Kalispell in Flathead County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
Flathead Wholesale Grocery
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 19, 2020
1. Flathead Wholesale Grocery Marker
Inscription.
Flathead Wholesale Grocery. . Minnesota merchant brothers Tom, John, and William Elliott moved to Kalispell in 1911, after buying James Conlon’s successful mercantile. They expanded into the wholesale grocery business in 1914, building this two- story brick warehouse near the Great Northern Railway tracks. The solid, practical building is designed to hold thousands of pounds of goods. Interior posts and beams helped support the weight; the main floor originally had about 7,500 square feet filled with shelves for dry storage. A small enclosed office sat on the west end of the building. The Elliotts stored perishable goods, including barrels of vinegar, canned fruits and vegetables, and molasses, in the basement to protect them from temperature fluctuations. A freight elevator ran from the basement to a second-story balcony shipping room. The elevator was designed for loads of up to 3,000 pounds, but as one enthusiastic reporter explained, since its motor was “capable of lifting 7,000 pounds … an extra case of pork and beans would hardly stall it.” The Elliotts purchased local produce, like potatoes, for export by rail. They also imported a wide range of groceries that they sold to area retailers. Rail cars traveled from the main line on a spur line built specifically to bring goods to the warehouse. At one time, a rear loading platform angled to align with the rail line, easing the transfer of merchandise from the boxcars to the wholesale grocery. Although the tracks (and the loading platform) have long since been removed, the warehouse remains, reflecting the importance of the Great Northern Railway to early Kalispell commerce.
Minnesota merchant brothers Tom, John, and William Elliott moved to Kalispell in 1911, after buying James Conlon’s successful mercantile. They expanded into the wholesale grocery business in 1914, building this two- story brick warehouse near the Great Northern Railway tracks. The solid, practical building is designed to hold thousands of pounds of goods. Interior posts and beams helped support the weight; the main floor originally had about 7,500 square feet filled with shelves for dry storage. A small enclosed office sat on the west end of the building. The Elliotts stored perishable goods, including barrels of vinegar, canned fruits and vegetables, and molasses, in the basement to protect them from temperature fluctuations. A freight elevator ran from the basement to a second-story balcony shipping room. The elevator was designed for loads of up to 3,000 pounds, but as one enthusiastic reporter explained, since its motor was “capable of lifting 7,000 pounds … an extra case of pork and beans would hardly stall it.” The Elliotts purchased local produce, like potatoes, for export by rail. They also imported a wide range of groceries that they sold to area retailers. Rail cars traveled from the main line on a spur line built specifically to bring goods to the warehouse. At one time, a rear loading platform angled to align with
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the rail line, easing the transfer of merchandise from the boxcars to the wholesale grocery. Although the tracks (and the loading platform) have long since been removed, the warehouse remains, reflecting the importance of the Great Northern Railway to early Kalispell commerce.
Location. 48° 11.957′ N, 114° 18.709′ W. Marker is in Kalispell, Montana, in Flathead County. Marker is on East Center Street near 1st Avenue Northeast, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 101 East Center 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 24, 2020, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 136 times since then and 7 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on November 24, 2020, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.