Charles E. Conrad Mansion, Kalispell Montana

Charles Edward Conrad was born near Fort Royal, Warren County, Virginia and he and his brother William came to Fort Benton, Montana Territory in 1868 when he was eighteen years of age. They went to work for I.G. Baker & Brothers of St. Louis, Missouri and Fort Benton, Montana Territory, largest mercantile enterprise in the northwest. Charles' friendly association with the Indians was an asset in their early days of the mercantile business.

In 1876 the brothers purchased the company they had started working for as clerks. Their business prospered and soon they expanded into banking and finance. Their legacy includes a city and bank named Conrad.

On the brink of what is now called Conrad Hill in Kalispell looking out over the mountains of Glacier National Park to the east, Charles Conrad built his home in his "Valley of Paradise." After many hunting trips into the Flathead, he decided in 1890 to buy the land for developing the townsite of Kalispell when it was known that the Great Northern railroad would be built through this location due to his friendship with Jim Hill.

The Kalispell Township Company was formed in 1890 and Charles Conrad was one of the first directors. He and his family moved to Kalispell in 1892 and his twenty-three room mansion was built in 1895. Architect for the enormous three-story wood shingled frame building was Kirtland K. Cutter, designer of Spokane's Davenport Hotel. The mansion is early Norman style. The building housed his mother, his wife's mother, his younger brothers and sister and the Conrad's three children.

Conrad was instrumental in getting the railroad to Kalispell, and as the town prospered, so did he, dealing in land in the area and in the banking business.

The great home was the scene of many parties and the social life of Kalispell revolved around the gregarious Conrad family. Great Indian chiefs and leaders in many fields--religion, science, education, art, music literature, politics, industry and commerce--were often guests at the Conrad Mansion. Among the prominent men who visited here were Charles M. Russell, Dr. W. J. Hornaday, Lyman B. Sperry, George Bird Grinnell and James Hill.

The mansion, long vacant, will soon become a museum and a fitting memorial to one of the State's pioneer businessmen. The enormous grounds have long since dwindled. Various pieces of land were given by his widow to the city, such as the courthouse square, Woodland Park, Conrad Memorial Cemetery, and others.

The ghost of the wife of Charles Conrad's wife has been seen frequently by staff and guests of the home, now turned museum. Ghost tours are offered in October.

Inside Kalispell's Historic Haunted House (October 13, 2025)

Building Description

Long one of Kalispell's landmarks, the Conrad Mansion and its landscaped, fenced grounds occupy a full city block of 2.65 acres bounded by Woodland Avenue on the east, Sixth Avenue on the west, Third Street on the north and Fourth Street on the south. The early Norman style mansion and summer house were built in 1895 within native stone fences built by Belgian stone masons without the use of mortar. Galvanized pipe was installed on the property when the house was built as a permanent sprinkling system with eight-foot high fountains placed every four feet apart. The original estate was extensive and included a game preserve, carriage house, stables, and orchards. The summer house, carriage house and stables are now gone and most of the estate has been given away.

The wood shingled frame structure has three stories and a basement. The foundation is of native stone set at a depth of over 5 feet. The siding and roofing consist of native cedar shingles. The roof is in poor condition but the siding is still in good condition with traces of brown stain remaining. Flashing and gutters are in fair condition.

Four dormer windows (2 on the east and 2 on the north) are set into the steep gable roof that forms the third floor. The windows of the house carry out an architectural pattern. About half have diamond shaped leaded lights about 4 inches in width in a standard rectangular frame. The others have rectangular lights of 20,9,8,6 or 1 per frame. Two bay windows are located on the east side of the building and one on the west.

Four large native stone chimneys on the southeast, southwest, east and north sides of the building serve 8 fireplaces. Mullioned glass from Europe decorates the mansion's three main hardwood doors located under arched entrances on the northeast, southeast and southwest.

A balcony juts out from each of the 2 dormer windows on the second floor over the large formal front porch along the entire north side.

The mansion has 23 rooms and was served by an elevator that linked all three floors and the native stone basement.

The building contains a reception room, fernery, music room, library, servants quarters, billiard room, laundry room, formal dining room, and featured ice water piped to two floors. The laundry and servants quarters, normally located in the basement, had to be on the third floor due to sewer problems. The pine table upon which the townsite of Kalispell was plotted was kept in the laundry room.

The house was designed for entertainment. During the panic of 1893, the contents of many fine homes in the east were going on the block and the house was furnished with antiques purchased at these sacrifice sales.

The formal dining room was reported to seat 45 people on Chippendale chairs. Double serpentine sideboards and a huge fireplace balanced large picture windows and a barrel that served as a dumbwaiter. The oak for the interior was chosen by James Broderick in the eastern markets.

Sliding doors connected the main hall and the music room. The balcony opening, out over the stairwell from Mrs. Conrad's room was built so that the acoustics would allow her to hear anything in any part of the house.

Fine furniture of the lavish hardwood interior included, in addition to Chippendale pieces, Sheraton and Hepplewhite furniture. Waterford English cut glass chandeliers adorned the finely appointed rooms. These, like those in many fine houses throughout the State in the 1880's and 1890's, were fitted for both gas and electricity. The main hall contained a Flemish dower chest, dating from the 16^th century and an early empire secretary, installed before the house was finished because it was too large to bring in afterwards.

The building was vacant for years and vandalism and theft have taken many of the fine artifacts in the home. For years, one of Charles Conrad's daughters, Alicia (Mrs. George Campbell) and her husband, lived in a trailer within the fenced grounds. They felt that the building was too large for a single couple. Alicia Campbell donated the mansion to the City of Kalispell for use as a museum.

The home has been fully restored and is open as a museum.

Photographs of Charles E. Conrad Mansion