Readers may recall I'm looking for information about the 'bronc rider mural' in Chinook's old Opera House and the 'rock writing' on the Burkhartsmeyer ranch in the south country. Some time ago a local asked if I knew about the mural in the house built by Gaylord Sargent (at 636 Illinois). When I started asking around I learned many people had heard of the mural but details were sketchy. That mural is the third local art mystery that interests me.

Larry Wisch was married to Gaylord's daughter Shirley (Shirley passed in 2016). Larry told, "When first married (1954) Shirley and I lived for a time in the basement of that house." He admitted he didn't really remember much about the mural but said, "Something about the mural reminded me of the style of Grandma Moses."

Leah Miller, another of Gaylord Sargent's daughters, said she knew of the mural in the basement wall but had no recollection of what it looked like. She had heard her family speak of the artist and said, "The artist's name was something like 'Endorf.'" Searching some local history resources I found a family named Entorf that moved to Montana from Wheeling, Illinois (now a suburb of Chicago). Leah verified Harold Entorf was the painter and from there the story of the mural unfolded.

Harold Entorf painted the mural in the Sargent house

Reverend Simon Entorf and his wife Mary, along with their five sons, arrived in Montana in 1908. Reverend Entorf was listed as the pastor of the Harlem Presbyterian Church in 1916. He served the Chinook Presbyterian Church from January, 1917 to May, 1920 then abruptly resigned because of health issues. He died that same year. One son, Charles, Sr., later was mayor of Chinook (1937-1940).

Charles, Sr.'s son, Charles moved to the area around Geraldine. One of Charles, Jr.'s daughters, Janet Willers, was a classmate of Larry Surber at Denton high school. Larry, through a classmate, helped me track down Janet who is Harold Entorf's grandniece. She knew nothing about Harold's painting a mural, nor did a couple of elderly aunts of Harold's that she contacted. Harold never married so there were no children to ask about the mural.

At some point (after 1947) Harold moved to Havre where he worked for several years as a house painter. He died in Mesa, Arizona in 1957. His niece said, "He died from lung complications resulting from working with lead based paint for so many years." Leah Miller added, "My dad knew lots of people around the area. That's likely how he found Harold to paint the mural." Leah believes the painting was done sometime in the 1950's. The Sargent family moved in to the house in 1949.

Harold's youngest brother, then living in Oregon, filled out the death certificate and listed Harold's occupation as "interior decorator." Maybe painting the mural allowed him to expand his painting qualifications. None of Harold's family seemed to be aware of the mural or other paintings he might have done as a professional.

The mural was "unremarkable"

Clay and Phyllis McCartney bought the house in the early 1970's, selling to current owners Will and Carole Mangold in 2010. McCartney's daughter Kathryn Marshall lives in a Dallas suburb and had a clear recollection of the mural. By phone she said, "The mural reminded me of Japan's Mt. Fuji with a single mountain in the painting. It had a lot of greys and blues with no flora or fauna. There might have been a body of water in the foreground but I'm not sure about that. It was, without being unkind, 'unremarkable.'"

In the late 1970's the McCartneys contracted with Jim Michelson to remodel the basement and the mural was painted over. Kathryn remembers the mural being painted directly on to the basement's west cement wall, "Visible as you came down the stairs in to the basement." She added, "My folks appreciated art and I believe if the mural had been framed and moveable they might have kept it and found a place to display it. Painted on the wall, the mural had to go." Larry Wisch remembered the mural being on "some sort of wall board." However it was painted, the mural is gone.

What else is there to know about the Sargent mural?

Will Mangold, current co-owner of the house on Indiana Street, laughingly said about the mural, "If you discover the mural was painted by Charlie Russell I'll be happy to rip the covering off so we can all see it and photograph it." It's definitely not a Charlie Russell painting.

What's left to discover about the mural or the artist? Well, for one thing, I'd like to see a photograph of the actual mural if someone has one. Maybe a reader will know of a photo of the mural and share it. And I wonder, did Harold Entorf do other, similar paintings?

Secondly, I wish someone could provide a photograph of Harold Entorf, the painter. Maybe there's a photo of Harold in someone's family album they would share. And I'd like more information about Entorf, to know a bit more about the artist.

Kathryn McCartney Marshall, who once lived in the Sargent house where a mural was painted over said, "The mural reminded me of images of Mt. Fuji in Japan." The famed solitary mountain (as seen here) is the subject of many paintings, drawings and photographs.

If you have additional info about this mural or its creator, leave a message at the "Journal' (357-3573) and I'll get back with you. If you know of other 'unusual' art projects around Blaine County that readers might like to know about, share those with me as well.