In 1889 Everit Sliter purchased 140 acres in the Flathead area for $1380. He planted 4000 fruit trees, rented out his 14 bedroom house, and established a trading post. (From the Walking Map of Bigfork)
In 1901 Everit L. Sliter platted a town of100 lots on his sixty-acre homestead and named it Bigfork. Sliter ran the town’s first hotel and general store, planted one of the first orchards, and was the town’s first postmaster. In the same year a hydroelectric plant was built adjacent to the town to supply electricity to Kalispell and other valley towns.
The Flathead Commercial Company opened in 1912 and in 1939 owner Harry Horn sold it to Walter Robbin. The Robbin General Store was open seven days a week and sold every thing from groceries and drugs to grain and lumber. (Looking Back, Kathryn L. McKay)
In September, 1899, Sam Johns, after having traveled by horseback along the roadless east shore of the lake, arrived at the mouth of the Swan River with a letter of introduction to Everit L. Sliter. There he met three men with fishing poles.
“They greeted me with, ‘Hello, Stranger.’ Introducing myself, they did the same. I inquired where Sliter was and was told he was away and would not be back before night.
“‘You come along with us and we’ll show you how to catch fish.’
“‘I’ll go with you if you will furnish me a line and hook.’
“…one of them fished from his pocket the necessary items even to cork and bait. I cut my own pole. My fishing friends were W. Rain, known as Uncle Billie Rain, Old Man Chapman, as called, and Jimmie Deneed, a bachelor…. They proved to be good companions. That forenoon—and the five nice trout I caught, where the present power plant now is, helped some….—I was beginning to fall for the country:…”
“Rain invited me over to his place to show me his garden. [We walked to] a log house and other log building standing back from the road. Arriving at the house, he called to his wife …. ‘This is another pilgrim just arrived, Mr. Johns—Mrs. Rain.’ ….Those coming first liked to show what could be grown in the Flathead. He had a small orchard started. ‘Chapman has a better and older one,’ he told me.”
“As we moved toward the house, he remarked, ‘Dinner will be ready and …[y]ou will find a place set for you.’ And it was. During the meal I let Rain and the Mrs. do the talking. I was busy showing Mrs. Rain that I appreciated her good dinner. Fish was part of the fare….”
“I heard enough of the by-play between the Rains to see that Mrs. was in command and Mr. Rain seemed contented and good natured. No doubt Uncle Billie would give his shirt away in a worthy cause, and it was owing to the Mrs. they had a roof over their heads. They were a typical pioneer type.”
(The Pioneers, Sam Johns)
History courtesy of Northwest Montana Historical Society in Kalispell, MT. Text a from a newly installed History of the Flathead Valley exhibition at the Museum at Central School, 124 2nd Ave E, Kalispell, MT
In 1901 Everit L. Sliter platted a town of100 lots on his sixty-acre homestead and named it Bigfork. Sliter ran the town’s first hotel and general store, planted one of the first orchards, and was the town’s first postmaster. In the same year a hydroelectric plant was built adjacent to the town to supply electricity to Kalispell and other valley towns.
The Flathead Commercial Company opened in 1912 and in 1939 owner Harry Horn sold it to Walter Robbin. The Robbin General Store was open seven days a week and sold every thing from groceries and drugs to grain and lumber. (Looking Back, Kathryn L. McKay)
In September, 1899, Sam Johns, after having traveled by horseback along the roadless east shore of the lake, arrived at the mouth of the Swan River with a letter of introduction to Everit L. Sliter. There he met three men with fishing poles.
“They greeted me with, ‘Hello, Stranger.’ Introducing myself, they did the same. I inquired where Sliter was and was told he was away and would not be back before night.
“‘You come along with us and we’ll show you how to catch fish.’
“‘I’ll go with you if you will furnish me a line and hook.’
“…one of them fished from his pocket the necessary items even to cork and bait. I cut my own pole. My fishing friends were W. Rain, known as Uncle Billie Rain, Old Man Chapman, as called, and Jimmie Deneed, a bachelor…. They proved to be good companions. That forenoon—and the five nice trout I caught, where the present power plant now is, helped some….—I was beginning to fall for the country:…”
“Rain invited me over to his place to show me his garden. [We walked to] a log house and other log building standing back from the road. Arriving at the house, he called to his wife …. ‘This is another pilgrim just arrived, Mr. Johns—Mrs. Rain.’ ….Those coming first liked to show what could be grown in the Flathead. He had a small orchard started. ‘Chapman has a better and older one,’ he told me.”
“As we moved toward the house, he remarked, ‘Dinner will be ready and …[y]ou will find a place set for you.’ And it was. During the meal I let Rain and the Mrs. do the talking. I was busy showing Mrs. Rain that I appreciated her good dinner. Fish was part of the fare….”
“I heard enough of the by-play between the Rains to see that Mrs. was in command and Mr. Rain seemed contented and good natured. No doubt Uncle Billie would give his shirt away in a worthy cause, and it was owing to the Mrs. they had a roof over their heads. They were a typical pioneer type.”
(The Pioneers, Sam Johns)
History courtesy of Northwest Montana Historical Society in Kalispell, MT. Text a from a newly installed History of the Flathead Valley exhibition at the Museum at Central School, 124 2nd Ave E, Kalispell, MT