Looking Back: First woman awarded City Council seat

10 years ago

Sept. 21, 2011

The Whitefish Housing Authority was seeking guidance about how to manage and rehabilitate three BNSF donated houses in the Railway District. These houses were part of a five-year plan to help the WHA address the need for affordable rental housing in Whitefish. The housing authority was struggling with cuts to federal subsidies which was the impetus for creating the five-year plan.

20 years ago

Sept. 20, 2001

The year prior, Whitefish High School’s School-to-Work program had taken off in its inaugural year and they were gearing up to do it again. The number of businesses involved had increased to 65 and the year prior 90 students took advantage of the opportunity. The goal of the program was to give students real work experience and a better understanding of different careers while still in school.

30 years ago

Sept. 19, 1991

Three bids were being considered by Whitefish City Council to start phase one of the City Beach development project. Bids came from Robert Ross, Swank Enterprises, and Mike Janetski; the lowest bid was around $464,000. Phase one was to include restoration work, construction of new lifeguard facilities and pavilions, and new site ground work.

40 years ago

Sept. 24, 1981

As far as anyone could recollect, there had never been a woman that served on the Whitefish City Council — until Helen Tate joined the table that year. No one had volunteered to take over the empty council seat and it disturbed Tate that no one in the community was willing to serve, so she decided to step up. It was set to be a historic moment for Whitefish when she was to be sworn in the following week.

50 years ago

Sept. 23, 1971

A Whitefish railroad engineer had been killed and two brakemen were injured when two freight trains shattered into a head-on collision near West Glacier. Three crewmen also leaped from their nearly stopped locomotive seconds before the impact in an attempt to save their lives. At least two of the seven diesel units in the crash were demolished, 13 cars of one train were also stacked up and the estimated damage would run over $1 million.