PAUL FUGLEBERG: Flathead’s east shore road built by convict labor - Article from the September 15th, 2014 edition of the Missoulian

PAUL FUGLEBERG: Flathead’s east shore road built by convict labor

Click on the link below to read about some Flathead history, the area of my homesteader ancestors.

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.

Rose Halverson with her mother and their white dog in Chicago

Rose Halverson and her mother, Mrs. Nelson, at the apartment in Chicago with their white dog 

My Grandma Lilly gave me this picture a while ago. I believe this would have been  taken on a visit back to Chicago after Rose and George got married and moved out west. I will have to ask my grandma  - I don't think this picture was taken before she was married to George Halverson.

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.