historic buildings, including the Great Northern Railway Depot. The tour also includes the Northwest Montana History Museum and concludes at the Flathead County Courthouse.
