For more than a century, Gilliam Hall at Elkhorn State Park has been imperceptibly listing downhill, its foundations and floor boards shifting toward its younger, more famous neighbor.
“If that gradual downhill lean continued, it would cause snowballing structural issues in the long-term,” Rachel Reckin, Heritage Resources Program Manager at Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, told The Monitor. “Eventually – and this would probably take 50 or more years – without intervention, Gilliam Hall would probably collapse onto Fraternity Hall below it.”
That would be unacceptable, as the two buildings are more than 130 years old and comprise Montana’s smallest state park. FWP has hired Zoula Construction, a Missoula-based firm with extensive preservation experience, to make repairs. “We’re stopping that downhill lean while it’s still minor, preventing further damage, and keeping the building safe,” said Reckin.
