Everit L. Sliter arrived in Montana from his native Michigan in the late 1880s to work for the Montana Central Railroad in Helena while also operating a cigar store. He visited the north end of Flathead Lake on a hunting and fishing trip. After filling the bottom of a canoe with cutthroat trout, Sliter decided a man could do worse than pristine water and a fish-filled belly. He purchased 139 acres from William Ramsdell for $1,380 and continued building his real estate portfolio in the ensuing years.
Early on, Sliter earned money by splitting wood for fence posts and spent a winter living in close quarters with his dog, where the two survived by eating anywhere between 17 and 26 deer that Sliter had harvested, depending on the account. Then in 1892, he married Lizzie Osborn and planted an orchard of 500 trees, a number that later increased to 4,000, including 1,500 fruit-bearing apple, plum, cherry, and pear trees.
Sliter built a 15-room hotel and general store and convinced the federal government to establish a post office, paving the way for a townsite. In 1902, he filed a plat at the Flathead County Courthouse in Kalispell for 11 blocks and 94 lots, and Bigfork was born. The newly minted town founder also served as Bigfork’s first postmaster.
In 1905, Sliter bought the Kalispell home now known as the “Sliter House” from Joseph Horn, who was part owner of the Kalispell Mercantile Company. Horn and Sliter essentially switched lives, with Sliter moving into Horn’s home and Horn taking over Sliter’s general store, hotel and postmaster role in Bigfork. Sliter ran a successful real estate enterprise from the Sixth Avenue East house.
Everit and Lizzie had three daughters, Hazel, Veda and Blenn, and one boy, Everit L. Sliter II. Hazel died as a young girl. Everit Jr. attended Flathead High School, and in his 1925 senior yearbook, he listed his “ambition” as “Coolidge’s job.” Despite this grand presidential ambition, the yearbook listed his “ultimate destiny” as “soda jerker.” From Flathead Beacon
Early on, Sliter earned money by splitting wood for fence posts and spent a winter living in close quarters with his dog, where the two survived by eating anywhere between 17 and 26 deer that Sliter had harvested, depending on the account. Then in 1892, he married Lizzie Osborn and planted an orchard of 500 trees, a number that later increased to 4,000, including 1,500 fruit-bearing apple, plum, cherry, and pear trees.
Sliter built a 15-room hotel and general store and convinced the federal government to establish a post office, paving the way for a townsite. In 1902, he filed a plat at the Flathead County Courthouse in Kalispell for 11 blocks and 94 lots, and Bigfork was born. The newly minted town founder also served as Bigfork’s first postmaster.
In 1905, Sliter bought the Kalispell home now known as the “Sliter House” from Joseph Horn, who was part owner of the Kalispell Mercantile Company. Horn and Sliter essentially switched lives, with Sliter moving into Horn’s home and Horn taking over Sliter’s general store, hotel and postmaster role in Bigfork. Sliter ran a successful real estate enterprise from the Sixth Avenue East house.
Everit and Lizzie had three daughters, Hazel, Veda and Blenn, and one boy, Everit L. Sliter II. Hazel died as a young girl. Everit Jr. attended Flathead High School, and in his 1925 senior yearbook, he listed his “ambition” as “Coolidge’s job.” Despite this grand presidential ambition, the yearbook listed his “ultimate destiny” as “soda jerker.” From Flathead Beacon
Tom Sliter tells about how his great grandfather, Everit Sliter, was one of the founders of the town when he moved to the Flathead in 1892. Everit started his life in Bigfork by creating an orchard and planting 500 trees, including apples, cherries, plums and pears. Eventually the orchard grew to 4,000 trees. He also operated the first hotel and general store and served as he first postmaster.