Our county, our courthouse

Flathead County residents should be proud of their 1903 Courthouse that’s open once again after a major renovation project.

They also should be thankful that money for the remodel came not from property taxes but largely from money the county commissioners had the foresight to gather from other sources and tuck away over seven years.

The end result is a beautiful restoration of a local landmark that will continue to be the hub of county government for decades to come. The $2.7 million project already has drawn outside attention from the Montana Contractors’ Association, which is giving general contractor Martel Construction an award for best historic restoration.

The project was multifaceted, with work done to improve access, energy-efficiency and structural stability. The real crowd-pleaser, though, is the restoration of the grand staircase, a gathering spot and focal point in the building.

Too often aging historic buildings are cast aside in favor of modern facilities, but Flathead residents, to their credit, often have opted to preserve local history. The Conrad Mansion and Central School Museum are two other shining examples of important historic preservation.

It’s interesting that well over a half century ago the county was struggling with overcrowding and what to do with the then 51-year-old courthouse that was showing its age. The Inter Lake archives note that by 1956 the building had deteriorated to the point where officials were contemplating building a new courthouse altogether.

We’re glad voters decided back then to oppose a ballot issue calling for a new courthouse. A second effort for a new courthouse in the mid-1960s didn’t fly, either, and through the years the county found space elsewhere — Courthouse East and the two annexes among other facilities — to alleviate overcrowding before the Earl Bennett Building was constructed a few years ago.

In today’s Inter Lake you’ll find a commemorative insert that details the restoration project and offers some interesting courthouse tidbits from the past.

County residents are invited to an open house on Thursday to celebrate the restoration and witness a rededication of the historic building. The event, sponsored by the Daily Inter Lake, Glacier Bank and CTA Architects Engineers, runs from 3 to 7 p.m. at the courthouse, 800 S. Main St.

Of course county residents are welcome to visit the building any time they want. It’s your building, and will be for many years to come.