Izaak Walton Inn
The Izaak Walton Inn is a historic inn in Essex, Montana, United States. It was originally built as the Izaak Walton Hotel in 1939 by the Great Northern Railway as a soup kitchen and lodgings for railway workers.[2] The hotel was also originally envisioned as a potential official southern gateway to Glacier National Park, hence its size, but World War II intervened and that plan never materialized.[3][4] Today, the inn is served by Essex station, the only request stop on Amtrak's Empire Builder route. A van from the inn meets both the morning eastbound and the evening westbound Empire Builders to convey passengers between the station and the inn.
Izaak Walton Inn | |
 The Inn and tracks | |
  | |
| Location | 290 Izaak Walton Inn Road Essex, Montana |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 48°16′43″N 113°36′42″W |
| Built | 1939 |
| Architect | Miller, Addison, Co. |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival |
| Website | izaakwaltoninn |
| NRHP reference No. | 85003235[1] |
| Added to NRHP | October 18, 1985 |
The Tudor Revival inn is named after Sir Izaak Walton, the English writer and fisherman. Its location, Essex, was originally named Walton.[5] The structure was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.[6] Before its construction, rail crews had to find lodgings best they could among the then about 400 inhabitants of Essex, with many having to shelter in abandoned railcars or tents even during the winter.[7] Before the Inn was built, there was only a "beanery", a restaurant with no lodging facilities (built 1910 and 1920s; both structures destroyed by fire).[7]
The inn has 33 rooms for rent within the inn itself, with some other space available in refurbished cabooses, EMD F45 Diesel Locomotive 441, etc. It has been privately owned since the 1950s.[8] The Izaak Walton Inn is open year-round, except for several weeks during the off season.
In December 2022, the inn was purchased for US$13.5 million by Washington-based hospitality company LOGE Camps (pronounced "lodge"), who plan to update the rooms and upgrade the cafe during summer and fall 2023.[2022 sale 1][2022 sale 2][2022 sale 3] The Inn closed on April 1, 2023 through Spring 2024.
Gallery
GN441 Locomotive converted to a luxury lodge
The Empire Builder passing the Izaak Walton Inn
The Izaak Walton Inn is built next to a railroad helper station
Track-facing side of the Izaak Walton Inn
Vintage shuttle from Essex station to the Izaak Walton Inn
References
- "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
- "Historic Inn to Receive Rail Service". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. March 10, 1985. p. 35. Retrieved October 19, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Great American Stations: Essex, MT (ESM)". Amtrak. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
- "History of the Izaak Walton Inn". Izaak Walton Inn. 2010. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
- Montana Place Names from Alzada to Zortman; Aarstad, Arguimbau, Baumler, Porsild, Shovers; Montana Historical Society, 2009; page 132
- "Izaak Walton Inn: Overview, History, Information".
- Montana SP Izaak Walton Inn. File Unit: National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Records: Montana, 1964 - 2012.
- "National Register of Historic Places, Montana - Flathead County". National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
- December 2022 sale to LOGE Camps
- Franz, Justin (December 16, 2022). "Historic Izaak Walton Inn sold near Glacier Park". Montana Free Press. Helena, MT: Montana Free Press. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
- Knowler, Adrian (December 16, 2022). "Izaak Walton Inn sold". Daily Inter Lake. Kalispell, MT: The Daily Inter Lake. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
- Franz, Justin (February 3, 2023). "Montana's Izaak Walton to Close for Renovations This Summer". Railfan & Railroad Magazine. Bucklin, MO: White River Productions. Retrieved February 9, 2023.