Building memories
Hayden man constructs, keeps entire community in his workshop
Paul Baumgart builds homes and businesses. In our area that doesn’t seem to make him that unusual.
What sets him apart is that the community he has built containing more than 90 structures was constructed and is stored in a workshop behind his house north of Hayden. He has spent in excess of 7,000 hours over several years to create a remarkable assortment of detailed rustic, old buildings.
The buildings are patterned from studying historic photos, visiting ghost towns and reading related magazine articles. Baumgart’s research and attention to detail has given his buildings the look of authenticity. They look like the real thing. These buildings are not miniatures. He scales them at one inch per foot, which makes many of his structures about two feet tall. The center piece of his collection is a mine complex similar to the ones found on the slopes in Silver Valley. This big complex and the railroad trestles are impressive because of their detail and height.
The buildings are all made of old growth cedar. The wood is several shades of chocolate. The color variation enhances the buildings exteriors. Baumgart acquired the wood several years ago at a mill near Seattle at a reasonable price. But he is worried that when his supply of wood runs out, he won’t be able to replace it because of a lack of supply and high cost.
The buildings include such items as barrels, horse shoes, beds, tables, wood stoves, sacks of grain and many more objects that make a structure look like an inhabited building. Paying attention to detail, small real bricks were used to build chimneys. The model for many of the chimneys came after a visit to Fort Steele in British Columbia and observing how they were built in the old homes. Most of the detailed items have also been made from wood and painted. He built a working hangman’s platform with two gallows for condemned criminals. Working trap doors send two to their death at the same time. Researching real gallows, Baumgart learned that there are 13 steps up to the platform and 13 wraps of the rope to make a hangman’s noose. Those kinds of details are eagerly explained to visitors.
There is a blacksmith shop patterned from a photo and named after his great-grandfather with a sign “Elmo Tuttle Blacksmith.” Most of the outside building signs were not made by Baumgart. He has teamed up with Roger F. Osborn in Coeur d’Alene, who creates his signs. Osborn uses gold and silver leaf to make the letters with different scripts. The gold letters are 23 carat (24 carat is pure gold).
In his display is a schoolhouse with a lighted interior. A blackboard, lines of desks and chairs can be seen through the open door. There are two churches, each with an altar and pews. Of course no historic mining town would be complete without saloons, hotel, homes, sheriff’s office, gun shop, sheds, outhouses and a red light district. He has built them all.
When asked about his obsession and passion for his display, Baumgart says, “I never cut a piece of wood until I was 38 years old, so I am a firm believer that each person has a God-given talent. It’s just finding that special pleasure. I’ve always been interested in the early days of miners, loggers, ranchers and the hard working men and women that built our culture. Our past has caught up with us, but the memory lives on.”
Born in Walla Walla, he was a 35-year active member of Iron Workers Local 86 in Seattle. He and his wife have made a home in Kootenai County. But they are ready to move on because of the amount of snow we get. But he has a problem. How do you move a town of 90 buildings?