Yesterdays: Trip to McFarlands
Arriving with the mail at West Glacier after a 10-hour long journey were Loyd Sonderson, Ralph Day and their wives. Sonderson has the dark hat on. Their wives are not identified. Feb. 5, 1950.
70 years ago
Feb. 10, 1950
The entire front page was devoted to a flight up the North Fork to Glacier National Park’s Big Prairie to the Quarter Circle MC Ranch. The plane landed in the snow on skis and they visited longtime Glacier Park fire lookout Scotty Beaton, who had been in ill health prior to the visit, but was now on the mend. The airstrip is but a memory today and most of the ranch is now part of the Park, though a few acres are still owned by descendants of Doc McFarland, who owned the spread inside the park at the time.
60 years ago
Feb. 12, 1960
The Hungry Horse Bar and Chuck Field’s sporting goods store burned to the ground in Martin City in spectacular fashion. “In 15 minutes it took everything that it took 15 years to build,” Fields lamented.
50 years ago
Feb. 13, 1970
The Anaconda Aluminum Co. said it would start looking at ways to curb air pollution from its aluminum plant in Columbia Falls. “Helles Belles” a woman motorcycle gang movie was playing at the Park Theatre. Boys jeans were $1.96 per pair.
40 years ago
Feb. 14, 1980
About 19 million board feet of timber was proposed to be cut up the North Fork in the Thoma-Trail-Creek-Frozen Lake area. The plan was to salvage beetle-infested lodgepole pine. A petition from Canyon folks supported turning much of U.S. Highway 2 from Hungry Horse to West Glacier into a four-lane road.
30 years ago
Feb. 15, 1990
The Columbia Falls wrestling team won the state A championship, its first since 1975. Dave Windauer was a key member of the team and went undefeated at 171 pounds for the season. He went 30-0 as a senior.
20 years ago
Feb. 10, 2000
Swank Construction won the bid to build a new city pool for $862,000. The bid came in $18,500 above the budget, but city council approved it. The annual Bar Stool races in Martin City moved down a block to ease concerns from neighbors. Neighbors at the time petitioned the county commissioners to move the races because of litter and abuse of private property along Sugar Hill where the races were held.
10 years ago
Feb. 11, 2000
The British Columbia government announced it was placing a moratorium on mining in the Flathead Valley in Canada. The announcement marked the end of decades of fighting between the U.S. and Canada on the mining issue.