Described by the Flathead Herald-Journal as “an elegant mansion” in the “colonial style,” this residence’s overall symmetry and small gabled front dormers are typically Colonial Revival. However, the two-story turret, elaborate stained glass windows, and wraparound porch (reconstructed from photographs in 2003) reflect the popular Queen Anne style. Such architectural combinations were common around the turn of the century. Rancher and businessman J. L. Cox planned and supervised construction of the two-story brick home in 1894, but he and his wife lived here only briefly. In 1896, Warren Ashby Conrad purchased the residence for his bride, Caroline, whom he met when a nationwide railroad strike stranded her in Kalispell. Ashby—younger brother of Charles and William Conrad—was an officer of the Conrad National Bank. After Ashby’s death in 1922, Caroline rented the home to tenants, including Lelia Brown, who used it as a base from which to explore Glacier. In 1929, George Noffsinger, manager of the Glacier National Park Saddle Horse Company, purchased the residence, where members of the Noffsinger family continued to live until 1944.
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