Marred by hail damage, Conrad Mansion getting new roof

The historic Conrad Mansion Museum is getting a new roof after last summer’s hail storm left the Kalispell landmark badly damaged.

Director Brit Clark recalled that when hailstones — some as large as limes — came hurtling out of the sky, the museum staff jumped into action to protect the building.

“We were just so worried when the storm came, and tried our best to protect all the artifacts,” Clark said.

The mansion’s cedar shingles were heavily damaged by the storm. A few of the icy projectiles even punctured the roof, Clark said.

Now, the city of Kalispell, which owns the property, has put out a call for bids for a roof replacement project.

Repairs and restoration work performed over the years typically came at the nonprofit’s expense, but the mansion’s roof is covered by the city’s insurance policy, Clark said.

“We’re under the city’s insurance just for the roof,” Clark said. “Everything else is on us.”

Clark expects that the project will cost between $120,000 and $150,000. The bid process remains open until Feb. 23.

The invitation for bids specifies that the selected contractor must use taper sawn cedar shingles, a requirement that ensures the finished repairs will match materials and design from the mansion’s original construction in 1895.

Clark said that the museum worked with a historic architect to make sure that repairs and restoration projects remain historically accurate.

The mansion has used a temporary roof since the storm. Clark hopes the project will be completed by this fall.

Charles E. Conrad, businessman and prominent figure in Kalispell’s early history, and his wife Lettie built the mansion in 1895. It was then passed down to their youngest daughter, Alicia, who donated the property to the city in 1974 after it fell into a state of disrepair.

The house is noted for its early-Norman design and was considered quite luxurious, boasting 26 rooms, according to the museum’s website. It featured technologies that were state-of-the-art at the time, including electric lights, steam heat and a freight elevator.

It also had four native stone chimneys serving eight fireplaces, according to the Montana Historical Society.

The mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. The museum offers guided and unguided tours of the house and grounds, as well as putting on events year round, including concerts, parties and weddings.

In 2021, the museum saw over 10,000 visitors, according to tax records.

Reporter Adrian Knowler can be reached at 758-4407 or aknowler@dailyinterlake.com.