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Newsletter from Montana
October 2005
Do you like horses? Are you looking for something fun to do in your retirement while still living close to the city? I just listed a Horse Motel
with 20 stalls for horses on 13 acres in Billings, just a mile or so from I-90.
It comes with a 3,000 sqft home, 84' x120' Barn with living quarters, an RV pad, hayshed, piped corrals, pond and pasture. $ 495,000
The 125 acres just north of Red Lodge
fell out of escrow - there was a 1031 glitch. So now here it is. Not only that, but the owners said, they would sell all 165 acres for $ 695,000 with the barn (it has living quarters, well and septic) if I can find a buyer before they get their log home started. In that case there would be NO restrictions. The land is gravity irrigated with underground piping and a motorized wheel line. There are two ponds and two springs on the property as well. Spectacular mountain views of four mountain ranges from the top.
For only $ 89,000 you can live in the Beverly Hills of Bridger (a farm town and half an hour from Red Lodge). The home is close to schools on a double lot with beautiful trees, featuring a large screened-in porch, an oversized double garage and 1,456 sqft of living space. It is a 1972 manufactured home on a permanent foundation with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and country kitchen. All appliances go with it, including a big freezer for the hunting season.
This little home is only $ 75,000 and the owner will finance with a substantial down payment! What a beautiful country setting - on a double lot at the edge of a bluff overlooking a beautiful park in Harlowton with a spot for your garden. This is also a great location for watching the 4th of July fireworks and with binoculars you can observe the rodeos from your living room window. The lot borders the Chief Joseph Park, which features a lake and the Musselshell River is nearby. The home was built in 1924 and has the original oak floor. All wiring was replaced; there is a new high efficient heater and new plumbing. The home does need paint and the kitchen and baths need to be updated. But it will be worth it for the view, the privacy and the end of the road location in a small community of 1,100. Harlowton does have a clinic, a grocery store, a small nursery and a lumber yard. It even has a movie theater. Make yourself useful and liven up the town! :-)
Harlowton, Montana, is located in central Montana, and is the county seat of Wheatland County. The county itself only has 5 towns in it. Harlowton used to be much larger during the prime agricultural years of the 1920's. But, like other eastern and central Montana towns, Harlowton has suffered from population and economic decline due to the consolidation of the agricultural industry, the loss of a railroad, and the lack of a diversified economy. The location of Harlowton is actually pretty nice. Three mountain ranges, the dominating Crazy Mountains, which you can see from the window, the Little Belt Mountains and the Big Snowy Mountains are all nearby. These mountains provide excellent hunting opportunities for deer and elk. The Musselshell River also flows through town, which can provide for some fine, if somewhat challenging, brown trout fishing. Harlowton is an interesting and historic town. The downtown area is full of empty and partially empty buildings - testament to the loss of population that has occurred in this region. Yet, the town has made great efforts to retain its historic role in the building and operation of the Milwaukee Road Railroad. Harlowton is part of the Milwaukee Road Historic District. As such, sitting right downtown is a historic E57B Electric Locomotive that pulled the freight and passengers in this part of Montana. This locomotive was donated by the Milwaukee Road when it pulled out of Montana in 1974 (and disappeared completely a few years later). Additionally, at the other end of town is the very nicely preserved and restored Harlowton Train Depot. This depot, as mentioned, has been fully restored - and has a number of railroad artifacts around it, including an old switch engine, a railroad snowplow, signal lights and more. The nearest large cities to Harlowton are Billings (92 miles),
Bozeman (105 miles),
Great Falls (124 miles) , and Helena (134 miles); each of which are about 2-3 hours away, depending on weather conditions. As such, Harlowton is quite isolated - which explains why the town has been struggling economically over the past several decades. It does make a great hangout if you can work from home with an Internet business, or if you are an artist.
During the summer, Harlowton can receive a fair amount of traffic of people "passing through" on the often times busy US Highway 12. If you like Western Wear, be sure to stop at the gas station on the junction of Highway 12 and Highway 191 that is located about 2 miles east of downtown. Inside this gas station is one of the nicest and authentic western stores you are likely to find. The town is rich in history, especially railroad history and when I was there, they were restoring a historic building downtown to house the museum. Harlowton makes a great jumping off point for people heading up into the Crazy Mountains. I posted some photos of Harlowton on my website.
In July 2005 The World Harmony Run went from Melstone to Harlowton.
I would tout lot 49 in Cathedral Mountain Ranch,
but I think by the time I get this newsletter out, it might be already under contract. Take a look anyway, it is such a beautiful setting, and will get you in the mood for the holidays.
If you rather be on an island in Florida this winter or on the Bahamas, check out these beach rentals.
North Captiva Island is part of a chain of islands which include Sanibel and Captiva (accessible by car).
North Captiva has slowly developed over the last 40 years, but is still only accessible by small airplane or boat. There is an airstrip for those who choose to land on the island. A hurricane in 1921 severed Captiva Island into two separate land masses...thus creating the island that we now know as "Upper or North Captiva". Previously inhabited by Calusa Indians over 6,000 years ago, the conquistadors arrived and nearly wiped out the tribes. Frequented by such famous pirates as Jose' Gaspar, the island earned it's name from the women held "captive" by the pirates. With limited development potential, it is unlikely that Upper Captiva Island will ever see a motor car or a McDonalds. The U.S. Government has established a large wildlife sanctuary, insuring that the true Old Florida charm remains forever untouched.
Airstrip use is limited and permission must be obtained in advance. Water taxi service available. The other vacation rentals are on the Bahamas, which were originally called "Baja Mar", a name bestowed on them by the Spaniards. Comprised primarily of limestone, the islands are really mountain plateaus that once emerged from the Atlantic Ocean. The first settlers (known as Lukki-cairi) originated from South America around the 9th Century. These settlers were also known as Arawaks and Lucayan. In 1492, Christopher Columbus first landed in The Bahamas and labeled the settlers as Indians.
In 1647, the next set of settlers arrived in the Bahamas from Bermuda. These English settlers left Bermuda searching for religious freedom and formed the first British Colony on the Island of Eleuthera. Around 1600, the islands began attracting Pirates like "Blackbeard", "Arthur Catt", and "Henry Morgan". For the next 70 or so years, the pirates dominated the islands in what was known as "The Golden Age of Piracy". They spent their time luring unsuspecting ships into the treacherous shallow waters for the purpose of plundering them. Britain claimed the islands in 1670, but remained powerless against the piracy for almost 50 years. The first appointed governor, "Woodes Rogers", drove out the pirates in 1718 and it was at this time that Britain recognized The Bahamas as a colony. During Britain's war with Spain and the American Revolution, Spain briefly retook The Bahamas in May 1782. A year later, under the "Treaty of Versailles", The Bahamas once again became a British Colony. Following Britain's defeat in the American Revolutionary War, southern loyalists brought their slaves to the Bahamas and grew cotton under the protection of the Crown. In 1861, during the American Civil War years, the Union Navy blockaded the islands in an attempt to cripple the Confederacy. This allowed the Bahamians to prosper by running Confederate cotton to English mills and sending military equipment to Confederate rebels. Prohibition and the "Roaring Twenties" transformed the Bahamas into a base for rum running. After Prohibition was repealed, the islands lapsed into economic hard times. During World War II, The Bahamas served as an air and sea way station in the Atlantic. Shortly after World War II, the new industry of Tourism recognized the islands for their beauty. When Cuba was closed to U.S. tourists in the 1950's, The Bahamas soon became one of the world's most popular vacation destinations. Great Britain granted the islands self-government in 1964 and changed their status from Colony to commonwealth in 1969. In 1973, "The Commonwealth of the Bahamas" became independent within the "Commonwealth of Nations", but retained Queen Elizabeth II as the constitutional head of state.
To make your reservations in Paradise call: Curt Bannister: 800-605-9599 or 814-453-7723 or send him an email
If you have missed out on pumpkin carving, here is your chance:
http://www.theoworlds.com/halloween/
Otherwise, if you want to make it a point to smile at least once a day, subscribe to your favorite comic strips,
which will be delivered into your inbox every morning for $ 11.95 per year.
XM Radio
is not only available for your car, but you can subscribe to it for a few dollars a month and listen to it all day long on your computer. Try "Sunny" - I found it the least distracting while working. My kids call it "elevator music" :-)
I wish you a happy Thanksgiving with your Loved Ones!
:-)
Best Regards,
Dorothea Lowe, Broker
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