The Starling Story
Spring 2009 marks the historic groundbreaking of the largest single master planned community in the history of the Flathead Valley. Starling, named in honor of the family matriarch, Viva Starling Harrington Grosswiler, sits on 640-acres of what was once the Grosswiler family's farm.
In the 1880s, homesteader Francis Xavier Grosswiler had the forethought to select Kalispell, Montana, as the place to set down roots. Buying land and establishing himself as a farmer, Francis eventually married Alvina Wachsmuth in 1900 and together they began a family.
Just south of where the master planned community of Starling sits today, Francis and Alvina built their home and raised their children. Son, Paul Grosswiler, grew up helping his father work the farm and then followed in his footsteps, slowly purchasing land and expanding his farming business.
In 1941, Paul married "Starling", as she was known by friends and family, and the third generation of Grosswilers made Kalispell their home. A family of farmers, the whole Grosswiler clan could often be found hard at work, with Starling and her children feeding the calves and collecting eggs, while Paul and Starling together tended to the harvesting of the hay and grain, milking the cows and herding and branding of the cattle.
In 2004, Paul and Starling's children, Catherine, Cindy and Clinton, made the decision to follow a new path in planning for the future of their children, grandchildren and one day residents of the growing Kalispell region. In 2007, a joint partnership with Arizona developer, The Aspen Group, was formed and the vision of the master plan for Starling was born.
Offering a variety of parks, walking trails and wide open space integrated among a selection of single- and multi- family homes, phase I of Starling will begin sales in Fall 2008.
With plans in place for a 20 plus-year build out, Starling will be home to generations of Kalispell families, while leaving a legacy to the Grosswiler family and their long time valley traditions.
