Link to info on the "four schools of irvine flats"

https://www.polson.k12.mt.us/community/community-resources/historical-school-districts-of-lake-county/the-four-schools-of-irvine-flats/irvine-flats

Irvin Flats homesteader fitted with a hook after a 4th of July accident on Flathead Lake

We, my family including Dave, my son Wesley living in Oregon, and my granddaughter, Seeley, were all visiting my dad, George (known as Georgie as a child) at his house across from Bonner Park on Ronald St. in Missoula. It was the 4th of July, 2020. My dad fixed us some lemonade and we sat on the patio surrounded by dad's flowers. Ken, my brother, was also there.

I asked my dad what he did as a child on the 4th of July. Here's what he said: There wasn't much going on, however,  he told a story about a fellow Polson area/Irvin Flats homesteader, Cliff McBroom, and how due to a fireworks accident on Flathead Lake, lost his hand and had it replaced by a hook!! 

Here's what happened. Cliff and some others were lighting some fireworks on Flathead Lake. In those days fireworks really packed a punch and were more powerful than many modern day fireworks. Cliff was holding a firework which didn't go off completely at first so he dunked it in the lake water thinking it would douse the firework. 

Instead of the firework going out it exploded in his hand which was under water and blew his hand off!  

The doctors did surgery and his hand was fitted with a hook.

Cliff was at times known to get into some fights and you could say he had an angry streak that surfaced every now and then.  So...when he did get into a fight his opponents knew that Cliff had a hook on his one hand and that it may be used on them!

This is the story my dad told to us on the 4th of July many years after the incident. As I haven't looked into this story as far as checking newspapers or finding some relatives this account is just from my dad, an Irvin Flats homesteader, who has a very good memory!

Orville Bjorge - Garcon Gulch native featured on front page of the Missoulian for his service in World War 11

https://missoulian.com/news/local/end-of-an-era-montana-idaho-chapter-of-the-th/article_c80d3038-f561-5b59-a1e2-1c800d0569b8.html   

Hello! Fellow cowboys and girls!!

Here is an article about  a fellow homesteader, Orville Bjorge!! The article states he is from the Garcon Gulch area which is near the Irvin Flats area. It is over the hill from where our ranch house used to be. 

Here is a reference to the ranch country of my family and his - "He's 97 now, retired from a life of cattle ranching and farming on his spread between Polson and Hot Springs."

Another quote about his family is - " Bjorge won't make it to Jakers on Saturday. He's living at an extended care home near the Flathead River in Polson, not far from the ranch his father homesteaded in 1910 on Garcon Gulch, between Hot Springs and Polson."

I called my dad, George, and he said he remembered the Bjorge family. There was some distance between the two homesteads so he did not know them well. My dad didn't know for instance that Orville had gone into the service. He said that the Bjorge family did most of their shopping in Hot Springs rather than in Polson.

Montana Homesteader Heritage would like to thank Orville for his service in WW 11. The article relays the story of his service - he was right in the thick of things that's for sure. Thank you, Orville!!

Thanksgiving on Irvine Flats near Polson Montana

My dad, George (aka Georgie) told me a little about what Thanksgiving was like on Irvine Flats.

The family would have a dinner either by themselves or with other families.

I asked if they would eat turkey. He said that they would have beef or chicken, the meat that the family would eat on a regular basis. He remembered that the food was not too much different than other meals.

Georgie said that all food they ate came from the ranch execpt flour and sugar.

Now I will have to ask how my grandmother remembers Thanksgiving on the Kasseroler Irvine Flats homestead.

Click on the link below to read information posted from the Polson country schools collection including information on Irvine Flats history.


http://www.polson.k12.mt.us/phs/countryschools/irvineflats%20folder/irvineflats/Pages/irvineflats.htm

Some quotes from the compiled information include:


"Irvine Flats was named after William "Billy" Irvine. According to the book, "MONTANA ITS STORY AND BIOGRAPHY", Billy Irvine was "one of the acknowledged ranchers on good livestock, and every condition regarding the breeding, raising, care and marketing of stock in Montana."

and -

"The family were personal friends of Father Anthony Ravalli."

and -

"By 1886 Billy returned to the Flathead. He was staked to his first small herd, about 300 head, by Charles Allard, Sr. and located himself on 5000 acres on the west side of the river, about seventeen miles west of Polson"

and -

"Mrs. Irvine’s son Arthur Larrivee, who Billy raised, would later badly manage the ranch requiring the retired Billy to return and restore it to working condition."

and -

"Francis "Tat" Browne, a relative later managed and owned the ranch until the Swopes purchased 3200 acres of the original property."

To be continued -

Playing cards and having lunch was a favorite pastime for my Irvine Flats homesteader relatives

One story that comes up quite often when talking with my grandmother, Lilly Ryan, is that quite often some of the Irvine Flats homesteaders would gather together to play card games.

Every week they would go to a different ranch and have a lunch.

After the lunch they would play cards.

The seven card playing families were:

Lilly and Harold Halverson
George and Rose Halverson
Beulah and John Wigfield
Stumans  (James and Laura - census)
Gottiebs (from census - Bernard and Clara and John- is John the adopted son?)
Burtons
Merritts

Some times the card games were centered around a holiday such as Thanksgiving or Christmas.

The card games they played were 500 and pinochle.

Lilly said that Rose and George also liked to play Bridge.  Lilly
did not know how to play bridge. I'm not sure about Harold.

Lilly thinks that Rose and George would also play Bridge in
Polson.

Lilly said that they all had a good time.

Pearl Harbor News on December 7, 1941, stirs emotions for Irvine Flats ranchers

How did Pearl Harbor affect people in the Irvin Flats area?

George (aka known as Georgie on this blog) Halverson remembers that on the day of December 7, 1941, the day the Japenese bombed Pearl Harbor. He was riding home from school on his horse and a car came zooming down the road towards him.  It was the Merritts, homesteaders that lived above the Halversons, and they were telling George about the Pearl Harbor bombing and how terrible it was.

It is my understanding that one of the Merritt boys enlisted in the Army soon after the bombing.

George would turn 8 years old on December 11th of 1941.

George said that during the war the people would hear about all of the battles of WWII on the radio.  He remembers quite clearly about what was going on as even though Irvine Flats was miles away from the WWII action it was prevalent in every one's mind. 

In fact, George remembers having fears that the Japanese would fly over Irvin Flats and bomb the area.

Harold Halverson with his sled in the early 1900's on Irvine Flats west of Polson, Montana

Harold Halverson with his sled on Irvine Flats west of Polson Montana in the early 1900's The picture was taken by either his mother, Rose, or his father, George

This picture was made into a post card and has a post card format on the back of it. This is the reason the picture is crooked - it was crooked on the post card.

It looks like there is a river to the left of Harold. Perhaps this was not on Irvine Flats - I will have to ask my dad. It must have been close by if not.

Rose had a big collection of post cards which my dad still has in his possession.

Karl and Anna Kasseroler's wedding picture in Bozen, Austria

Anna Fortunata and Karl Kasseroler's wedding picture in Bozen, Austria before immigrating to the United States and Irvine Flats near Polson, Montana

My grandma Lilly has this picture which she let me scan. Anna and Karl settled in the Irvine Flats area after spending some time in Kalispell.

Karl Kasseroler's family was in the orchard and fruit business in Austria. His family lived in a very fertile area of the eastern portion of Austria, I believe in Tirol.

Today Bozen has been renamed Balzano, as in a war the Italians took over Bozen.

It is my understanding that Karl had hoped to go into the fruit business on Irvine Flats, however, it is very dry land and the trees did not grow as well there as they did in Austria.

Anna and Karl had five children: Anthony (Tony), Charlie, Anna, whom were born in Austria, Rena (born in Kalispell), and the twins, Lilly (my grandmother who at the time of this writing is 98 years old) and Lena. Lilly has outlived her entire family.

Anna had two sisters who are pictured in another blog post and Karl had many brothers. One of Karl's brothers, Joe, came to America for a time and then returned to Austria (but missed America after returning) Karl had a couple of sisters, also. One sister was a disagreeable sort and ended up taking the inheritance of the Kasseroler children when both the parents died in Austria.

Many of Karl's brothers, if not all, died in a war - I believe the First World War.

Green Mountain School - school of Harold and Georgie Halverson on Irvine Flats west of Polson

Green Mountain School - the schoolhouse which Harold and Georgie attended on Irvine Flats west of Polson, Montana

The Green Mountain School located on Irvine Flats was moved to the Miracle of America museum in Polson, Montana,  which is where this picture was taken on November 16, 2013.

It needs a coat of paint and we hope to help paint it next summer!

Georgie Halverson on tricycle in front of the ranch house with the family dog at his side

Georgie Halverson on tricycle by the family dog in front of the ranch house

Rose and son Harold on Irvine Flats with a vintage car behind them.

Rose Halverson with son Harold on Irvine Flats 

This picture must have been taken by George Halverson, husband and father to Rose and Harold. The picture was taken next to the house as the road going by their ranch house can be seen in the background.  I believe Harold was born in 1908 so a guess as to how old he is in this picture would be 20 years old or so which would have been in 1928.

I am unsure what kind of car is pictured.

I talked with my Grandma Lilly today (September 9, 2014) and asked if she knew what type of car this would have been.

Lilly said that the only car she remembers Harold owning was a nice blue and white convertible. She thinks that George and Rose bought it for Harold. There may have been one payment for which  Harold had to earn the money. 

Lilly said that she remembers a canvas material on the back of the car  and if one looks closely at this picture one can see some sort of material on the back of the car so I believe this is the same car my grandmother remembers.

It appears the top of the car is white and perhaps the back panel may also be white. The rest of the car must be blue.

Of interest, is that after Harold and Lilly were married they converted the car into a truck so that they could put boxes in it to haul things.

Georgie Halverson with his sled on Irvine Flats in the early 1940's

Georgie with sled on Irvine Flats with the ranch house in the background probably in the early '40's

Georgie would sled down the hill going up to the ranch house in the winter. I believe we have a picture of Harold, his father, with a sled in the same vicinity many years earlier.

School Days on Irvine Flats at the Green Mountain School

Georgie Halverson with his Green Mountain School classmates on Irvine Flats just west of Polson Montana in 1946

I believe this may be the last class of the Green Mountain School as when Georgie was in 7th grade the country school was closed and the children were bused into Polson for school.

Update:  My dad, Dave (my husband), and I met at McDonalds the other day and he told me the names of the students in the picture - hooray!

They are: 

Back row: Georgie Halverson, Alvin Merritt, Mickie Davis, Everett Parsons, Joan Wigfield, and Joan Thompson.

Middle row:  

Wayne Thompson, Walt Vermadahl, Marcia Parsons, and  Joyce Wigfield

Front row:  Duane Eveland, Rex Merritt, Jimmy Burton, and Paul Parsons

Georgie loved this country school. He rode his horse to school every day. The school had a shelter for the horses while the children were in school. The school was about three miles from the ranch house.

He said he loved the books from which he learned his lessons. The books they used told history by using stories. He said that he learned more in this little country school than from the schooling at Polson High School from where he graduated in 1952.

This picture was taken by Rose Halverson. Rose took may pictures on the ranch. My dad, George (Georgie) calls her the Ansel Adams of Irvine Flats.

Sadly, (I think) the Green Mountain School was closed after this school year (1946-47). The Irvine Flats students were bused into Polson, therefore, Georgie finished his grade school years in Polson attending a Polson school for eighth grade.

1934 picture of baby Georgie with Harold, his father, his great-grandmother, and grandmother Rose

Picture taken around 1934 - Rose Nelson's mother, Rose Halverson, Harold Halverson, and Georgie Halverson

This picture was most likely taken on the homestead on Irvine Flats - I'm not sure what homestead. Harold and Lilly had their place near the orchard and then there was the George Halverson homestead.

Georgie, the baby, was born December 11, 1933 and looks to be about nine months or so.

Rose, George, and Harold Halverson on the Irvine Flats homestead west of Polson Montana - with visiting Chicago relatives

The George Halverson homestead on Irvine Flats with visiting relatives from Chicago  - guessing around 1920's

The picture above was from some pictures that my dad, George (known Georgie as a child) of his dad, Harold, his grandmother, Rose, and his grandfather, George.

Rose and George Halverson came to the Polson area and homesteaded on Irvine Flats in 1910 (around that time).

Almost every year, Rose's mother and sister, Evelyn, came to visit. They rode the train into the Milwaukee depot in Missoula and the Halverson's would drive to pick them up and drive back to the homestead west of Polson (about 17 miles).  

Radio Historical Post Office on Irvine Flats west of Polson Montana

I've downloaded a picture of the Radio post office which was once located on Irvine Flats near Polson, Montana.  The Radio post office no longer exists and is listed as a Montana historical post office.

My dad, George Halverson, gave me a a picture of the Radio post office to scan which was taken by my great-grandmother Rose in the 1940's.  I finally was successful in posting the picture on this blog. The original picture was quite big, about a 5x7, however, due to technology today it was re-sized by the computer - hooray!

The Radio post office located on Irvine Flats near Polson, Montana.  The picture was taken by my great-grandmother, Rose Halverson. My grandmother, Lilly, said that the lady in the picture is Mrs. Nelson, the post master at the time.

My Grandma Lilly (maiden name is Kasseroler) said -

The lady in front of the Radio Post Office building is Mrs. Nelson, the Postmaster.  The Nelson family lived in the back of the post office building. 

Before there was a Radio Post Office I believe the area was named Seines, after a man with a last name of Seines.

The Nelson kid"s names were August, Lilly, and Evelyn They all had the bluest eyes and also quite fair skin. 

I have not heard much about their (the Nelson's) father.

August, as an adult, was accused of stealing money out of the some of the mail at the post office.  He served some time in Federal prison for this crime. 

Lilly thinks that perhaps her brother Charlie and sister Anna may have had some money stolen as they would send money home from money earned from their jobs after they left the homestead.
Charlie sent money home quite often.

A neighbor, Anton Bjork, would carry mail from Polson to Hot Springs after the Radio Post Office was closed. 

Anton Bjork lived in a house near the post office with his mother.  His mother smoked a pipe. Sometimes she would throw the pipe under a dishcloth in order to hide it.  Lilly and her sisters would go over there and listen to the radio.  Mrs. Bjork would always fix coffee. 

Anna Kasseroler, Lilly's mother, loved Mrs. Bjork; they were the best of friends. Anna would speak in German and Mrs. Bjork would speak Norwegian, but somehow they knew what each other was saying!

Anna Kasseroler, my fraternal great-grandmother, (Grandma Lilly's mother) was an industrious homesteader. Perhaps because of the fruit busness which they left in Bozen, Austria, (now Balzano, Italy) she would can fruit every year. The family would store the fruit in the cellar. Sometimes, they would see Mrs. Bjork taking a jar of fruit from the cellar, however, it did not bother them.

There were not very many houses around the post office 

The weeds around the post office may look like knapweed, however, it was not.  They did not have knapweed on Irvine Flats at the time my relatives lived on Irvine Flats.

Grandma Lilly thinks that the posters on the front of the walls in the picture are signs for an election.  I was wondering if they were "wanted posters" but she didn't thinks so.  Patty, my aunt, did not think they were "wanted posters" as she thought that era had already passed.

Information on the Green Mountain School which George Halverson attended

Click on link below from the Polson School district archives to read about the Green Mountain School which George (Georgie)Halverson attended for most of his grade school years. 

The Green Mountain School closed before his 7th grade year began so he and the Irvine Flats children were bused into Polson. 

George and his grandparents moved into Polson and so he didn't ride the bus into town for his 8th grade year.

If I understand correctly, the Halversons, after moving into town, leased their ranch for grazing.

The Halverson ranch was not sold until the early 1970's.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&ved=0CEgQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.polson.k12.mt.us%2Fphs%2Fcountryschools%2Firvineflats%2520folder%2Firvineflats%2FPages%2Fgreenvalley50.html&ei=ecXnUKT4GYTtiwKatoFQ&usg=AFQjCNFlfodqIE7Bdc8LUsM7A356tmSjQw&sig2=lPUcW-YHt4oK1W6efMs3wg&bvm=bv.1355534169,d.cGE

Irvine Flats named after William ( Billy) M. Irvine - an early pioneer in the Flathead area

In the link below one will read about William M. Irvine.  Irvine Flats, a ranch area west of Polson, Montana is named after Irvine.  He was also known as Billy Irvine.

genforum.genealogy.com/irvine/messages/1239.html

Some quotes from the article follow:

"A biography and portrait of William M. Irvine, rancher/stockman of Flathead Valley, is included in "Montana, Its Story and Biography", Vol 3, page 859."

and -

"Irvine was born near Post Creek, June 15, 1856.  His father, Perter Irvine, came to western Montana as an employee of the Hudson's Bay Trading Company.  He settled at the Fort Conan Trading Post on Post creek and there married Angela Ashley, a Flathead Indian woman. Billy was the oldest of nine children. He amassed a great deal of livestock and property in the late nineties."

and -

"William M., b. 15 Jun 1856, was son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Irvine. He grew up on a ranch and worked as a cowboy and traveled and worked with cattle outfits all over the West and Northwest. Later he settled in Flathead Valley country and owned 5,000 acres in that and Sanders County, where he raised cattle. He lived in the Flathead Valley for 29 years and then moved into the Town of Polson, MT."and -

"William M. married Mrs. Emily Larivee, a native of the State of Washington."
and -

"Irvine returned to his native Flathead in 1886 and went into the cattle business for himself, Charles Allar, Sr., staked him to his first small herd and the Irvine ranch in its heyday totaled 3,000 cattle and 100 horses.  He located west of Polson, which now bears his name, Irvine Flats. In 1896, he married a part Indian woman, Emily Brown, who died in April, 1937."

Family memories -

My grandmother, Lilly Ryan, who was raised on a homestead on Irvine Flats remembers the Irvine family.

She remembers that the Irvine ranch was a very nice place.  She also remembers a Mr. Larivee, who must have been the brother of Emily, who always played Santa Claus in the Christmas gatherings in the area.

Lilly remembers that the Irvine's (or was it the Larivee's)  had a daughter named Kathryn, who was a friend of Lilly's older sister, Rena.

She believes that a log school house was near the Irvine ranch or on the property of the Irvine's.
This writer will check on the accuracy of Lilly Ryan's memories when she visits her next week.

Georgie Halverson on a horse in 1935.



Georgie on a horse with grandfather George in approximately 1935

This is a picture of my dad, George Halverson, on a horse with his grandfather, also named George, standing beside him on the ranch on Irvine Flats, just west of Polson.

I am told by my father, who was called Georgie when he was young, that this picture must have been taken in about 1935. Georgie was born in December of 1933. He thinks he was only about 2 years old when the picture was taken.