Yesterdays: Glacier mulls snowmobile use in park

70 years ago

Nov. 12, 1954

The Great Northern Railroad signed a new 20-year contract with the Park Service to operate the major lodges inside of Glacier National Park. The new contract would likely mean the expansion of cabins near Swiftcurrent Lake and at Rising Sun.

60 years ago

Nov. 13, 1964

Editor Mel Ruder drove 220 miles north into Canada to photograph wildlife in Kootenay National Park. He noted that elk, bighorn sheep and goats (on the hillsides) were numerous along Highway 93 that went through the park.

50 years ago

Nov. 15, 1974

Snowmobile use in Glacier National Park was a hot topic of discussion as the Park Service was looking at alternatives that would allow them in places like Many Glacier, Two Medicine and the Inside North Fork Road and another proposal that would ban them altogether. The Park Service chose the latter.

40 years ago

Nov. 15, 1984

Famous author Dorothy Johnson died. Editor emeritus Mel Ruder wrote a story about her, noting she nominated him for the Pulitzer Prize for his flood coverage in 1964. “I’m sure her excellent, witty letter was the deciding factor in my getting the reporting prize,” Ruder said.

30 years ago

Nov. 17, 1994

The state A girls basketball tournament would be played in Columbia Falls for the first, and last time. After that the Montana High School Association said it would only host state tournaments at college facilities. The Wildkats had won their fifth straight divisional title heading into the tournament.

20 years ago

Nov. 11, 2004

Democrat Joe Brenneman was ready to get on with business after defeating Republican Denise Cofer for the county commissioner seat by just 131 votes. 

10 years ago

Nov. 12, 2014

Xanterra Parks and Resorts moved into its new offices in Columbia Falls into what used to be a Pamida store. The company had recently secured the concessions contract to run the major lodges in Glacier National Park.