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History - Looking Back for November 2

| November 2, 2022 1:00 AM

A look back at past Pilot articles by Julie Engler

50 Years Ago

November 2, 1972

Like most voters in Montana, Whitefish voters faced a thick book when they stepped into the voting booth Tuesday, Nov. 7, to record their choices on Vote-O-Matic machines for offices ranging from President of the United States to Constable. On the ballot were George McGovern and R. Sargent Shriver for Democrat President and Vice President, Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew for the Republicans and John Schmnitz and Thomas Anders on the Americanist party ticket. Henry “Hank” Hibbard, Republican, was vying with incumbent Democrat Lee Metcalf for U.S. Senator.

40 Years Ago

November 4, 1982

Floor space was at a premium in the Whitefish City Hall and an audience that packed into the council chambers argued over what use was best for it Monday night. Members of the Whitefish Library Association and the County Librarian John Burton expressed dismay that after announcing remodeling plans for the library, the council indicated it might use some of the newly-found space to expand its meeting room size.

30 Years Ago

November 5, 1992

The fire that destroyed a half-block of downtown Whitefish on Oct. 21 could have happened just as easily in any of the old buildings in the downtown area, Fire Chief Doug Loy said. The Official cause of the fire will go down in the history books as “accidental.” The 82 year-old structure had been remodeled numerous times through the years and was built without sprinklers, firewalls or Sheetrock, which is fire resistant and would have made “a world of difference,” he said.

20 Years Ago

October 31, 2002

Whitefish Mayor Andy Feury spoke before the North Valley Hospital Board of Directors in an effort to keep the hospital in the city limits. The meeting was closed to the public and the media. Feury said he planned to remind the board of the advantages of remaining within the city and the need to work with the current land-use and transportation plans. He also said he was opposed to “further strip growth” on the city’s edges.

10 Years Ago

October 31, 2012

Without a stock of more affordable housing, Whitefish risked alienating public and private workers who make the city tick, said Sawyer Shirley of National Facility Consultants. “The result will be like many northwestern resort communities where the workers cannot afford to live in their own community,” he said. Homeownership for those at 30 percent of median income is simply not attainable, Shirley notes. A family at that income rate could afford to buy a home between $60,000 and $70,000. The same can be said for families at 50 percent of median income where house prices would have to fall between $110,000 and $120,000.