Yesterdays: The federal government gave the green light for the Anaconda Mining Co. to build an aluminum production plant in the Flathead Valley.

70 years ago

Dec. 14, 1951

The federal government gave the green light for the Anaconda Mining Co. to build an aluminum production plant in the Flathead Valley. The Truman Administration found that the Justice Department’s concerns about ACM having a monopoly were unwarranted. Actual building of the plant centered on negotiations between the Harvey Machine Co. and ACM, though it was expected construction would start soon.

60 years ago

Dec. 15, 1961

Old-timer J.D. Bowdish wrote a letter to the newspaper telling of old times in the Flathead. He once operated the boat the F.I. Whitney on Lake McDonald in 1912. He said widowed women would hang a peg outside their home doors and bachelors would, in turn, hang a venison quarter from the peg during the winter.

50 years ago

Dec. 17, 1971

The environment was one of the top topics of Glacier Park in 1971. One of the main things was Glacier would no longer plant fish in its lakes and streams. The idea at the time was “put and take” fishing was contrary to the national park concept. Today, Glacier has taken great strides to restore native fisheries, which were compromised over the years by stocking non-native fish in lakes and streams.

40 years ago

Dec. 17, 1981

County Democrats were proposing that the county commissioners be expanded to five seats and that only people in the district of said commissioners could vote in elections for them, instead of a countywide vote. The move, however, would require action by the state Legislature.

30 years ago

Dec. 19, 1991

Two wolves were sighted just north of the Blue Moon, which caused a stir with residents. West Glacier residents approved an addition to its school. The building burned to the ground in 1986 and the school had a two-phase plan to build a new one.

20 years ago

Dec. 13, 2001

Laid off Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. workers were getting training and finding work elsewhere. More than $3 million was spent on retraining efforts, as pay for the workers was winding down. The plant shut down in the West Coat energy crisis, but workers were still being paid through the end of the year in a deal struck by the Bonneville Power Administration and the company.

10 years ago

Dec. 14, 2011

Plum Creek CEO Rick Holley said things were looking good for the company. A $500 million conservation sale in the Swan got the company through lean times. Now they were selling logs to China from Oregon woods and wood pellets to Europe, among other things.