Log Home Design | Community Spotlight: The Kootenai, MT |
  |
Community Spotlight: The Kootenai, MT
Dubbed the “last best place,” Montana’s Kootenai retreat emerges as the West’s premier restored-log-home community
Tucked inside Montana’s Flathead Valley, you’ll find a place without equal. It’s a place rich with history, where the tranquil surroundings seem too beautiful to be true. It’s a place that takes you back to another time. This place is called The Kootenai. What’s so Special About The Kootenai?The most impressive thing about The Kootenai is the community itself. Before it was purchased in 1990, most of the original buildings were in need of substantial repairs. But with a commitment to salvage as much of the original material as possible, the crew set to work taking pictures of every stone, timber and floor beam before restoring the structures and putting everything back precisely where it was before. Even the logs were soda blasted, re-stained and re-chinked before being re-stacked.Now close to completion, the focal point of the community definitely is the 14,000-square-foot Kootenai Lodge, which has been placed on the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places. Rugged timbers embellish and support the soaring ceilings of more than a half-dozen spacious rooms found in the lodge, including a card room; a media room with large plasma-screen TVs; and a lounge and bar. It also boasts a catering kitchen, as well as a walk-up ice cream window for cold treats on hot summer days. And, if you’re up for a little history lesson, take a walk to the onsite Kootenai Museum, filled with a variety of antiques and mementos, like vintage photographs and antiques that belonged to the original owners. Future plans for the community include a fitness center with a heated pool, a croquet court and other indoor activities. Developers also are in the process of restoring an existing outbuilding and converting it into the Kootenai Nature Center, which will offer programs such as mammal tracking, bird-watching excursions, trail safety and eco-classes. Or if you’re looking to explore on your own, the outdoor recreation director can help you arrange anything from camping trips to canoe tours of Swan Lake. Outside the confines of The Kootenai, your options open up even wider. Montana’s Flathead Valley is less than 45 miles from the charming towns of Kalispell and Whitefish, and 75 miles from the Canadian border. In this northwestern nook, you’ll find pristine forests, 77 different mountain ranges, more than 2,000 natural lakes and the spectacular Glacier National Park. For a trip into town, the quaint hamlet of Bigfork is just 15 miles away. Bigfork was listed in National Geographic’s Guide to Small Towns Escapes, which is no surprise with its gourmet restaurants, boutique shops, 13 art galleries and seasonal festivals. It’s also home to the Bigfork Summer Playhouse—one of the Northwest’s finest repertory theaters. And while you’re here, check out the scenic Swan River Nature Trail, which provides easy hiking and biking just a few blocks away from downtown Bigfork. Or hit the links at Eagle Bend, a 27-hole championship course situated on the banks of Flathead Lake, at the base of the Swan Mountain range. Golf Digest has named Bigfork one of the “50 Greatest Golf Destinations in the World,” and it’s all right in The Kootenai’s back yard. Living the LifeOnce you decide to make the move, it won’t take long to feel right at home. In addition to the community’s original 10 cabins, barn and lodge, plans are in the works for 32 new lakeside homes, designed in the spirit of the camp’s original structures. Although similar architectural elements will unify all of the cabins, each one will be distinct, with some models consisting of large, open plans fit for entertaining, whereas others will boast a cozier feel, with features like reading nooks and screened-in porches.The homes will be constructed using stone, larch, cedar and lodgepole pine. And all of the homes (both old and new) will uphold the old-time ambiance, with features like hardwood floors and rock fireplaces. But don’t take that to mean that the amenities will be dated, too. Despite the emphasis on restoring history, each of the homes will contain the best in modern luxuries, such as pro-style kitchen appliances, computerized lighting systems, high-speed Internet access and digital television. “Each home is like a living novel,” says interior designer Warren Sheets. “Each has its own personality, so we tried to fill the homes with hand-picked accessories to make them unique. Now we just have to find the person who best fits with each individual home.” That’s where you come in.
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| A D V E R T I S E M E N T | A D V E R T I S E M E N T |
|
Give Log Home Living as a Gift Subscription 
|
Log Home Design
Subscribe You may call us if you prefer not to order online: 877-235-2233 If you are not in the continental U.S. please call 386-447-2398 (International).
You can also write to: |
Log Home Living
Subscribe You may call us if you prefer not to order online: 800-234-8496 If you are not in the continental U.S. please call 386-447-2398 (International).
You can also write to: |