LaSalle School Bell Tower - Kalispell, MT
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member T0SHEA
N 48° 18.751 W 114° 13.994
11U E 705129 N 5354736
The old LaSalle School, a century old one room wood frame school, is now part of Olsen Pioneer Park at the corner of Helena Flats and Pioneer roads, east of the Kalispell Airport.
Waymark Code: WMKZTD
Location: Montana, United States
Date Posted: 06/23/2014
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member lumbricus
Views: 1

The LaSalle School District (No. 49) was created in 1904 and this school would have been built around that time. Originally on the site of what is now the Glacier Park International Airport, it was moved to its present site in 1942. Closed in 1961, it served as a community hall nearly 30 more years. It has since been restored as a community heritage site.
LaSalle School District was created on Sept. 15, 1904. The school, originally located where Glacier Park International Airport now exists, was moved to it current spot in 1942 and a basement was added.

The earliest attendance records start with the 1913 school year, but it's likely the school operated prior to that.

Thanks to the research of Giddeon's uncle, Larry Graham, she has copies of all of the handwritten class rosters beginning with 1913.

Kalispell School District 5 and eventually Columbia Falls School District 6 held classes at the school until 1961. At that point the Columbia Falls district gave the school to LaSalle area residents for use as a community center.

The original school bell was stolen in the 1970s, but it was replaced not long ago after Lauretta Olsen searched the Internet and found a replica on eBay. It's not quite as big as the original, but rings loud and clear for special occasions.

Today, the Badrock Riders 4-H Club holds meetings there and the school is used for neighborhood get-togethers.
From The Daily Interlake
Address of Tower:
Helena Flats & Pioneer Roads
Kalispell, MT USA
59901


Still Operational: yes

Number of bells in tower?: 1

Relevant website?: [Web Link]

Rate tower:

Tours or visits allowed in tower?: No

Visit Instructions:
Please post an original picture of the tower taken while you were there. Please also record how you came to be at this tower and any other interesting information you learned about it while there.
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mtbearded1 visited LaSalle School Bell Tower - Kalispell, MT 07/25/2020 mtbearded1 visited it