Thompson Falls in Sanders County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
Ainsworth House
Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 8, 2022
1. Ainsworth House Marker
Inscription.
Ainsworth House. . In 1910, the newly incorporated town of Thompson Falls was shedding its frontier image. That year saw the organization of local power and water companies, the opening of a public library, and the construction of the towns first Bungalow style residences. These fine new homes, proclaimed a credit to Missoula or Spokane, added a new dimension to the architectural landscape. One outstanding example is this 1910 carpenter-built Bungalow style home constructed from a pattern book for prominent attorney Auburn S. Ainsworth. Square columns, a full-width front porch, over-scaled wooden brackets, wide overhanging eaves, and a slight flair at the foundation reflect elements of the style. A white quartz mantle flanked by glassed-in cabinets, stained and leaded glass cabinets built into columns separating the music and living rooms, and built-in window seats reveal exquisite interior finishing. This stylish dwelling, which once boasted a fountain on the broad front lawn, well reflects the wealth of its first owner. A very shrewd and clever lawyer, Ainsworth long served as town attorney and argued some notorious cases. He once persuaded a client accused of murder to be a horse and cavort on the lawn of the old County Building. The ruse worked and the client was declared insane.
In 1910, the newly incorporated town of Thompson Falls was shedding its frontier image. That year saw the organization of local power and water companies, the opening of a public library, and the construction of the towns first Bungalow style residences. These fine new homes, proclaimed a credit to Missoula or Spokane, added a new dimension to the architectural landscape. One outstanding example is this 1910 carpenter-built Bungalow style home constructed from a pattern book for prominent attorney Auburn S. Ainsworth. Square columns, a full-width front porch, over-scaled wooden brackets, wide overhanging eaves, and a slight flair at the foundation reflect elements of the style. A white quartz mantle flanked by glassed-in cabinets, stained and leaded glass cabinets built into columns separating the music and living rooms, and built-in window seats reveal exquisite interior finishing. This stylish dwelling, which once boasted a fountain on the broad front lawn, well reflects the wealth of its first owner. A very shrewd and clever lawyer, Ainsworth long served as town attorney and argued some notorious cases. He once persuaded a client accused of murder to be a horse and cavort on the lawn of the old County Building. The ruse worked and the client was declared insane.
Location. 47° 35.651′ N, 115° 21.023′ W. Marker is in Thompson Falls, Montana, in Sanders County. It is at the intersection of Maiden Lane and South Jefferson Street, on the left when traveling east on Maiden Lane. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 911 Maiden Lane, Thompson Falls MT 59873, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Western Montana and in Glacier Country. It is also in the American Mountain West and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor. Globally, it is in North America, the Rocky Mountains, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Ruperts Land and also the Louisiana Purchase.
Credits. This page was last revised on April 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 2, 2023, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 157 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on April 2, 2023, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
