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20 | MAY 14, 2014 COVER
FLATHEADBEACON.COM

An old Olympia beer sign hangs at the Polebridge Mercantile. GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON

Ben Hensen Sr., who opened his store baker makes up for it. Until 1994, the
in the 1920s because he thought Adair’s “IT’S ABOUT THE BAKERY AND THE PLACE. Merc didn’t feature a bakery, which to-
prices were exorbitant. When Hensen day serves as its most popular function.
was awarded the post oice contract, YOU’RE TRYING TO MATCH YOUR SERVICE TO “Dan Kaufman was an amazing bak-
his wife May submitted the name Po- THE SCENERY, AND YOU’RE ONLY AS GOOD AS er and all of his knowledge is still in the
lebridge, which was accepted.
bakery, so in that sense we are just car-
North Fork resident and historian YOUR LAST BEAR CLAW.” rying out tradition,” Hammerquist said.
Will Hammerquist
Lois Walker said the Hensens closed the When Coats and Reiswig purchased
store in 1936 due to the Depression, and the Merc, Kaufman stayed on for the
the post oice moved to Adair’s, where it summer to mentor them, and Coats in
remained until Dan Kaufman closed it in turn taught her brother, Jake Coats, Annette Rover took over.
along with Bill Adair I like him . Fri Feb
2001 after the Anthrax scare following and friend, Lauren Amato, who are both A brief history of the Merc that hangs
14. Didn’t get up very early but had a ine
9/11. The couple had to walk through the baking again this summer.
in the Northern Lights Saloon quotes an breakfast bot a pair of rubbers and sox
post oice to reach their living quarters, Reiswig is staying on as a baker and excerpt from former Glacier National and started for Belton. Billy Adairs is
and with a young son, the pay was insig- operations manager, as are veteran bak- Park ranger Norton Pearl, ofering some some ine place to stop.”

niicant compared to their son’s welfare.
ers Dan Koestler and Julie Nelson, all of insight into Adair’s colorful personality: And while Kaufman’s decision ran-
The Adairs operated the store until whose techniques were passed down by “Thurs Feb 13. Had a ine feed at Adairs kled locals who relied on the post oice,
just after World War II when Ben and
Kaufman.
for supper . Had quite a chat all the way
his contribution as a third-generation

PROPRIETORS OF POLEBRIDGE MERCANTILE
1975-1987
2014-
John & Karen Grey, then Karen Will Hammerquist
Feather. Saloon opened 1976;
1994-2009
1914-1943
Dan & Deb
William L. & Jessie Adair
1967-1969 cafe 1977; Karen owned saloon
Kaufman
2009-2014
1943-1955
Cal & Dorothy Oien
12 more years.
Flannery Coats & What is now the saloon was their 1955-1967
1969-1975
1987-1994
Stuart Reiswig
residence. After Jessie died in 1930, Bill Ben & Annette Chrys Landrigan
married Emma Lacher.
Rover
Ted & Esther Ross Bob Olsen

2004 2014
1924 1934
1964
1974
1914
1944
1954
1984 1994