Yesterdays: Levi’s were $3.45 a pair at the Toggery, and other tales
The Columbia Falls homecoming parade down Nucleus Aveneue, September, 1978.
70 years ago
May 26, 1950
The “new Toggery” in Whitefish was selling Levi’s jeans for $3.45 a pair. Record employment at the Hungry Horse Dam as the workforce topped 1,100.
60 years ago
May 27, 1960
The Class of 1960 was the first to graduate from the new $1.6 million high school. There were 68 seniors. Dr. Gordon B. Castle, director of the Flathead Lake Biological Station was to give the commencement address.
50 years ago
May 29, 1970
The newspaper again featured photos of Europe, this time in Germany as the high school band toured and played there. Front page photo featured a shot of Terry Kennedy and friends walking in Germany. Years later Kennedy would go on to climb the north face of Mount Cleveland in Glacier National Park with friend Jim Kanzler, who was also from Columbia Falls.
40 years ago
May 29, 1980
The ash from Mount St. Helens eruption in Washington was expected to cost Flathead County about $1.5 million. The estimate came from the amount of business lost when stores and other services shut down because it was unsafe to go outside without a mask for three days. The ash didn’t cause any permanent damage. Rains pretty much cleaned it up, including in Glacier National Park.
30 years ago
May 24, 1990
The Columbia Falls football team would be playing under the lights in the fall if they could raise enough funds for three light poles. The football field had been without lights since 1986 after the poles were deemed unsafe and the lights were taken down. In the past few months, various groups and organizations had raised $10,000 for new poles.
20 years ago
May 25, 1980
Officials held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the new junior high school. In the photo were teacher Andy Anderson, Dorothy Brading, and Dave Cheff. Brading was the oldest known living alumnus from Columbia Falls. She was celebrating her 75th reunion in a few weeks.
10 years ago
May 27, 2010
The state and Lake Five landowners had reached a settlement, whereby personal watercraft would be banned on the lake and water skiers would go counterclockwise. In return, residents agreed to give up the fight against a public boat launch on the 152-acre lake.