Yesterdays: Great Northern losing money on lodges in Glacier Park
Artist Ace Powell carving in Apgar, May 20, 1951. (Mel Ruder photo)
70 years ago
May 25, 1951
The Great Northern Railway told the Park Service it was not interested in signing a longterm contract to run the tourist facilities and lodges inside the Park, some of which it owned. The Lake McDonald Hotel at the time generally made money or broke even, but the larger ones did not, the story said. The new contract would have included another hotel at Lake McDonald and millions in improvements in other properties. The railroad was already spending millions on some of the properties and wasn’t interested in spending millions more at a loss.
60 years ago
May 26, 1961
Columbia Falls residents were set to go to the polls to vote on approving a 50-year franchise agreement to allow the Montana Power Co. to provide natural gas service to residents.
50 years ago
May 28, 1971
Car 507 from Montana’s Centennial train was going to be displayed in Hungry Horse. The car was part of a train that showcased the state at the World’s Fair. Locals were able to get the collection of mysis shrimp from Waterton Lake stopped. Utah was taking the shrimp for some of its lakes.
40 years ago
May 28, 1981
A black bear that had been radio collared in Glacier National Park as part of research on aversive conditioning rubbed the collar off on a telephone pole, which put a crimp in the study. The bear was frequenting the Camas Road-Apgar area and the park wanted to see if aversive conditioning worked. However, they never got to use it on the bear.
30 years ago
May 30, 1991
A wolf that had been captured and relocated to Glacier National Park a few weeks before was caught again near Dupuyer after it apparently killed a couple of sheep. Government hunters shot the wolf with a tranquilizing dart from a helicopter to recapture it. The wolf was moved to a private wolf park in Washington state.
20 years ago
May 24, 2001
Morgan Towery won the Columbia Falls Junior Miss crown. Towery won a $1,100 scholarship for the college of her choice as well as a one-year scholarship to Flathead Valley Community College.
10 years ago
May 25, 2011
City manager Bill Shaw announced his retirement after 10 years at the post. He noted Columbia Falls was in good financial shape. Glacier Park officials said they expected Sun Road construction to be completed by 2013. It took a few more years than that, and will see even more work this year and next.