Yesterdays: 30 years ago, Oprah visits East Glacier
Boaters on Lake McDonald, May, 1953. (Mel Ruder photo)
70 years ago
May 1, 1953
The Midway Drive-in Theater was set to open and the first film was “Red Mountain” starring Alan Ladd. The Anaconda Aluminum Co. was surveying folks interested in working at the Anaconda Aluminum Co. plant.
60 years ago
May 3, 1963
Staff were moving into the new Glacier National Park headquarters which was recently completed. Staff had been in a log cabin since 1924. The old headquarters would be converted into a bunkhouse.
50 years ago
May 4, 1973
The Forest Service was working on a Spotted Bear River Planning Unit plan. It included about 40,000 acres of roadless area and 14,000 acres suitable for helicopter logging. The Forest Service at the time said it could balance timber harvest, wildlife needs and wilderness values.
40 years ago
May 5, 1983
The city, under a grant from the state, was looking at the possibility of a small hydroelectric plant at the Cedar Creek Reservoir. The study at the time claimed it wasn’t economically feasible, so the study was ended before it was even finished.
30 years ago
May 6, 1993
A host of celebrities were expected to come to East Glacier as part of the “Salute to Excellence” celebration that recognized the country’s greatest achievers and about 450 high school kids. On the list was Oprah Winfrey, George Lucas and Gen. Colin Powell, to name a few.
20 years ago
May 1, 2003
Eight Columbia Falls families on Darlene Road were in new homes under a program called the “Mutual Self Help” program. Under the program, the families helped work on the homes, about $30,000 each in “sweat equity.” In turn, their mortgages were less. The homes cost about $130,000 at the time.
10 years ago
May 1, 2013
Sen. Max Baucus was retiring after 36 years in the U.S. Senate. Glencore claimed it was optimistic about restarting the aluminum plant here — it never happened. The plant had been shut down for several years.