Somers reunion set for Aug. 1

Every other year for decades, the town of Somers has been a gathering spot for dozens of people with ties to the former industry town.

The 2015 Somers Reunion on Aug. 1 will present more of the same as the tiny community celebrates its long and storied past.

Fran Ruby, who has been organizing the reunion for a decade, said although attendance for the event has been dropping slightly in recent years, the enthusiasm of those who go hasn’t wavered.

“This event has been going on since the early ’40s,” she said. “After the sawmill closed we all wanted a way to get together. So every other year we all love to come back.”

Somers used to be a bustling community with an active sawmill. railroad tie processing plant, pool hall and hundreds of residents atop a hill overlooking north Flathead Lake. Today, it’s a little sleepier.

“We used to have 150 people come to the reunion,” Ruby said. “These days it’s more like 100.”

This year, a new building to house the Somers Lumber Co.’s S2 Engine will be a draw for those who love Montana history and trains. Somers at one time was a company town complete with ethnic neighborhoods and a wall ringing the town.

The reunion event, held from 10 a.m. to “whenever the last one leaves” on Saturday, Aug. 1 at the Somers Fire Hall, includes a potluck lunch and open to all interested people. The biennial celebration is always the first Saturday in August.

“We want newcomers, oldcomers and everyone in between,” Ruby said. “Anyone that has any connection to Somers and those who don’t.”

Fran’s husband, Howard Ruby, worked on the S2 engine’s housing with fellow Somers native Francis Van Rinsum. He is a lifelong Somers resident and an organizer of the event.

“It’s like a big family reunion. It’s a great time.”

Price of admission is a dish for the potluck, and the Rubys said if you own relics and stories of Somers’ past, bring them and be prepared to talk.

The potluck is scheduled at noon at the Somers Fire Hall on Leslie Avenue.