Lumberjacks, Tie Hacks & River Pigs

Description

Months in the making, the renovation of the Northwest Montana History Museum's 'timber room' will be unveiled at a free public open house from 10 am until 5 pm, Friday, October 18. Volunteers and vendors from throughout the valley, along with students from Kalispell Public Schools, worked to install a model train layout featuring the Somers tie plant and other past and present Flathead Valley landmarks. Renowned Columbia Falls muralist Clark Heyler painted the backdrop. A new timeline of events in the history of Northwest Montana timber industry brings our understanding up to date and includes information concerning new and innovative wood products made here. Volunteers also took a deep dive into the museum's collection to create displays of historic tools, clothing and even the grub served in a logging camp. Learn what it meant to have hot cakes nailed to your door if you were camp cook. The museum's rich photographic archive yielded dozens of images showing the various methods of logging over 150 years in places that are well-known to Flathead Valley residents. These were enlarge, printed, and mounted in the windows and along the walls. For the October 18 open house, adults in flannel will receive a free pint glass (while supplies last). Kids can enter a drawing to win a wooden toy train.