Yesterdays: 1972, When Columbia Falls was worth more than Whitefish
A snowy scene from 1952. Mel Ruder photo.
70 years ago
Jan. 11, 1952
The Anaconda Aluminum Co. had options on land near Coram and near Teakettle Mountain for a new aluminum plant, but Rose Crossing was still the official preferred site, which was first identified by the Harvey Machine Co.
60 years ago
Jan. 12, 1962
The Great Northern Railway expressed an interest in donating park space at the depot in Columbia Falls. The park is still there today at the end of Nucleus Avenue, but the depot is gone —the building was moved years ago and is now the Shops at Station 8.
50 years ago
Jan. 14, 1971
Columbia Falls added 24 homes over the past year, making it the second highest valued city in the county at the time, with a valuation of just under $8 million. Kalispell was highest with $36 million and Whitefish was third at $7.8 million.
40 years ago
Jan. 14, 1982
The B&B Store on Nucleus Avenue announced a $1.5 million remodeling project that would include putting two entrances in the store and other improvements. A job to improve Highway 2 through the Bad Rock Canyon was pushed back to 1987. It could come with a four-lane design.
30 years ago
Jan. 16, 1992
Two men, Dennis Mangold and Jerry Ruby of Columbia Falls were fined and banned from Glacier National Park after they poached a female mountain goat near the Goat Lick in November 1991. They were both fined a total of $6,000. In addition, Mangold had to forfeit his rifle and Ruby his 1990 Dodge Dakota pickup truck.
20 years ago
Jan. 10, 2002
The trial of Joseph Aceto, who was charged with kidnapping and attempted homicide for shooting at local artist Rocky Hoerner and then kidnapping his ex-girlfriend, was going sideways as Aceto threw papers at a witness during the trial and was forcibly removed from the courtroom for contempt of court.
10 years ago
Jan. 11, 2012
Four elk were poached inside Glacier National Park at St. Mary. It was one of the biggest poaching cases in recent history in the Park. No charges had been filed yet. Browning saw big grass fires that burned about 18,000 acres on Jan. 4.