Historical group hosts presentation on Conrad Mansion

Kalispell's pioneer founder Charles Conrad and his historic mansion is the topic of a presentation at 7 p.m. Monday, July 17. The talk is being held on the lawn of the Conrad Mansion at 300 Woodland Ave. in Kalispell.

The presentation is sponsored by the Northwest Montana Posse of Westerners, a local history group. Admission is $5 for non-members and adults. Youths under 16 get in free.

Mansion Director Brit Clark will describe how Fort Benton businessman Charles Conrad and Jim Hill, president of the Great Northern Railway, joined forces to create a new town out of farmers' fields in 1891.

She will also focus on the development and construction of the mansion itself. This includes the life and achievements of famed architect, Kirtland Cutter, and his vision for the Conrad’s dream home, and later, the Lake McDonald Lodge in Glacier National Park.

And she will describe the life of Charles and Lettie Conrad in the new town of Kalispell, when the Conrad Family bounced from hotels to boarding houses while their home was being built. Charles was away on business most of the time, leaving the construction and design of the house to his wife, Lettie.

Through Lettie’s management, the Conrad Mansion became a community hub or a “town within a town,” complete with stables, boarding houses, community gardens, and an aviary.

The presentation also explores the surrounding properties owned by the Conrad family, including present-day Woodland Park, Wild Horse Island and more.

Clark will conclude with the controversy that led to the city receiving the mansion as a gift, but limiting its role.

Overcoming a last-minute challenge, the mansion opened as a museum in 1976. Every year thousands of people from all over the world visit the mansion, Clark notes.

Clark is a fourth-generation Kalispell resident who worked as a tour guide during summers while majoring in history at the University of Montana. She has served as director of the Conrad Mansion Museum since 2018.

The event does not include a tour of the mansion. However, the presentation will be held inside in case of inclement weather. No reservations are needed, but come early since space may be limited.