Como Orchard Summer Colony, University Heights, Montana near Darby (1909) (S.144) Bitter Root Inn, Bitter Root, Montana near Stevensville (1908) (S.145) ARTIFACTS BOOKS BROCHURES MAPS PERIODICALS ARTIFACTS Bitter Root Inn Remnant (1908)
Bitter Root Inn Site (2009)
John Stroud hold a small piece of concrete next to a section of concrete at the site of the Bitter Root Inn, an artifact now added to our collection.
BOOKS The Iron and Steel Works of The United States (1904)
The Pacific Reporter (1918)
National Register of Historic Places, Hamilton, Montana (1988)
National Register of Historic Places, Stevensville, Montana (1991)
Bitter Root Project (1991)
Twice a Mail Order Bride, The Story of Grandma Rush (2006)
- John Stroud hold a copy of his book "Twice a Mail Order Bride" which includes information and three photographic postcards of the Bitter Root Inn. The site of the original Bitter Root Inn is over his left shoulder, across the ravine.
Twice a Mail Order Bride, 2006, By John Stroud
Published by Stoneydale Press Publishing Company, Stevensville, MT
"This Local History also touches on.. the connection of the Apple Boom to the Bitter Root Inn designed by Frank Lloyd Wright; as well as the irrigation from Lake Como south of Hamilton. Lake Como was named by Father Antonio Ravalli after a lake very similar to this in the Alps of his native Italy."
For copies of this book, contact: John J. Stroud, P.O. Box 638,
Stevensville, Montana 59870BROCHURES Alpine Meadow Ranch Flyer (2003)
MAPS Bitterroot Valley, Montana: Aerial Map.(2009)
PERIODICALS THE CHICAGO ALUMNI MAGAZINE
Advertisement: Como Orchard Land Co. OVERLAND MONTHLY
YEAR TITLE AUTHOR DESCRIPTION PAGES ST# 1904 The Iron and Steel Works of The United States 1904 (Compiled and Published by The American Iron & Steel Association, Philadelphia, PA. Sixteenth Edition, Printed by Allen, Lane & Scott, Philadelphia) American Iron & Steel Includes information concerning W. I. Moody, General Manager of the Muncie Works, American Rolling Mill Corporation, with offices in the Rookery Building (S.113), Chicago, Ill. Moody was involved in financing and promoting the Como Orchard Summer Colony, University Heights (S.144) and the Bitter Root Inn (S.145). (Digital copy) For more information on the Bitter Root Inn see our Wright Study. Pp 468 0055.02.1009 1908 Bitter Root Inn Remnant (S#145). Concrete foundation remnants from the Bitter Root Inn. Designed in 1908, the Inn opened in October of 1909. The "apple boom" was on in the Bitterroot Valley, Montana. Investors from the east were wined and dined. They were given free rail passage and transportation where they were lavishly entertained at the Bitter Root Inn. Lodging, dinner and golf were free. So was the French wine. The boom was short lived. Blight destroyed much of the valley’s crop in 1913. Law suits plagued the company. They filed for bankruptcy in 1916. It ceased as an inn, but was used as a dance hall and roadhouse. Finally on July 26, 1924, fire destroyed the Bitter Root Inn. 5 x 6.5 x 2.25. For more information on the Bitter Root Inn see our Wright Study. 0085.06.0909 1908 The Chicago Alumni Magazine - March 1908 (Published monthly by The University of Chicago Alumni Association, The University of Chicago, Chicago.) Advertisement: Como Orchard Land Co. "An Unusual Opportunity." Half page ad for the Como Orchard Land Co. "University Heights, Community and Orchard... with a plan of providing for each investor a summer cabin in an attractive village community. A few Five and Ten-Acre Tracts still available in he division reserved for the University of Chicago..." Related to the Como Orchard Summer Colony (S.144). Original cover price 25c. 9 x 6.5. Digital copy. For more information on the Como Orchard Summer Colony see our Wright Study. P 21 0085.07.1109 1909 Overland Monthly - January 1909 (Published monthly by The Overland Monthly Company, San Francisco, CA and Butte, Montana) Teale, George M. "The Bitter Root Valley." Description and information on the Bitter Root Valley. Includes 22 photographs. Includes information on the Bitter Root Valley Irrigation Co. and W.I. Moody. "...and some day the inhabitants will look back to these days and bless the day that the B. R. V. I. Co. was organized." Moody was involved in financing and promoting the Como Orchard Summer Colony, University Heights (S.144) and the Bitter Root Inn (S.145). Original cover price 15c per issue. 7 x 10.5. (Digital copy) For more information on the Bitter Root Inn see our Wright Study. Pp 59-69 0086.01.1009 1918 The Pacific Reporter, Volume 171 (Published by West Publishing Co., St. Paul) West Publishing Co. "Como Orchard Land Co. v. Markham." Pages 274-276. 6.25 x 10. Relates to the Como Orchard Summer Colony, University Heights (S.144) and the Bitter Root Inn (S.145). (Digital and Printed version.) For more information on the Bitter Root Inn see our Wright Study. Pp 1183 0139.04.1109 1988 National Register of Historic Places, Hamilton, Montana. Historic Resources of Hamilton, Montana. (Published by the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Washington D.C.) Michels, Kirk Inventory - Nomination Form. History of Hamilton, Montana and the surrounding area. Includes historical information on the Big Ditch Development, the Bitterroot District Irrigation Co., and the two planned communities designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, which included "University Heights near Darby and the town of Bitterroot near Corvallis." 8.5 x 11, Digital and printed version. For more information on the Bitter Root Inn see our Wright Study. Pp 21 1988.47.1009 1991 National Register of Historic Places, Stevensville, Montana. Historic and Agricultural Resources of Stevensville, Montana. (Published by the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Washington D.C.) Montana State Historical Preservation Office Staff Multiple Property Documentation Form. History of Stevensville, Montana and the surrounding area. Includes historical information on the "Apple Boom", the Big Ditch Development and the Bitterroot District Irrigation Co. "The new townsite of Bitterroot was platted just north of Stevensville, and the Bitterroot Inn, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, was built in 1920 and served as an informal headquarters for the Chicago-based land developers and investors." 8.5 x 11, Digital and printed version. For more information on the Bitter Root Inn see our Wright Study. Pp 30 1991.49.1009 1991 Bitter Root Project (Published by The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation Records. National Archives and Records Administration, Denver, Colorado) Bridges, Kelly "Thousands of acres of newly irrigable land were purchased by newcomers. These newly settled lands became the subdivisions of East Side Addition, Hamilton Heights, ... and University Heights. Each of these divisions saw the construction of golf courses and large inns. Additionally, many of these divisions planted acres of McIntosh Apple orchards. Intense advertising to attract even more people to these lands occurred, boasting that land selling from $200 to $300 per acre could earn net returns of $5000 for each ten acre plot. The Bitter Root Valley Irrigation Company even offered a development plan for undeveloped lands. This plan consisted of a buyer paying $300 per acre for land and having the company caring for an orchard on that land for five years, after which the company represented the land as being self supporting... 8.5 x 11. Relates to the Como Orchard Summer Colony, University Heights (S.144) and the Bitter Root Inn (S.145). For more information on the Bitter Root Inn see our Wright Study. Pp 13 1995.51.1109 2003 "Montana’s only Frank Lloyd Wright designed guest ranch, retreat and wildlife refuge - the historic and unique Alpine Meadow Ranch... In 1910, Frank Lloyd Wright was commissioned to design a development that would allow people from the city to live in the mountains, pick apples, socialize, and live in a little utopia. It is believed that Wright visited the site to select the locations of the dwellings." (Published by the Alpine Meadow Ranch, Darby, Montana) Includes three photographs and one illustration. 8.5 x 11. 29 copies. Pg 1. For more information on the Como Orchard Summer Colony see our Wright Study. 2003.36.0909 2005 "Montana’s only Frank Lloyd Wright designed guest ranch, retreat and wildlife refuge - the historic and unique Alpine Meadow Guest Ranch, LLC... In 1910, Frank Lloyd Wright was commissioned to design a development that would allow people from the city to live in the mountains, pick apples, socialize, and live in a little utopia. It is believed that Wright visited the site to select the locations of the dwellings." (Published by the Alpine Meadow Guest Ranch, LLC, Darby, Montana) Includes nine photographs and one illustration. 3.4 x 7.7. Pp 6. For more information on the Como Orchard Summer Colony see our Wright Study. 2005.24.0909 2006 Twice a Mail Order Bride, The Story of Grandma Rush. (Soft Cover) (Published by Stoneydale Press Publishing Company, Stevensville, MT) Stroud, John "This Local History also touches on.. the connection of the Apple Boom to the Bitter Root Inn designed by Frank Lloyd Wright; as well as the irrigation from Lake Como south of Hamilton. Lake Como was named by Father Antonio Ravalli after a lake very similar to this in the Alps of his native Italy." (Publishers description.) Includes information and three images of the Bitter Root Inn designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Original List Price $13.95. 8.5 x 11. (First Edition) For more information on the Bitter Root Inn see our Wright Study. Pp 104 2006.27.0909 2009 Bitterroot Valley, Montana: Aerial Map. Aerial view of the site of the Bitter Root Inn (S#145) in 2009. (Published by DigitalGlobe, GeoEye) 8.5 x 11. For more information on the Bitter Root Inn see our Wright Study. 2009.05.1009
