Funding for Museum heating & cooling system Public Comment from Elaine GraberDear Kalispell Council Members:
I am a volunteer and a board member of the Northwest Montana History Museum. I especially enjoy working the front desk, greeting and visiting with guests from throughout the U.S. Many
come to visit Glacier Park and then come in to the museum to see what else there is to do in Kalispell, but mostly seeking the history of the Valley. They are impressed with our preservation
and presentation of that history. Our newest exhibit is a walk down Main Street from the train depot in 1915……the buildings, the merchandise, the artifacts that would have been present.
Most of the buildings are still existing and the guests are anxious to see them. We hope that they will be enticed to “linger longer” in the area. It’s amazing how far a distance some
travel, many from the east coast and the southern states. So what is the purpose of this letter: For years, the Museum has needed a new heating and cooling system. The last two summers
we have apologized to our guests for not having appropriate cooling in the museum building. What we have is “Vintage Air Conditioning” which is basically fans in every room! The price
of a new system is astronomical and one that we cannot afford. We need help and look to the city for assistance of any kind.
One of the best projects that we offer the Flathead is the “1895” classroom “ where all the third-grade classes in the district are invited to attend; each and every year we have a new
group of third-graders! Your own children or grandchildren may have attended and shared the excitement of that experience. Our largest room upstairs is transformed into a 1895 classroom,
complete with iron and wooden desks, chalk slates, and McDuffy Readers. Students are transported back to 1895 where they learn the valuable lessons of that era; lessons still important
today. It’s a memorable experience for them, one they don’t forget. Where many school districts budget for museum visits for students, our district does not. We receive no funding
from the district. In some cases, we provide funds to cover the transportation of the students.
You can see that the museum is an active and vital part of the community. Investing in this historical building, its programs and its valuable contents will pay off in the long run
when you consider the working asset it is to the community and downtown Kalispell. All of Kalispell will benefit!
City Council Members…... with new or available funds, please consider the museum’s need for a new or repaired heating and cooling system.
Thank you for that consideration,
Elaine Graber
Volunteer & Board Member
Northwest Montana History Museum.