Page 41 - Flathead Beacon // 9.3.14

FLATHEADBEACON.COM REAL ESTATE SEPTEMBER 3, 2014 | 41
LANDMARKS
Sixth Ave. W. & W. Center St., Kalispell
Kalispell Malting & Brewing Co
By JAIX CHAIX
The Kalispell Malting & Brewing Co. was estab- lished in 1894 by Gust Gamer and the Lindlahr broth- ers, Henry and Charles (not to be confused with the new, exciting Kalispell Brewing Company established at 412 Main Street earlier this year).
It was a time when Kalispell was regarded as the “St. Paul of the West” – the most promising and vibrant “metropolis” along the route between St. Paul and Seattle on the Great Northern Railway. And many entre- preneurs, like the Lindlahrs, came out West seeking opportunity.
Gamer and the Lindlahrs purchased Block 50 – 10 city lots on the west side of Kalispell just south of the Great Northern rail yard – from the Kalispell Townsite Co. Their endeavors in brewing, malting and real estate prospered, until Charles Lindlahr passed away in 1898.
Gust and his wife Sarah kept their share of the busi- ness, and continued to live in their small house that was once part of the block-long brewery complex. The rest of the business, formerly owned by the Lindlahrs, was purchased by Captain Frederick Pabst (as in Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer).
Pabst purchased the shares for his nephew, Christ Best (as in Best Beer). Christ Best was a descendant of German immigrant Jacob Best, who in 1844 founded what would later become the Phillip Best Brewing Co. – the largest brewer in the United States in the mid 1870s. Hence, the Kalispell Malting & Brewing Co., Pabst Beer and Best Beer share much history.
Soon another family tradition would begin at the
brewery. Gus Bischoff began working at the brewery in 1906. He labored as the business prospered in the 1910s and held on during Prohibition (1920-1933), when the brewery survived by making soda, cider, and “near beer.” In 1935, after work- ing at the brewery for nearly 30 years, Bischoff and his family purchased the brewery.
The Bischoff family (in one form or another) operated the brewery until 1955, when the grain elevator and other build- ings were dismantled and the oldest oper- ating business in Kalispell came to an end.
The day the final five-o’clock steam
whistle marked the end of the last shift,
it must have echoed like a death-knell for
the bottle plant workers who typically
earned a better-than-average wage, and for the farm- ers whose local barley had been prized for decades, and for those who imbibed, who could no longer enjoy a good local pour (or wallow in its legacy).
Nowadays, the sprawling plant is no longer. Only a few of the dozens of brewery workers’ homes dot the surrounding neighborhood. And the office/bottling department building (circa 1901) and adjoining beer cellar (circa 1903) are all that remain – having endured a patchwork of use and disuse.
And ironically, despite generations of family tradi- tions, despite the hometown pride of a “local product made with local ingredients,” the Kalispell Malting & Brewing Co. provides a good example – of bad things
PHOTO BY JAIX CHAIX
(much like drinking too much).
Indeed, history is quite like beer: a glass filled to the
brim also holds the last drop. Hence, without foresight and historical preservation, historic buildings can dete- riorate and disappear. So unfortunately, appreciating the Kalispell Malting & Brewing Co. is much like drink- ing a good beer: enjoy it while it lasts.
Jaix Chaix appreciates history and architecture. Share ideas and facts with him at [email protected] or at facebook. com/flatheadvalleylandmarks. He is teaching another “Historic Homes of Kalispell” course at FVCC this fall, and guiding “cem- etery walks” at the Conrad Memorial and Demersville cemeteries.
FLOOR SPACE By Georgia Christianson
What You Can Buy for About $450,000
NEXT WEEK: $500,000
COLUMBIA FALLS
BIGFORK
WHITEFISH
KALISPELL
54 Middle View Tr.
280 Swan Hill Dr.
209 Granite Dr.
30 Prosperity Way
PRICE: $435,000
WHAT: Three-bedroom, two-bath home
SQUARE FEET: 2,110
This home sits on 4.87 acres in a tran- quil setting. It has an open floor plan, maintenance-free landscaping with un- derground sprinklers and custom shop. Keller Williams Realty Northwest Montana
MLS #: 324641
PRICE: $449,000
WHAT: Two-bedroom, two-bath home SQUARE FEET: 1,950
This artisan log home sits on 9.5 private acres and is only minutes from Bigfork. It features hand-peeled logs, pine plank flooring, two decks and ample natural light. National Parks Realty
MLS #: 328873
PRICE: $449,000
WHAT: Three-bedroom, three-bath
home
SQUARE FEET: 2,400
This new custom home features alder cabinetry doors and trim, circle sawn floors, granite counters and stain- less appliances. Rocky Mountain Real Estate, Inc.
MLS #: 329463
PRICE: $465,000
WHAT: Five-bedroom, four-bath home
SQUARE FEET: 3,330
Enjoy country living in this lovely home with great views of the Swan Range. It features a beautiful deck, quartz coun- ters, detached shop and radiant floor heating. National Parks Realty
MLS #: 329659
If you would like your property listed in the Floor Space section, please e-mail [email protected]. Entries are compiled by the Beacon staff and Georgia Christianson, Montana Brokers.
What would 30 years of successful real-estate experience do for you?
Call Georgia, a certified residential specialist for a free one-hour consultation.