Trains once chugged through the center of Kalispell, making the community a railroad hub and helping it to thrive as a commercial center. A spur line connecting the city with Somers provided a connection point to a sawmill on the north shore of Flathead Lake.

Freight and passenger trains passed over the spur line daily carrying travelers between the Great Northern Depot in Kalispell and the steamboat terminal at Somers.   

Though those trains ceased operation decades ago and the railroad tracks were eventually removed to make way for pedestrian transportation pathways, the impact remains.  

Visitors to the Northwest Montana History Museum in Kalispell can get a small glimpse of those historic days with a recently completed model railroad display as part of the Lumberjacks, Tie Hacks and River Pigs exhibit showcasing the history of the timber industry.  

Much of the model train diorama featuring the historic Somers tie plant and other Flathead Valley landmarks set to a backdrop of mountains was ready when the exhibit opened last fall, but two key buildings have finally been placed in the landscape — the historic Flathead County Courthouse and Central School, which is now home to the museum.  

The buildings are the work of Glacier High School graduate Brec Gibson and Flathead High School senior Danica Luehr. Gibson created 3-D printed replicas of the buildings and then Leuhr hand painted them.  

It was a painstaking effort by both who took on the project as part of internships through Kalispell Public School’s work-based learning program. Gibson, who plans to study architecture, and Leuhr, who plans to study art education in college, took on the endeavor as hands-on learning opportunities in their respective areas of interest.  

Drawing on blueprints of the buildings, Gibson converted measurements to the model railroad HO scale, which uses a 1:87 scale and is the most popular scale of model railway. 

“I needed the plans in order to make the model so it could be scaled correctly,” Gibson said. “I couldn’t do it based on Google Earth because that would not be precise enough. It was definitely a fun process trying to figure out how to do everything.”  

In creating the plans for the models, Gibson had to balance creating an accurate representation of the buildings while at the same time not including too many details.  

“For the courthouse I didn’t have the physical plans, so I had to use a ruler to the computer measure it out and then convert it. The clock tower was difficult to model — the courthouse has tons of details I wanted to capture but I also didn’t want to overdo it. Especially when they are so little, I knew I couldn’t do every brick.”  

Once the 3-D models were complete, Leuhr studied photographs of the buildings as they are today for reference and set about using acrylic paint to bring the structures to life. Finding the right mix of paints to stick to the plastic and returning in person to check proper colors were all part of the process. Taking care to look at the fine details like accentuating the reddish bricks of Central School and picking the correct green for trim on the courthouse adds to the realism of the tiny reproductions.  

“Pictures don’t capture exactly what you see in person,” she said. “I went around taking different photos but then had to come back a couple of times when I realized I missed taking pictures of some areas. I wanted to make sure I matched it as close as I could.” 

For Leuhr this was her first time painting models. Though she enjoyed the process, she says with a laugh that it did teach her a lot of patience along the way.  

“It was a more tactile experience than painting on a canvas or drawing in a more traditional style,” she said. “I have done sculpture, so it was similar to that but still I haven’t done anything that detailed before." 

THE DISPLAY depicts the area in 1940s and 1950s based on the model locomotive and cars that once belonged to Ken Ross of Helena and were donated to the museum by his wife after his death. Ross created a replica of Somers, so museum volunteers modified the display to include Kalispell landmarks like the grain silos on Fifth Avenue West and key points from around the Flathead Valley — like a logging operation and a ski hill both set on outskirts of town — along with fitting the display into the exhibit space.  

Museum board member Bill Dakin and volunteer and model railroad aficionado Grant Mounteer led efforts to reimagine the display so it would fit with museum’s goals.  

A red button at the center of the model display allows visitors to activate the trains watching them circle around the town. The whistle of the Great Northern Railway train announces its arrival.  

The display has been constructed to a lower height to be visible to young children, but also those using a wheelchair. A wooden train set placed nearby lets the youngest of museum patrons participate in a tactile learning experience. 

“This was all part of a major step in our museum board goals to make this more attractive for young children who will also bring their grandparents to the museum,” Dakin said. “We want to make this a family experience.” 

“It has already proven its point,” Mounteer said. “Kids will stay here for a long time with something moving.” 

Looking through the glass surrounding the display, there’s a whole story to uncover as viewers can spot a woman hanging laundry out to dry and children playing in a park. There are cars driving along the roadways and a man is hard at work finishing the roof of a red house.  

“I took maps to look at the layout of the town to keep it as historically accurate as possible,” Mounteer said. “It’s a representation of what it was at the time. We have a barn and a logging scene and there’s the F on the hill outside of town — we did as much as we could.” 

Volunteers did their best to include historic details. But there’s also a sense of whimsy — keep a look out for the hidden Sasquatch. 

“You get all of these different kinds of memories coming out for people,” Mounteer said. “Having as close to what it was brings out all those memories.”  

The historic courthouse and school were selected for the need to create buildings recognizable to those who know the town’s history. The Conrad Mansion and historic Depot Building are two iconic town buildings being discussed as additions to the display.  

It would have been difficult for the museum to include the highly recognizable buildings without the work by the students. Dakin points out that the people and vintage automobiles in the display can cost upwards of $50 apiece and are not custom made.  

“The benefits of having them work on this went beyond our dreams for what we could do,” Dakin said.  

The Northwest Montana History Museum is located at 124 Second Ave. E. in Kalispell. For more information, visit nwmthistory.org.  

Deputy Editor Heidi Desch may be reached at 758-4421 or [email protected].