Kalispell in Flathead County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
Cry Building
Kalispell Main Street Historic District
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 19, 2020
1. Cry Building Marker
Inscription.
Cry Building. Kalispell Main Street Historic District. “New Buildings Show Upward Swing of City,” crowed the Flathead Monitor in April 1936. Charles Cyr contributed to the optimistic outlook by constructing this “modern one-story building, 50 by 100 feet.” Cyr spent approximately $8,000 on the investment property, confident that “while we have no definite tenant ... I have faith in the town and I feel sure that the store building will prove a needed addition.” The St. Louis-based W. G. Woodward department store opened a branch here shortly after completion, justifying Cyr’s confidence. Kalispell already had five department stores, but Woodward’s still saw it as a promising market. Unlike many other parts of Montana, Flathead County grew by 26 percent during the 1930s as eastern Montana’s drought-stricken farm families looked for new homes. This made Kalispell a likely prospect for retail stores looking to expand. In addition, the recovery seemed well underway in 1936, with no one predicting the double dip recession that hit the country a year later. Despite this second round of hard times, the Woodward Co. continued to occupy this prime retail location until 1955.
“New Buildings Show Upward Swing of City,” crowed the Flathead Monitor in April 1936. Charles Cyr contributed to the optimistic outlook by constructing this “modern one-story building, 50 by 100 feet.” Cyr spent approximately $8,000 on the investment property, confident that “while we have no definite tenant ... I have faith in the town and I feel sure that the store building will prove a needed addition.” The St. Louis-based W. G. Woodward department store opened a branch here shortly after completion, justifying Cyr’s confidence. Kalispell already had five department stores, but Woodward’s still saw it as a promising market. Unlike many other parts of Montana, Flathead County grew by 26 percent during the 1930s as eastern Montana’s drought-stricken farm families looked for new homes. This made Kalispell a likely prospect for retail stores looking to expand. In addition, the recovery seemed well underway in 1936, with no one predicting the double dip recession that hit the country a year later. Despite this second round of hard times, the Woodward Co. continued to occupy this prime retail location until 1955.
Erected by Montana Historical Society.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture
Location. 48° 11.72′ N, 114° 18.761′ W. Marker is in Kalispell, Montana, in Flathead County. Marker is on South Main Street near 3rd Street West, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 328 South Main Street, Kalispell MT 59901, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 20, 2020. It was originally submitted on November 22, 2020, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 91 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on November 22, 2020, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
