Charlie Russell loved the Christmas season. He loved most everything to do with that magical season and when he lived, he made it even more magical.
Russell would carve gnomes, elves and Santa's along with fairies at Bulls Head Lodge all summer long and bring them back to Great Falls to give away and decorate his home and studio.
During storms on Lake McDonald, after the tamarack needles would fall, the needles would form a ball about as big as a baseball. Charlie would collect those balls and decorate them for the Christmas tree or mantle in his house.
It seemed that Charlie never grew alot since the days when Kid Russell spent time with Jake Hoover on the Judith River just after Russell came to Montana. Russell always had more of the "Kid" in him than the adult.
When Charlie had married Nancy, they moved to Great Falls from Cascade. Nancy figured they would sell more of Charlie's paintings in Great Falls than Cascade. Charlie's mother died and left them enough inheritance to have a small bungalow built where they lived until Charlie died in 1926.
Charlie was not comfortable painting in their new house so decided to build a log cabin next door which he would use for his studio. Charlie, watching the telephone poles go into place that were the logs and got the feeling that his neighbors in that part of Great Falls would not like a log cabin in the midst of their modern homes. So, Charlie paid no attention to it at all until it was almost completed. Charlie's neighbor Trigg and his wife came over for dinner one night and Trigg said to Charlie, "Let's go in that log shack of yours and see if the fireplace looks as good on the inside as it does on the outside." Russell and Trigg went in and Russell immediately fell in love with the one room building. Matter of fact it is said (probably incorrectly) that Russell never finished a painting any place but in that studio for the rest of his life. Russell did finish many paintings in that studio. Matter of fact he had the roof raised so he could paint the wonderful painting that sits in the House of Representatives at the State Capital in Helena.
About 1925 Charlie's doctors told him he did not have long to live. He had congestive heart failure. The doctors told Nancy as well but Nancy and Charlie never talked about it. If anything Nancy pushed Charlie on even more to paint more paintings as that was their only income. Not that they needed more income. They were building a brand new house in Pasadena, California called "Trails End" and after lots of arguments, Nancy finally convinced Charlie to add on to the log studio in Great Falls so that they would have a place to show and sell Charlie's paintings.
Russell did not live to see either project finished. He died in October, just before his magical season was about to begin in 1926.
To see Russell's fascination with Christmas, just study his elaborate Christmas Cards that he sent during the years. And read the wonderful Christmas poems he would include on the cards.
Many of the cards show Jake Hoover's cabin with Santa and the sleigh right in front of the cabin and probably Jake Hoover looking out the door at Santa. Those Christmas Cards are probably the best Christmas cards ever painted of Montana.
Around the turn of the century, Russell bought a lot from an old homestead just west of Apgar. He had Milo Apgar build him a log cabin in the cedar trees just above Lake McDonald. Through the years the cabin was remodeled again and again and just to the west of the cabin another log cabin studio was built for Russell to paint in when at Lake McDonald, which was from early May until fall every year of his life since the cabin was built. There was an Italian garden built between the cabin and studio because one year Charlie and Nancy went to Italy and she fell in love with an Italian garden and had it replicated at Lake McDonald.
Called Bull's Head Lodge the cabin was added on to with a couple of other bedrooms and a large dining room with built in round table that people staying there carved their names or initials in. There was a large kitchen next to the dining room. Most all rooms had sky lights and since the back of the house was right up to the bank of the hillside, it was not uncommon to see black bears on the roof looking in the skylights to see what has happening below.
The years flew by and the whole area was made into Glacier National Park.
At the other end of Lake McDonald John Lewis had bought a lodge from George Snyder and had a famous Architect from Spokane, Kirkland Cutter, come and design him a hotel that would match the Great Northern Hotels on the other side of Glacier National Park.
Both Russell and Nancy loved the Lake McDonald Hotel and spent much time there. By that time Russell had a national reputation for an artist so he had groups of people who would flock around him when he was at the hotel.
Mr. Lewis soon realized that he sold more rooms, meals and drinks when the Russell's were around the hotel so it was not uncommon for him to send boat down to Bulls Head Lodge to invite them up for dinner. Nancy would bring along some new paintings. Charlie and Nancy would be announced for dinner and everyone in the big dining room would stand and applaud as the Russell's made their way to their table.
After dinner Charlie would settle in one of the old chairs on the verandah overlooking the lake and tell stories to everyone listening. Nancy would go to Cabin 1 with some paintings and maybe sell $10.000.00 dollars worth of paintings in that one evening. It was a very profitable night for everyone.
Because Charlie and Nancy spent so much time in that beautiful dining room, it is called the Russell Dining Room to this day.
It was said that Russell hated autos and often referred to them as stink wagons. He never learned to drive and was most happy in Great Falls riding Monte down to the Mint for a couple of drinks after he finished painting, having lunch and taking a nap for the day.
But it must be said that the Russell's were fond of Cadillac cars and Pearce Arrows and had a chauffeur who drove them all over the country in the fall, winter and spring.
Charlie and Nancy could not have children so adopted Jack when he was a tiny baby. Jack had a time with the Russell family. Never was there a more loved boy but he would go with them all over the country in the winter and usually end up going to school in Pasadena, California. He said years later that he never ended up in the same school he started in or words to that effect.
Never was there a Christmas that Charlie did not just love. Until he died, that was his favorite season.
It may be said that he lived Christmas well. May the same be said for us next time we celebrate Christmas.
