In 1990, Stumptown Historical Society purchased the Whitefish Depot for $1 from BNSF Railway. More than three decades later, cries of “Save the Depot,” can once again be heard across town.  

Since the 1990 transaction and a commitment by the Historical Society to preserve the storied beauty, the Depot has seen a number of improvements. Most recently, the building received a fresh coat of paint in 2022. 

But now, the 1927 Tudor-style train station is in need of a new roof, with a price tag of about $150,000.  

The Historical Society’s funds are unique for a nonprofit. As owners of the Depot, the organization acts as a landlord. BNSF Railway pays rent for the building they once owned as over 60,000 passengers pass through each year.  

The rent, plus selling books and historical photos inside the Depot’s museum, brings in revenue for the Historical Society.  

The building’s preservation, however, is a costly endeavor and an enormous responsibility, said Jill Evans, director of the Historical Society. Standard maintenance costs about $50,000 a year, she said.  

“We need to ask the people of Whitefish to help us again,” she said. “Because it’s their building. It’s an iconic part of town.”  

A self-called “Fab Four,” with Evans, volunteers Hillary Crowley and Patricia Ryan, and archivist Jessica Owen, started planning a retro dance fundraiser when it looked like the Historical Society wasn’t going to be able to make ends meet.  

While the cost of a new roof is one of the primary motivators for the upcoming Sock Hop, Evans said they plan for it to be the first of an annual event dubbed the “Fall Follies.” 

It’s the first organized fundraiser for the Historical Society in at least a quarter of a century, Evans said. Once the roof is done, they anticipate more repairs in the coming years, including an elevator replacement.   

Crowley and Ryan are helping to debut the first ever Fall Follies button. Like Winter Carnival buttons, they hope the Sock Hop button will hold value as a memento. The button comes with the purchase of a $25 ticket. 

The 1950s-themed hoorah is going to have a dance contest and a hula hoop contest, and a silent auction, with several community businesses pitching in items.  

The Sock Hop is Saturday, Oct. 25 from 6 to 10 p.m. at Whitefish Moose Lodge, 230 W 10th St. Tickets are available at the door and in advance at stumptownhistoricalsociety.org/event-details/shs-sock-hop.

    Jill Evans, director of the Stumptown Historical Society, stands outside of the Whitefish Depot, while holding a poster for the upcoming Sock Hop. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)