Cyr Building
Kalispell Main Steet Historic District (Addendum and Boundary Increase)
“New Buildings Show Upward Swing of City,” crowed the Flathead Monitor in April 1936. Charles Cyr contributed to the optimistic outlook by constructing this “modern one-story building, 50 by 100 feet.” Cyr spent approximately $8,000 on the investment property, confident that “while we have no definite tenant … I have faith in the town and I feel sure that the store building will prove a needed addition.” The St. Louis-based W. G. Woodward department store opened a branch here shortly after completion, justifying Cyr’s confidence. Kalispell already had five department stores, but Woodward’s still saw it as a promising market. Unlike many other parts of Montana, Flathead County grew by 26 percent during the 1930s as eastern Montana’s drought-stricken farm families looked for new homes. This made Kalispell a likely prospect for retail stores looking to expand. In addition, the recovery seemed well underway in 1936, with no one predicting the double dip recession that hit the country a year later. Despite this second round of hard times, the Woodward Co. continued to occupy this prime retail location until 1955.
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