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KootenaiLodge
KootenaiLodge
The history and romance of...The history and romance of...
KOOTENAILODGE
A STORYBOOK PLACEPhotos and text by Kay Bjork
FLATHEAD LIVING Fall 2004 www.flatheadliving.com 79
You arrive at Kootenai Lodge and peer curiously through
an iron gate adorned with graceful swan silhouettes. The
drive meanders down into the luscious green estate where
towering pines stand like sentinels over the log buildings that line
the shores of a glittery Swan Lake.
The magical Kootenai Lodge is reflected in atranquil Swan Lake.
KOOTENAI LODGEAt the main lodge you enter another gate–
this one small and inviting, like one youwould expect in a secret garden. You im-mediately feel safe and quieted in the court-yard that leads to the grand main lodge.Whimsical etchings created by Charlie Russellin a bygone era are lit up by bright afternoonsun – salamander, turtle and a noble Indianheaddress. You are tempted to take off yourshoes so that you can feel the curve and dipof the salamander and the warm cement onyour feet.
You swing the heavy double door openand the latch clinks with the thud of the doorbehind you. Twirling to take in the im-mense room, warmed by the red-hued larchlogs and accented by the soft grey of un-peeled cedar, you imagine the delicioussound of music and laughter in this partyplace. You turn in a circle, slowly now, totake in the scope of this huge room: the walk-in fireplace, antique wicker furniture, a dozenanimal mounts, and a Steinway grand piano.
Lured by the luscious green-blue lake mo-saic created through the wavy old pane glasswindows, you drift out onto the coveredporch. Swan Lake stretches flat like a neatlymade bed, mirroring Crane Mountain, bluesky and puffy white clouds – a dreamy up-
The curved roofline and rock patios are trademarks of log cabins like the Florman and Keresey Cabins.
side-down painting of Kootenai Lodge, nottoo unlike its history, also slightly altered bythe passing of time and fading memories.
If the log walls could talk, they would tellyou tales of giggling children dipping behindthe stately ponderosas during a game of hide-and-seek; grand parties with guests in eveningwear arriving by Chris-Craft boats and Pierce-Arrow limousines; and of legendary westernartist Charlie Russell sharing fishing tales withhis hunting buddies around a crackling fire.
Kootenai Lodge is the storybook in thereal estate library – exuding the magic ofHarry Potter, the enchantment of Tolkien’sMiddle Earth and the glamour and romanceof The Great Gatsby.
The story began with the KootenaiIndians, who camped at the shores on theproperty where Swan Lake turns to river.This magical image of wheat-colored tipisset in the shelter of the verdant forest wascaptured by Charlie Russell and is now ex-hibited at the Montana Historical SocietyMuseum in Helena.
Then came the Copper Kings and the pa-rade of exquisite trappings and prestigiousvisitors when Anaconda Copper MiningCompany President Cornelius Kelley andChief Counsel Orvis Evans established the
Charlie Russell was a frequent visitor to the retreat – pictured top right with hunting and fishingcompanions in 1912.
KOOTENAI LODGESALE
INFORMATIONSeller: Debi Rolfing REALTOR
Broker~OwnerCIPS, CRB, CRS, GRI
Phone: 406-837-3000
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.KootenaiLodge.com
Specifications: Approx. 40 acres and
2,400 feet waterfront, 20 buildings
Asking price: Fifteen Million Dollars
82 FLATHEAD LIVING Fall 2004 www.flatheadliving.com
wilderness retreat after Evans discovered thehaven on a fishing trip in 1906. The magnif-icent estate, patterned to the Great Campsof the Adirondack, blossomed to 2,700acres and nearly two dozen buildings dur-ing its heyday in the 1920s.
Today the 40-acre estate is owned byMark and Debi Rolfing, who have completedextensive remodeling and restoration duringtheir 14 years of ownership. The couple hasbrought both heart and glamour to the his-toric place with Debi’s ambitious and lovingrestoration of Kootenai Lodge, Mark’s posi-tion as NBC Golf Analyst, and their fosteringof newborn babies waiting for adoption.
Their role as foster parents led to a de-sire to simplify their lives and the decision tosell Kootenai Lodge. Their hope is to buildtheir dream home (with a dream nursery)somewhere in the neighborhood.
Kootenai Lodge is a diverse property with2,400 feet of combined frontage on SwanLake and Swan River; 1,000 feet alongJohnson Creek; 20 buildings including theMain Lodge; a dining cabin with a commer-cial kitchen; a recreation center with a fullgym and exercise area; a stunning 31-stallbarn; and guest cabins. The cabins have beencarefully restored to provide the comforts andconveniences of home while retaining theirrustic charm.
The retreat is a wonderful playground forall ages, offering a variety of experiences fromsummer camp frivolity to heavenly serenity.
This is a place where you can rediscoverthe child that dwells inside through long dayson the lake swimming and water-skiing andcrackling campfires complete with stickys’mores and funny (or scary) stories.
You can also get a little closer to thegrown-up you are trying to be with the per-fect rhythm of your fly rod as you find har-mony with the river – or while sitting quietlyabsorbing a Technicolor sunset accompaniedby the cheerful symphony of the singingbirds and the scent of cooling earth.
Or maybe you are simply looking for restand rejuvenation. Nature’s spa treatment in-cludes the caress of a gentle breeze, the em-brace of warm sunlight, the massage of thecool lake as you savor an afternoon swim,and the soothing sound of a murmuringJohnson Creek.
You will find that Kootenai Lodge is notjust a better place – it is a place to find a bet-ter life and a better self.
KOOTENAI LODGE
FAn Indian headdress is one of many Charlie Russelletchings housed in the main lodge courtyard.
A tipi along Swan River echoes the presence of the Native Americans who first found refuge here.
A 31-stall barn and polo field were once the home of Con Kelley’s quarter horses.
FLATHEAD LIVING Fall 2004 www.flatheadliving.com 83
A fly-fisherman captures the serenity of anevening at Kootenai Lodge.
Located on the shores of the pristine Swan Lake,Kootenai Lodge is cradled by the majestic Swan Rangeto the east and the Mission Mountains to the west.
Just ten minutes from the resort community of Bigfork,which lauds gourmet restaurants, a summer playhouse anda colony of artists, it is also less than an hour from GlacierNational Park, millions of acres of wilderness, and GlacierInternational Airport. Approximately an hour away areBlacktail Mountain Ski Area to the west and Big MountainResort to the north, each offering miles of ski trails and seemingly endless mountain views. Nine championship golfcourses dot the lush Flathead Valley.
Popular summer activities found right at the doorstep of
the lodge include fishing, swimming, whitewater rafting, canoeing, tennis, and evening campfires. Hiking opportu-nities abound with the proximity of the majestic GlacierNational Park and thousands of miles of U.S. Forest Servicemaintained trails in the Swan and Mission mountain ranges.
Kootenai Lodge provides a “Currier and Ives” Christmaswith the option of snuggling by the fireplace with a goodbook or the exhilaration of gliding along a frozen lake onice skates or skis in a winter wonderland.
Whether you are looking for a splash of local color andculture, the exhilaration of an outdoor adventure, or theserenity of the wilderness, Kootenai Lodge offers all of thesesoul-searching and soul-finding experiences.
KOOTENAI LODGEThe Good Life
Photo courtesy of GravityShots
