Yesterdays: How Nucleus Avenue became Nucleus Avenue, and other tales
Tghe sign announcing the new AAC plant, January, 1953. (Mel Ruder photo)
70 years ago
Jan. 2, 1953
In 1890-91 Columbia Falls founder Frank Langford decided to name Columbia Falls “Main Street” Nucleus Avenue, to be different from other towns. The issue of changing the name back to something more mundane like “Main Street” was the subject of debate with city council. The name Nucleus Avenue survives today.
60 years ago
Dec. 28, 1962
Wilmer Toavs drowned in Hungry Horse Lake, adding to the tragedy of drownings before the holidays in the Flathead. The week before Ken Fraser and Floyd Knoppes drowned while duck hunting when their canoe went into the icy waters of Small’s Slough. Toavs drowned after the tug he was winterizing slipped back into the lake without the drain plug. The boat sank and Harry Cheff survived after another man put logs out for him and Toavs to cling onto. But Toavs log instead of getting closer to shore, went farther away and he slipped into the icy water.
50 years ago
Dec. 29, 1972
Frank Smith was retiring from the Stoltze mill after a long career. Smith was better known for his guitar playing at Columbia Falls events. His great-grandfather, Alexander Milliner, was a drummer boy in the American Revolution and was featured in Life Magazine.
40 years ago
Dec. 30, 1982
The Izaak Walton Inn sold. Owners Sid and Millie Goodrich sold the Essex Hotel to Larry and Linda Villeux.
30 years ago
Dec. 31, 1992
Ron Amos told the story of how his family was affected by AIDS. He lost his wife and infant daughter to the disease after his wife got it from a blood transfusion.
20 years ago
Jan. 2, 2003
Rick Holley, CEO of Plum Creek, said in a talk that manufacturing wasn’t in the company’s future. It took awhile, but Plum Creek eventually shut down a host of mills and liquidated all its land holdings in Montana when it merged with Weyerhaeuser.
10 years ago
Jan. 2, 2013
The Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. was a candidate for federal Superfund listing. Then state Sen. Dee Brown wanted the county to take the charge on the matter. In the end, it was the city of Columbia Falls that pushed for the listing.