Birchwood Hostel Records, 1975-2021

Birchwood Hostel operated in Missoula Montana from May, 1977 to April, 2000, providing affordable lodging for young travelers, particularly those on long bicycle tours. Birchwood was founded by Italo "Ernie" Franceschi, born in Florence, Italy in 1940 who had moved to Missoula as the office manager of BikeCentennial (later Adventure Cycling Association), a company that coordinated bicycle tours beginning with a cross country ride commemorating the United States bicentennial in 1976. Ernie Franceschi served in the United States Air Force from 1957-1962, during which time he traveled Europe and discovered the youth hostel culture. In 1976 Ernie met Gayl Teichert, who had participated in BikeCentennial. The two were married in 1981. Ernie Franceschi purchased the former YWCA building at 600 South Orange Street in Missoula, which he opened as The Birchwood Hostel in May, 1977.

Hosteling was particularly popular with young touring cyclists. By offering an open dorm style accommodation in which guests were expected to complete a simple chore each day of their stay, hostels were able to offer lower rates than traditional hotels. Birchwood's owners struggled at times to communicate to the Missoula community that while they provided low cost accommodations, they were neither a charity house nor a hotel competitor.

Between 1977 and 1993, Birchwood Hostel was affiliated with American Youth Hostels, a nationwide membership organization that promoted youth hostels. In 1992, a change of leadership and policy at American Youth Hostels alienated many of the member hostels, including Birchwood. Following their departure from the American Youth Hostels network, Birchwood underwent a remodel in an attempt to meet the demands of travelers for separate male and female dorms. Hosteling in Montana declined in the 1990s. In April, 2000, Ernie and Gayl decided to close Birchwood and sell the property.