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NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | 39

REAL ESTATE

MONTANA LIFESTYLES
Flathead

Pioneers

By CHUCK SHIELDS

With the creek of a saddle, the smell
of campire, and the repetitive wobble in
each roll of the wheel, early pioneers en-
dured long and treacherous days on their
western travels. They were days illed
with scorching heat and swarms of black
lies. These pioneers were always look-

ing for the next water hole. Yet, each un-
derstood the inal destination and knew
the journey would be well worth the trial
once they entered the valley above the
big lake. These settlers had heard talk of
towns forming: Holt and its Ferry on the
north end of Flathead Lake and Ashley

along a meandering creek, further north
in the valley. Kalispell, Columbia Falls
and Whiteish would form as the Great
Northern Railroad brought forth more
people laying its tracks toward the West.
Although, the Flathead has experienced
much growth and change since those Bob Marshall Wilderness. SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTO
early days, remnants of the frontier such outside of Bigfork in the early 1900s,
ders can be seen easily enough, it is di- is this same motivation that interests us

as a pioneering spirit and dreams of a burned over Swan Hill and all the way to verse and unsuspecting at times. I still to buy that city lot with a “ixer upper” or
simplistic but fulilled life remain the the Jewel Basin.
get excited to ind those old homesteads the vacation home on the lake. It’s some-
same.
Recognizing these connections to that are tucked back along a country thing we can call our own and design to
Despite being relatively new to the the early Flathead, I wanted to learn road – never knowing they previously our own speciications. Likewise, it’s a
valley (15 years), I have observed a few more. Studying the local history, I read existed. Flathead pioneers gave up big choice that we have made to leave some
of these remnants over my time here. about Bob Marshall and his 50-mile city life and the dawn of the industrial of the busy world behind and form small
Saying goodbye to our eastern home, “day hikes.” This spurred me to explore revolution to live a simpler quiet life in communities where we know one anoth-
my family traded the horse and wagon and adventure on my own. Not only did
the West. Despite the simple life, an in- er more intently.
for an old Chevy pickup. Purchasing a I explore Glacier National Park and the dividual’s creativity and development A dream brought those irst settlers
large chunk of acreage north of Bigfork, Bob Marshall Wilderness, I began to tra- for the land can clearly be seen. Many west, those pioneers that saw an oppor-
Dad put in a road and started building verse the back roads and look at unique old homesteads demonstrate this in re- tunity for a fresh start and to utilize the
a house. I found myself enthralled with properties around the Flathead. I soon gards to the proximity of homes to wa- resources around them. It’s this same
the idea of making the land my own. realized a passion and one that would ter. As well as using the natural protec- vision that brought my family, a century
While lagging the property lines we keep me up late at night scouring the tion of a hill or trees to guard against later, to a place I will always call home.
discovered a small bear den in what we MLS sites for properties and listings. wind and weather.
Likewise, it’s a dream that a fulilling

referred to as the back 40. Later we also Realizing that this passion could be a This creativity and development is life can be lived with some hard work
noticed ancient spring board stumps job, I earned my Realtor license and seen in newer homes as well. The inner and a pioneering spirit.
that had been scarred by ire but stood now get to help other people make there motivation that drove Everit Sliter and
the test of time. Locals told us that these Montana dreams a reality.
T.J. Demers to plot out Bigfork and De- Chuck Shields is a realtor at Trails
trees had burned in a ire that started
Although our valley’s physical bor-
mersville (the predecessor to Kalispell)
West Real Estate.

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