History - Looking Back for October 11, 2023
A look back at past Pilot articles by Julie Engler
50 Years Ago
October 11, 1973
Forest land managers, research scientists and educators gathered in Whitefish to hear reports and propose action on the current insect disease problems in the Northern Rockies. The annual fall meeting of the Northern Rockies Pest Action Council had originally been planned to emphasize the less publicized but important diseases of the forests. However, the devastating tussock moth explosion moving eastward made this insect the number one topic. Ladd Livingston, entomologist for the Idaho Department of Public Lands directed a tussock moth workshop.
40 Years Ago
October 13, 1983
Sterling Investments Inc.’s plan to build a major recreation and condominium complex on Whitefish Lake on the site of the Viking Lakeshore Inn, received its final approval for the Board of Adjustments. The corporation’s plan survived planning board and City Council approval, providing the adjustments board went along with a variance on parking spaces. Hank Marquardt, manager of the Viking and representative for Sterling Investments, Inc., said, “We are very, very happy with the cooperation all the city bodies gave us.”
30 Years Ago
October 14, 1993
A developer, David Jackson, with more than 2,000 acres of land at stake was spearheading a movement to persuade property owners in the proposed Blanchard Lake Zoning District to oppose the Flathead County Commissioner’ decision to zone nearly all of the area into 40-acre agricultural lots. To render the commissioners’ decision void, a minimum of 40% of property owners in the district must protest, according to Clerk Leslie Schreiner. Jackson started an organization called Property Owners for a Better Blanchard Lake Zoning Plan and had been mailing letters to property owners urging them to sign a letter of protest.
20 Years Ago
October 9, 2003
Burt Sugarman had been trying for nine years to orchestrate the land swap that would give him 50 acres of school trust land next to his property on the north end of Whitefish Lake. At issue was a proposal from Sugarman to trade an office building in Glasgow and 80 acres of forest land for the school trust land he wanted. The proposed land swap drew criticism from groups such as Friends of Spencer Mountain because if approved, it would not be subject to the public planning policy that would be created by 2004.
10 Years Ago
October 9, 2013
Final approval of Whitefish’s updated downtown master plan was put on hold as city councilors took aim at the guiding document. Concerns about Whitefish shifting from a family town to a tourist town highlighted a short but vibrant discussion. “It seems that our town is moving from a natural manifestation into something more contrived, and that scares me and I don’t like it,” councilor Bill Kahle said. “We’re turning into a suburban shopping mall.” “I’ve been here 36 years,” councilor Phil Mitchell added. “I didn’t move here to be in a tourist town. This plan is extremely poorly done.”