The warm, colorful shimmer of Christmas lights reminds Scott Davis of being a kid, sitting by the tree, enjoying the holiday season with friends and family.
These last few years, the lifelong Kalispell resident has whole-heartedly embraced the nostalgia and helped brighten the Christmas spirit in his hometown with his fleet of historic replica trolleys.
Since restoring his first classic carrier three years ago, Davis and his team at Montana Trolley Co. have led riders on tours of Christmas lights throughout Kalispell. The trolley buses, resembling the streetcars of the late 19th century and made to shine with oak, brass and steel, explore the neighborhoods with the best displays of dazzling decorations and glowing inflatables.
“It’s such a neat way to celebrate the season,” Davis said. “We have people who started out on the very first tours and they do them every year. They tell me it reminds them of the old Christmas. That’s what I like to hear.”
The hour-long tours have become very popular among riders and homeowners alike. This winter’s route has seen 20-30 more houses flashing with lights and Christmas displays, according to Davis. The tours have added an incentive for residents to join in the spirit of the season. Riders on each tour are surveyed on the best displays, and at the end of the season Davis will reward those houses with gift certificates to downtown businesses. He was able to collect over $3,000 in gift cards from downtown, another sign of support and Christmas spirit.
It all began with a leap of faith a few years ago. Davis was driving to Missoula when he passed by an old trolley that was for sale in Polson. Something about it stuck in his mind.
He came back and ended up buying the beaten-up bus and spent seven months restoring it to its former glory. He named it Hazel, after his mother.
Built in 1980 in the South, Hazel featured a motorhome-type frame made of fine oak. At first, Davis thought maybe he could use it as a dining car-type carrier that would travel around to local restaurants, offering riders a unique service and experience.
“We’ve always been a tourist industry here and trolleys are synonymous with bringing people to town and taking them back home,” he said.
“I had no expectations for this. When I bought that one trolley, I figured that maybe it would help keep my son-in-law busy. That’s it. But then I realized the demand.”
That first summer, his daughter, Dawn, booked 35 weddings for the trolley. Pretty soon the calls were pouring in for birthdays, bachelor and bachelorette parties, brewery tours and other fun events that wanted a unique travel experience.
Davis realized rather quickly that he needed to find another trolley.
Over the last two years he has added two more trolleys — both named after his aunts, Theda and Ruby — that add to the fleet of fun adventures.
Now the Montana Trolley Co. employs Davis, his daughter, son-in-law and two drivers. With the ability to hold up to 25 people comfortably, the trolleys now take tours to Glacier National Park, around Flathead Lake and all over the valley. They’ve provided transportation for major events, such as the Montana Dragon Boat Festival and The Event at Rebecca Farm.
“Someday I want a fleet of six to 10 trolleys. We’re having to turn down people often,” Davis said.
Davis is also open to new ideas for tours, too. Next year a group is looking at adding a tour of haunted houses in the valley, and there’s already a current tour of landmarks across the valley.
But nothing is quite as beloved as the growing Christmas light tours.
“That’s what we’re trying to do with the trolleys: give a lifelong memory of Christmas here in the Flathead,” Davis said.
For more information about the tours, or to add your home to the Christmas light route, visit montanatrolleyco.com or call 752-1523