Yesterdays:F.H. Stoltze Land and Lumber was looking at making pressed boards and floor tiles from pressed sawdust, a front page story reported.
Arnold Kaiser and Ed Rabideau were pondmen at Half Moon at the F.H. Stoltze Land and Lumber Mill in December, 1950. Their job was to start logs from the pond into the mill. Steam from the powerhouse kept the pond from completely freezing over. In the summer, it was good fishing. (Mel Ruder photo)
70 years ago
Dec. 1, 1950
F.H. Stoltze Land and Lumber was looking at making pressed boards and floor tiles from pressed sawdust, a front page story reported. The company was doing tests and they seemed, at the time, to be encouraging. An editorial by Mel Ruder was optimistic that natural gas service would come to the Flathead Valley.
60 years ago
Dec. 2, 1960
Front page photo featured Bob Beck and his son, Roger, with a big Canada goose they shot. “Ready for the Christmas table,” the caption read. Eleven stores in Columbia Falls would stay open until 9 p.m. on Fridays until Christmas as part of a holiday shopping promotion.
50 years ago
Dec. 4, 1970
A community Christmas tree was erected in the city square on Nucleus Avenue next to First Citizens Bank by the Jaycees. The tree was cut down up the North Fork and was about 25 feet tall. The Flathead National Forest was making marked changes in timber harvest, including reducing the number of clear cuts by half.
40 years ago
Dec. 4, 1980
Bob Haraden, 58, was named the new superintendent of Glacier National Park. He came from Big Bend National Park in Texas. Attorney Dale McGarvey was worried that new pollution standards would undo a settlement with the Anaconda Aluminum Co. that reduced its fluoride emissions from 10,000 pounds a day to 864 pounds. He said the new state standard tried to lower emissions even further and he worried there would be a backlash from industry.
30 years ago
Dec. 6, 1980
The Alberta Visitor Center was set to begin construction in West Glacier. The $1.5 million project would be operated by Alberta Tourism. It’s still in use today and features a replica of a Tyrannosaurus Rex in the main lobby and other interesting exhibits.
20 years ago
Nov. 30, 2000
Columbia Falls hunter Robert Quinn spent a miserable night in the woods near McGinnis Creek after he got lost and the fog rolled in. Temperatures dropped to 10 degrees and his lighter broke so he couldn’t start a fire. He did exercises to stay warm and slept on pine boughs.
10 years ago
Dec. 1, 2010
The city was considering putting stop signs on Nucleus Avenue, but it would have to get the OK from the state Department of Transportation. They were never put up. The idea was to make it easier for folks to cross the road.