Hey folks, I recently purchased Primrose station (MILW Montana substation #10 outside Missoula, MT) with the intention to get it on the National Register and rehab the exterior, while building the interior into an event space/bed and breakfast. The previous owner scrapped out parts of the building, but the ten ton gantry hoist is still there, looks brand new. I'm in the research phase of registration now and have some folks from the Montana Historic Preservation Society giving me guidance. What I need is pictures and info, historical documents, maps, anecdotes, and rumors related to this building and/or this part of the line. I'm pouring through the forums here and finding good info that is very useful, and the thing I've noticed is that there is a wealth of knowledge here and some experts on this topic. Any info you could pass on to help me get this building on the register would be very helpful, in addition to helpful links about the line in general, I'm so interested in this building! People stop by the property some times to take pics and visit about the building, everyone is always welcome! Thanks so much for your time!
I can't help with the historical register. But there should still be at least a couple of MILW folks right in Missoula. One who grew up by Primrose. No idea how interested anyone might be in chatting.
I was in Missoula, Montana when I was 13, on vacation with my family.....that was during the summer of 1955. We had gone up into Canada and camped at the Yakk River Campground, just North of Troy. My younger brother took a tumble down a mountainside and we were in Missoula to have him stitched up. His head was pretty hard so he survived to tell his side of the story. I remember walking around town and seeing the huge lumber mill with the logs stacked high and the train being loaded with large bundles of lumber. I cannot recall what train line it was but the locomotive was huge, black and hissing steam from under her belly. I know I snapped some photos but alas after so many years of life such things have grown l`eggs and walked away to join the poor old DoDo birds.
With roads as they were back then, it would have been a very, very long drive to get from the Yaak River in BC, back down to Missoula. Probably at least eight or nine hours, minimum, really racing!
NO, not exactly. The portion of the Yakk River where we were was just a few miles north of Troy, Mt. but you are right about the roads back then. They were US highways with one lane each way and minimal passing.
I do know about the roads in NW Montana, I live here. Except in some towns, Highway 2 is still windy two lanes. The Yaak River (USA spelling, "Yahk" Canadian spelling), access is a few miles west of Troy, then a drive north from US 2. It is still around 5 hours and could be more, (traffic and weather), from there to Missoula.
Anton, Welcome aboard! I have visited the substation a few times prior to 2010. I would love to see it restored!
Me too Hemi, it's going to be a lot of work but it will be worth it. Not only does the line have a great history, there's nothing like this building in the valley I live in, it really stands out.
from my work so far with the Montana State Historic Society to get Primrose on the National Register, when the historian preparing this for me finishes and it is accepted it should be very easy to use mine as a template to get other similar buildings from the MILW in MT on the register using mine as a template. I don't know who owns Ravenna but this could be a start to getting someone to preserve it.
I believe the property reverted to ownership of an adjacent ranch. If someone were to search the Montana Cadastral Maps, I am sure it would show.
