Page 37 - Flathead Beacon // 3.5.14

FLATHEADBEACON.COM REAL ESTATE
MARCH 5, 2014 | 37

LANDMARKS
345 Fourth Ave. E., Kalispell
George Drew Residence

She outlived her husband George, who she pe-
By JAIX CHAIX
titioned for divorce in 1926, alleging his desertion

(George passed away two years later, in 1928). Maude There’s more to a house than meets the eye (much
kept the home and raised her two children, Albert like judging a book by its cover). And there’s more to the
and Edna there. Yet sadly, Maude had to bear what no history of a house beyond its namesake. In the case of
mother should: tending to the untimely passing of her the “George Drew Residence,” it seems to be quite the
son Albert, at the home in 1950.
misnomer.
In retrospect, Maude helped establish the business The home at 345 Fourth Ave. E. in Kalispell was
that would help pay for the home. She owned the home originally built in 1892 – barely a year after the town

before she had the right to vote. She would help make itself had been platted and founded. As nearly 100 new
improvements that literally “paved the way” for prog- homes were being built in the ledgling railroad town,
ress in the town of Kalispell. And she would reside in German immigrant Louise Sels and her son Ed found
her home, before World War I, until after World War the resolve to have this home built as well.
II, enduring hardships and raising her family all the And so, this cross-gabled, Queen Anne home was
while.
one of the earliest built in the new town. It should be
Yet despite such a history, a home irst commis- noted (and quite well considering the times), that the PHOTO BY JAIX CHAIX
sioned by a woman, then owned by two women, and home was commissioned by a woman.
walk – an improvement that was lauded in the news-

kept for more than 54 years by the same woman, bears Louise sold the home to her son-in-law, Arthur paper at the time. A sidewalk may not seem like any-
the namesake of a man: “George Drew.”
Burnes, but lived there with the extended family. In thing worth mentioning, but back then, it was a sign
1902, Burnes sold the home to Josephine Richards and of commitment; a mark of permanence. It was a bold
Ella Bell (note again, the home was owned by two wom- improvement in many ways, considering both the his-
Jaix Chaix is a writer who appreciates history and en). Josephine and Ella rented the “large front rooms” tory of Kalispell, and the personal lives of the Drews
architecture. You can share ideas and historical facts to gentlemen until 1905, when they sold the house to as well.
with him at [email protected]. Also visit George E. and Maude B. Drew.
George and Maude arrived in Kalispell in 1901.

facebook.com/latheadvalleylandmarks
As new owners, George and Maude made two re- They established a dry goods and grocery store, known
markable improvements to the home. First, they likely then as “Drew and MacDonalds.” As their business
Take the “Historic Homes of Kalispell” Course
added the distinctive, horseshoe-shaped front porch. prospered, they purchased the home to raise their fam-
This April, Jaix will teach a course about “Landmarks” “Front porch homes” were quite popular then. And it ily. In 1912, they sold the store, but decided to keep the
and historic homes of Kalispell at Flathead Valley was a feature that added depth (i.e., status) to the front house and make Kalispell home.
Community College. Read more in the FVCC of the house, and a place to enjoy more idle moments.
As fate would have it, Maude would become the lon-
Community Education Classes brochure, call Second, they removed the partial, wooden plank- gest resident of the home. She lived in the home from
(406) 756-3832 or enroll online at fvcc.edu.
ing at the front of the house and installed a brick side-
1905, until her passing in 1959, at the age of 89.

r
d ou
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s wil
Brick

Shell
and
B

Buy a Personalized

Brick and Help
BRICK PRICING:

Improve Our Acoustic

4” x 8”- $50 ea.
Sound in Depot Park

8” x 8”- $100 ea.

Your Choice of Wording on 3 Lines
per Brick, 20 Characters Per Line

Contact Jennifer Young at Kalispell Parks and Recreation for more information.
406.758.7717 | [email protected]