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First services at the Assembly of God church in Columbia Falls, Dec. 27, 1959. (Mel Ruder photo)
70 years ago
Dec. 23, 1949
Folks were looking forward to March 1 of 1950. That’s when spring work would begin at the Hungry Horse Dam. About 2,500 men were expected to be employed on the project. The payroll at the time was $7 million. Rev. Conrad Wellen was the first to climb Mount St. Nicholas in Glacier National Park in July 1926, the newspaper noted.
60 years ago
Dec. 25, 1959
It was going to be a white Christmas, but just barely, as there was less than an inch of snow on the ground. Columbia Falls insurance rates were expected to drop after the city put in an improved water system and got new fire equipment.
50 years ago
Dec. 26, 1969
On tap for early January were meetings on reconstruction of Highway 40 through Columbia Falls. The reconstruction from LaSalle through the city was slated for 1972. About 2,200 people visited the Big Prairie region of the Bob Marshall Wilderness in 1969; a new record according to ranger Jack Dollan.
40 years ago
Dec. 27, 1979
A house fire at the Meyer residence in Columbia Falls on Christmas Eve was a downer for the family. The fire started in the garage, but the family didn’t notice it until the dog woke them up and the house was full of smoke. Firefighters saved the house, but the garage and its contents were largely ruined.
30 years ago
Dec. 28. 1989
Dr. John Miller delivered a baby in an ambulance. The teenage woman was en route to the hospital from Browning to Kalispell when the baby started coming. Miller joined the ambulance in Columbia Falls and then delivered the kid between here and Kalispell. The kid and mom turned out to be fine.
20 years ago
Dec. 23, 1999
Flathead County had officially requested about $2.3 million in funding from the federal Highway Administration to pave a portion of the North Fork Road to Camas Creek. The county claimed a study found that disturbed soil from the road amounted to 151 tons per acre per year. The money ended up going to the Big Mountain Road.
10 years ago
Dec. 24, 2009
Rick Hagen took the helm as the Columbia Falls fire chief. Hagen will retire in early 2020. Outgoing Mayor Jolie Fish said she didn’t “feel safe in her own town,” after the city was considering closing its jail.
The city still has jail cells, but prisoners are typically transported to Kalispell.