Somers in Flathead County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)

The Somers - Kalispell Spur Line

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 3, 2015

1. The Somers - Kalispell Spur Line Marker

Inscription.
In 1901, Great Northern Railway tycoon James J. Hill and local businessman John O'Brien joined forces to build and operate a 11-mile railroad line to a saw-mill on the north shore of Flathead Lake. Hill built this spur line in record time and provided financial assistance for the construction of the sawmill. In return, O'Brien supplied 600,000 railroad ties annually to the Great Northern Railway until 1906 when Hill acquired sole ownership of the sawmill. At Somers, O'Brien built 122 residences and a general store to provide housing and support services to the workers and their families. By 1910, the Somers Lumber Company sawmill was the largest in the Flathead Valley, producing over 30 million board feet of lumber every year. 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. The sawmill closed and was dismantled in 1949. The Burlington Northern Railroad used this spur line until 1985.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers.

Location. 48° 5.535′ N, 114° 14.09′ W. Marker is in Somers, Montana, in Flathead County. Marker is

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on U.S. 93, 0.2 miles south of Forest Hill Road (State Highway 82), on the right when traveling north. Marker is located in a pull-out on the east side of the highway, overlooking the Great Northern Historical Rail Trail. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Somers MT 59932, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Howse House (here, next to this marker); Adams House (approx. 7½ miles away); Fry House (approx. 7½ miles away); Graham House (approx. 7.6 miles away); King House (approx. 7.6 miles away); Sawyer House (approx. 7.6 miles away); Cornelius Hedges School (approx. 7.6 miles away); Alward House (approx. 7.6 miles away).

More about this marker. This is a large painted wooden "billboard-style" marker, hanging from a heavy-duty wooden frame.

Also see . . . Somers Lumber Company History. Northwest Management website entry:
The Somers Lumber Company was not only the main employer providing a great deal of work for the town residents, but they catered to their workers needs and transportation to and from the mill. For example: the “Wanagan” was a large company barge with living quarters for 25 men, a dining room and a kitchen. A small tug moved the barge up and down the Flathead River while the crew gathered cut logs which had hung up in the bushes and sand bars during the early spring log-drives. Log-drives were difficult

The Somers - Kalispell Spur Line Marker (<i>wide view looking east from highway pull-out</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 3, 2015

2. The Somers - Kalispell Spur Line Marker (wide view looking east from highway pull-out)

and dangerous comprising large floods of water carrying 16-foot to 33-foot logs down local creeks and the Flathead River with great force. During these log-drives many trees sank in the rivers and even more sank while being stored in Flathead Lake before the sawmill could retrieve them. In those days, it was easier to cut new timber than recover lost logs; therefore, much of the wood that sank was left behind. (Submitted on December 22, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

The Somers - Kalispell Spur Line Marker (<i>view looking east; showing frame & adjacent marker</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 3, 2015

3. The Somers - Kalispell Spur Line Marker (view looking east; showing frame & adjacent marker)

Credits. This page was last revised on July 19, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 22, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 396 times since then and 50 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 22, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.