Kootenai Estates, a breathtaking summer getaway in the heart of the Flathead Valley in Montana, welcomed such venerable guests as Will Rogers, John D. Rockefeller, Jane Wyatt and Charles Lindbergh during its heyday as a turn-of-the-century retreat for wealthy mining barons.
We have been closely involved in restoring this idyllic Bigfork, Montana, community, and a standout of our work here has been the transformation of the legendary Lindbergh Cabin, rumored to have housed the famous aviator when he visited the grounds in the 1920s.
In addition to the renovation of the historic 1906 Kootenai Lodge we described in our last blog, we helped refurbish and expand three original log cabins and built three new homes from the ground up. We are especially proud of our work on the expansive 6,500-square-foot Lindbergh Cabin, now a meticulously restored waterfront home.
This cabin was originally built in the 1880s and in definite need of some modernization when we embarked on rebuilding it in 2007. We restored the original residence and expanded it to include two new two-story wings. All the original hand-hewn logs were restored to their original beauty. To maximize the stunning lake views, we enlarged all the windows and doors. The original maple flooring was carefully refinished, and a massive exterior fireplace – comprised of indigenous chief cliff rock – was dismantled and relocated to adorn an accent wall and three interior fireplaces. The residence today includes a gourmet kitchen and breakfast room, formal dining room, elegant great room, walk-in bar, office, outdoor dining deck, a master suite with a private patio and a full ensuite bathroom for each of its five bedrooms.
Fully furnished with custom finishes, this one-of-a-kind residence now features a lovely entry courtyard and fountain, as well as a full-view lakeside terrace with a commanding vista of both Swan Lake and Swan River stretching all the way to Crane Mountain. The home is accented with beamed vaulted ceilings, rustic timbers and rugged stone throughout. The other homes at Kootenai Estates are similar in style, with traditional log architectural accents that pay homage to the Old Montana West.
The project is still a work in progress and marks the dramatic transformation of “The Kootenai Camp,” a former destination for Anaconda Copper executives and their families into a collection of custom, multi-million dollar homes.
When complete, all the homes – both old and new – will masterfully echo the traditional Adirondack Camp style architecture of this original turn-of-the-century retreat.
For more images of the Lindbergh and other homes and this gorgeous Montana property be sure to visit its website. We also have photos of our work posted on our website and Facebook page.