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by Katheryn Houghton Daily Inter Lake
| January 20, 2017 9:20 PM

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DONNA WARRINGTON watches the broadcast of the Donald Trump inauguration parade from her home on Trump Drive in Kalispell.

Hours after Donald Trump took his oath as the 45th president of the United States on Friday, I decided to take a walk along Trump Drive in Kalispell to see if neighborhood residents were ambivalent, in celebration, or mourning. Standing on the street now named after one of the most powerful leaders in the world, I began knocking on doors.

For the first time in days, the clouds had parted and the sun was shining. “That’s ‘cause Trump’s in office,” Donna Warrington said, a Trump Drive resident of three years.

Warrington smiled as she let me in her home and settled back into her recliner. Her TV flashed images of Pennsylvania Avenue as the inaugural parade made its way from the U.S. Capitol to the Trumps’ new home.

Warrington said when she first heard that the man her street was named after was running for president, she laughed. But about six months into election season, she was a Trump supporter. He seemed strong, she said. And “he’s not Hillary Clinton,” she said of the Democratic candidate who lost the electoral vote and won the popular.

“I feel good today,” Warrington said, her head glued in the direction of the screen. “There’s a lot of whiners today. There were a lot of signs out during the election, a decent amount for Hillary. But this is a quiet, nice, neighborhood … we didn’t talk about it. All went as normal.”

Trump Drive sits in the center of Empire Estates Park — a loop that encircles streets carrying the names of men throughout centuries who influenced business. Seventeen homes are scattered along the drive.

North of Trump Drive is Ford Way, named after the man who created the Ford Model T car in 1908. Henry Ford went on to develop the assembly line production.

To the south is Carnegie Drive, named after self-made style tycoon Andrew Carnegie who was one of the wealthiest businessmen of the 19th century.

“I knew on day one, Trump would win because of his business sense,” Willie Lundberg said. “At least, I knew he was the only one capable of beating Hillary.”

Lundberg said Trump wasn’t his “favorite in the beginning.” His vote moved closer to Trump each time another Republican candidate dropped out of the election.

Now, Lundberg said he’s excited to see what Trump will do.

Lisa Barber said she wasn’t celebrating on Inauguration Day.

She spoke in a quiet voice as her 21-month-old daughter took an afternoon nap in the next room.

“I didn’t vote for him, but life moves on,” Barber said. “... In times of adversity, when you feel that your core values are being challenged, it’s time to stop just watching the news.”

Her bags were packed for the Women’s March in Helena. There Barber, her husband and her daughter — in a baby carrier strapped to Barber’s back — would join a national effort to spend Trump’s first day in office advocating for women’s rights.

Barber said she wanted to teach her daughter how to find silver linings as she begins to grow and learns to speak and interact with people under a Trump Administration.

“I want her to grow up knowing that she always has a choice, whether it’s her body or her thoughts. I want her to know she’s no less than any man — to be strong and smart,” Barber said. “And know, while we didn’t have a female president this year, we came close. And we will have one in her lifetime … there’s always a silver lining.”

A few doors down the street, Duane Martin said he watched the inauguration from his living room, and Friday morning he felt “cautiously optimistic.”

“I was very moved by today,” Martin said. “God was so center stage in all of it. And nobody was apologetic for their Christian faith.”

Martin said he felt hope again for the first time in eight years as he watched his country’s leaders ask for wisdom and guidance throughout the next four years. Trump, he said, “favors the people over the establishment.”

He said others will eventually see that too, “hopefully.”

Martin stepped outside for his afternoon walk. Other than a few kids playing in the snow, the street was empty — like Warrington had said, it was a quiet neighborhood.

“I don’t think anyone moved here because it’s Trump Drive,” Martin said. “But it’s kind of fun to be living on Trump Drive right now.”

Reporter Katheryn Houghton may be reached at 758-4436 or at khoughton@dailyinterlake.com.