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Mr. and Mrs. John Fabian, caretakers at the Lake McDonald Lodge, Dec. 31, 1955.
70 years ago
May 13, 1949
The Flathead River’s South Fork was at flood stage, but it was not having an impact on operations at the Hungry Horse Dam. In fact, the spring before the river was well above flood stage at 42,000 cubic feet per second while dam construction continued. This year it was at 23,600 cubic feet per second. The penstocks, which carry water through the dam were also under construction. At 13.5 feet tall and 426 feet long, they would carry 80 tons of water per second to the turbines.
60 years ago
May 15, 1959
A group of Canadian business and tourism interests were planning a caravan tour down the North Fork of the Flathead to promote the connectivity between the region. According to Fish and Game statistics, two-thirds of hunter brought home game during the previous hunting season. Hunter success for deer was 66 percent.
50 years ago
May 16, 1969
The Montana Fish and Game Commission by a 3-2 vote decided to go ahead with stocking 200,000 coho salmon in Flathead Lake at the mouth of the Swan River. Glacier National Park opposed the stocking, as it was trying to bolster westslope cutthroat trout numbers. The Park at the time noted that if the salmon stocking proved successful, the westslope program was “as good as dead.” The salmon never did take hold as a self-sustaining population.
40 years ago
May 17, 1979
Glacier Park was considering a permit system to fish in park waters. The permit system would allow park biologists the ability to learn more about what anglers were catching and where in the park.
30 years ago
May 17, 1989
The Old Red Bridge had flunked a state inspection for vehicle traffic safety. The state inspector at the time said one would never know when the bridge would go “poing,” and end up in the river. Of course, 30 years later it’s still standing, but the deck is rotten and the approaches have been removed to keep people off of it.
20 years ago
May 13, 1999
Tom Carter of Columbia Falls shot a 300 pound black bear, which is a big black bear for this area. Game wardens said the bear was likely 8 or 9 years old. City council gave itself a 100 percent increase in salary — from $100 to $200 for councilmen and from $200 to $400 for the mayor per month. It’s the same rate today.
10 years ago
May 14, 2009
Will Hammerquist of the National Parks Conservation Association and Canadian interests were to testify at a United Nations Panel against mining in the North Fork of the Flathead. At the time, coal and gold mines as well as coal bed methane development threatened the region. Hammerquist owns the Polebridge Mercantile today.