The Starling Story
The Starling Community is named in honor of the family matriarch, Viva ‘Starling’ Harrington Grosswiler.
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, known as FX, married Alvina Wachsmuth in 1900 and together they began a family.
Just south of where The Starling Community sits today, FX and Alvina built their home and raised their children. Their son, Paul Grosswiler, grew up helping his father work the farm and 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 continued the tradition of making 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 the early 2000’s, Paul and Starling’s children, Catherine, Clinton and Cindy, 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 2021, Starling Development LLC was formed and the beginning of the master plan for The Starling Community came to life.
Offering a variety of parks, walking trails and integrated open space, among a selection of single- and multi- family homes, Phases 1 -3 of Starling will begin sales in the summer of 2022. With plans in place for a 25 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.
