Yesterdays: Court ruling allow widows to stay at Vets Home

70 years ago

Nov. 13, 1953

The final stages of the Hungry Horse Dam project were being finished up. The dam cost $102 million to construct. Meanwhile, construction of the Anaconda Aluminum Co. plant was well underway, with updates in the newspaper each week.

60 years ago

Nov. 15, 1963

A wood fiber mill was proposed along the Flathead River just south of the Montana Veterans Home. It was never built, but was a front-page story at the time. It would use wood waste to make insulation board and other like materials. A court ruling blocked the Montana Veterans Home from forcing about 11 widows of soldiers out of the home.

50 years ago

Nov. 14, 1973

The weather was wet, even without proposed cloud seeding. November had already seen 6.55 inches of rain. There was still concern, however about generating enough power at the Hungry Horse Dam and drawing down the reservoir too much, as at some point, it would also start sucking fish into the turbines.

40 years ago

Nov. 17, 1983

The idea of a land trust to protect agricultural land in the Flathead Valley was taking shape by some residents. About 80 people attended a meeting to discuss the idea.

30 years ago

Nov. 11, 1993

Mike Davis, co-owner of North Valley Ag and a Vietnam veteran, was also helping other Vietnam vets cope with the war by helping them find support services in the valley. There was talk amongst some groups for a property “tax ceiling” in Montana.

20 years ago

Nov. 13, 2003

Proponents of a new boys tennis team clashed with Jerry Smalley, the girls’ coach. Smalley didn’t want to give up the 3:30 to 5 p.m. time slot for practice. In the end, a boys program was implemented as parents of the boys raised the funds for the fledgling program, which is thriving today.

10 years ago

Nov. 13, 2013

Columbia Falls city leaders described talks with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway as positive for a quiet zone in Columbia Falls. The city is still working toward that end 10 years later.