Filed Under Kalispell

Donovan House

East Side Historic District

A small one-story dwelling stood on this lot in 1894, just three years after Great Northern Railroad officials founded Kalispell. Builders may have incorporated the original wooden house into the current gable-front-and-wing residence, built by 1899. Although most neighbors’ backyards had either chicken coops or stables, this one-story home only had a small shed at the alley until owners added a garage between 1910 and 1927. Almost from the start, the well-situated home with inviting front porch was a desirable rental for Kalispell’s growing middle class. By 1900, Charles Peplow, the manager of a flour mill, lived here with his wife Eva. The Peplows were active in Kalispell society; an article in the August 1900 Kalispell Bee reported that Mrs. Peplow decorated the home with sweet peas and nasturtiums when she entertained “lady friends” with a “needle threading contest.” The home’s most beloved resident was teacher Jennie Donovan, who purchased it in 1930 with her sister Ann. An inspired first-grade teacher who frequently gave food and clothing to students in need, Miss Donovan lived here until her death in 1947.

Images

Donovan House
Donovan House Donovan House. Front view of the house, facing east on 5th Avenue East. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Photographer unidentified Date: Oct. 1980

Location

320 5th Avenue East, Kalispell, Montana | Private

Metadata

The Montana National Register Sign Program, “Donovan House,” Historic Montana, accessed March 29, 2024, https://historicmt.org/items/show/421.