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‘Miracle’ museum packed with Americana

Inside and outside the buildings at the Miracle of America Museum can be found thousands of pieces of equipment, vehicles and miscellaneous things that will make a visitor wonder what they were used for. Below, left, Gil Mangles and his wife, Joanne, founded the museum known as Miracle of America in 1981. One of Gil's interests is building lawn ornaments from metal objects donated to the museum. Below, right, there was a time when many pieces of equipment were powered by steam. The museum displays various steam-powered machinery including a locomotive and farm equipment. (photos by Mike Brodwater / The Spokesman-Review)
Mike Brodwater Correspondent
Inside and outside the buildings at the Miracle of America Museum can be found thousands of pieces of equipment, vehicles and miscellaneous things that will make a visitor wonder what they were used for. Below, left, Gil Mangles and his wife, Joanne, founded the museum known as Miracle of America in 1981. One of Gil's interests is building lawn ornaments from metal objects donated to the museum. Below, right, there was a time when many pieces of equipment were powered by steam. The museum displays various steam-powered machinery including a locomotive and farm equipment. (photos by Mike Brodwater / The Spokesman-Review)

The Miracle of America Museum would have been an irresistible stop for Charles Kuralt if he was still on the road reporting for his TV travel series on CBS.

It is hard to define the museum near Polson that is the largest in Western Montana with more than 100,000 items on display. Much too large and organized to be a garage or estate sale, it still has the feel of a huge, old hardware store, attic or rummage sale all under one roof. People who like to reminisce over old things will enjoy this place.

The owners, Gil and Joanne Mangles, have put their heart and soul, not to mention their money, into a collection of purely American memories. Gil Mangle admits that this collection “is a hobby that went awry.” The Mangles’ reason for opening the museum in 1981 was to show Yankee ingenuity. The museum, which has been described as a miniature Smithsonian, is their way of showing appreciation for living in the United States. You will like the Miracle of America Museum if you ever went to a garage sale that had old stuff and asked “what in the world is that used for?”

The list of items is overwhelming from old Montana Wild West days to the 20 various military vehicles. An extensive gun and a classic motorcycle display will interest some while others will spend time with the numerous stationary engines – gas and steam. There are hundreds of tools from the 1700s to the present. A 1920 homemaker’s kitchen display has a wood stove, butter churn, clothes iron and washboard. In addition, horse-drawn sleigh displays can be enjoyed. Turn-of-the-century agricultural tools and machinery make up another display and represents rural Montana (and Idaho) life back in the good-old days.

Now that you have an idea of what is inside the main building, go through the back door and outside to check out the pioneer village. Various buildings, each with another collection of stuff that will interest you, can be explored. For example, there is an old gas station fully equipped, ready for business; railroad paraphernalia; logging equipment; an old helicopter; logging boat; and in an old barn, more agricultural tools and livestock tack. The newest building in the village has a complete working blacksmith shop.

This year the Mangles have emphasized displays that would interest children. A playground has been placed by the one-room school. Electrical and mechanical exhibits that are hands-on and kid-friendly are scattered around the museum grounds.

Gil Mangle has maintained a “day job” as a machinist to support his family and the museum. The museum is now an authorized nonprofit corporation. For those who want to make this an overnight trip, there is a fun resort/casino on the shore of Flathead Lake in the town of Polson. The casino can provide entertainment after visiting the museum and after dinner.

A visitor will not find multimedia, high-tech, gee-whiz displays here that newer, upscale museums seem to require. Instead, bring some quarters for playing high-tech, gee-whiz things of the past such as a player piano or a violano “violin-piano.” Although the museum may be low-tech, it has a quarterly newsletter and a Web page. Here is a place that shares the history of the West and America. Here is a place where Kuralt would have found a good story.