Stockman and real estate developer James A. Ford arrived in Kalispell with the Great Northern Railway in 1891. In 1898, he built a two-story business block at the corner of First and Main. On the second floor was a rooming house, where he lived with his two sisters. In 1923, the siblings moved into this fine Craftsman style residence, where Ford made his home until his death in 1934. The stylish home provided the Fords with ample living space; among other amenities, each of the five bedrooms boasts a walk-in closet. The home’s design closely resembles that of a mail-order house, “the Vincennes,” sold by Montgomery Ward and Co. Montgomery Ward was one of several companies that sold house plans and supplied precut lumber and other material for builders to quickly assemble on site. The Vincennes’ classic Craftsman style features include its wide overhanging eaves, exposed rafter tails, bracketed cornices, multi-pane windows, and full-length front porch. Clustered columns supporting the broad porch beam provide the design’s most striking feature, adding elegance and dignity to the inviting front facade.
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