History - Looking Back for September 6, 2023

A look back at past Pilot articles by Julie Engler

50 Years Ago

September 6, 1973

The Montana State Highway Department announced bids are to be let Sept. 20 for the construction of the new road bed on Spokane Avenue between Second and Fourth Streets. The city of Whitefish would be responsible for financing one half of the curb and gutter costs and 17.5% of the preliminary and construction engineering costs. The contract on these costs was turned over to City Attorney Leo Fisher for further study. Bids for the proposed water main on Texas Avenue were opened and read and turned over to the finance committee for study and reply.

40 Years Ago

September 8, 1983

Whitefish was turned into a little Olympic Village all of its own for the third annual Summer Games. The long weekend of events was dreamed up two years ago as “the last great hurrah of summer.” The number of events kept growing and new ones were added this year. More than 2,000 competitors were expected to compete in 18 different events, ranging from a five-kilometer run to horseshoes. There were both team and individual events and sponsors were encouraging people to compete in as many different ones as possible.

30 Years Ago

September 9, 1993

As development creeped across the landscape and population swelled in Northwestern Montana, concerns about water quality in the area’s pristine lakes and waterways were at an all-time high. Dr. Nancy Butler, a lake ecologist with the University of Montana, began studying Whitefish Lake in May and had been monitoring sedimentation, and certain nutrients and organisms there on a regular basis. “The more people you have the more likely it will have an adverse effect on the lake,” Butler explained. “Luckily, many citizens are very concerned about the quality of the lake.”

20 Years Ago

September 4, 2003

Seven local boys were arrested for allegedly operating an organized bicycle theft ring. Acting on information supplied by a victim of the bike ring, the school resource officer, Bridger Kelch, initiated an investigation which culminated in the recovery of about two dozen bicycles. The bikes were recovered from a garage and backyard of a Whitefish home on East Second Street and varied in condition. The boys, ages 12-16 years, would steal the bikes, file the serial numbers off of the frames, disassemble the bikes and then paint them again. The juveniles were released to their parents and their cases were referred to the Flathead County Attorney’s Office.

10 Years Ago

September 4, 2013

Developers of a controversial apartment and condo subdivision proposed for East Second Street were headed back to the drawing board with plans to rework and downsize their design. The Whitefish City Council was scheduled to discuss the proposed 2nd Street Residences at its meeting, however the application for the project was withdrawn. Developers Will MacDonald and Sean Averill of Community Infill Partners were planning to construct 143 housing units on 243 acres of open land east of Cow Creek. Included were 14 affordable housing rentals to be managed by the Whitefish Housing Authority.