Swan Valley Log Crafters, LLC

Goal: Gary Freyholtz, owner of Swan Valley Log Crafters, LLC specializes in handcrafted log home shells, pole buildings, railings and stairs. His goal is to create a log structure that is a lasting, well built home that the customer can enjoy for years to come.

History: Freyholtz said he originally learned how to build a log house at Rustics of Lindbergh Lake in Condon when he started in July, 1984. He worked for two other log home businesses in the 1990s.

In 1998 he started Swan Valley Log Crafters. Freyholtz said," I have no employees, I am the owner operator and I do everything." Freyholtz said that he would draw plans well into the night and then go to the yard and work on the houses. When the log home is finished, he contracts a trucker to haul it to the owner's site. He hires various subcontractors to set up the structure.

Products and Services: The Swan Valley Log Crafter log yard is located near mile marker 36 behind the old Nelson's Mercantile in Condon. Freyholtz uses Montana larch, lodgepole pine, spruce or fir logs. Log size can range from 8 inch to 16-inch tops. Finding the right sized logs is a challenge but Freyholtz said he is pleased to say that so far he has been able to find the logs his customers want.

Freyholtz offers in-house plans and design. Freyholtz said he draws all the plans by hand with no help from a computer.

Swan Valley Log Crafters offers handcrafted Swedish cope full scribe, a method that allows the logs to fit tightly together. Also available is chink style which leaves a larger space between logs. Custom log railing is also available.

Swan Valley Log Crafters has sent projects to many states including Montana and to Canada.

For more information: Swan Valley Log Crafters can be reached by calling 406-249-2122 or 406-754-2416. A new website, swanvalleylogcrafters.com, will be available soon.