Looking Back: Wild wind sinks boat on Whitefish Lake
Jack and Helen pull Mike Schmidt's mule-drawn mower across a hayfield near the Turmble Creek Road area. The two mules joined three other teams to mow 22 acres in two days. Schmidt's collection of seven mowers dates back to the pre-trator era. Dan and Terry Seimor brouht the mules here from Washington and Schmidt convinced them to help him in the fields. (Photo by Christine Hensleigh)
A look back at past Pilot articles by Julie Engler
50 Years Ago
Aug. 1, 1974
A total of 889 people attended the 41st Infantry Division’s reunion on Big Mountain, making it the largest reunion ever held by the unit. Forty states were represented and families came from as far away as Australia and London, England. All of the units on Big Mountain were filled as were many other valley motels and hotels. A memorial service took place on the summit of Big Mountain. Joseph H. Castle officiated as chaplain and Kenny Ricketts played an organ which was flown by helicopter to the site of the service.
40 Years Ago
Aug. 2, 1984
A white train believed to be carrying nuclear weapons attracted about 50 people as it passed through Whitefish. The group greeted the train at the Second Street crossing and stood in silence as it passed. One person, Mike Caldwell from Kalispell, sat on the tracks as the train approached and refused to move when asked by Al Bjorsness, the local special agent for Burlington Northern. Caldwell was handcuffed and carried off the tracks by Burlington Northern officials and Whitefish police. He was not charged in the incident and was released before the train left the Burlington Northern yard.
30 Years Ago
July 28, 1994
A freak wind gave a parasailer a serious scare and sank a 20-foot water skiing boat on Whitefish Lake. No one was injured though the boat may be lost to the bottom of Whitefish Lake, according to the driver and boat owner, Alan Fuzesy of Whitefish. Fuzesy was towing Mary Gibson of Kalispell in a parasail when a blast of wind "just came out of nowhere,” pulling the parasail and the boat with it. Fuzesy said the wind was so strong that even at full throttle, the boat's Chevrolet 350 engine could not fight it.
20 Years Ago
July 29, 2004
Dr. Randy Beach was excited about the prospect of a new hospital in Whitefish. “Yeah, I tended to show up (at board meetings) with a shovel in my hand, asking, ‘When can we get started?’” Beach said about the North Valley Hospital board's decision to build a new hospital campus just south of Whitefish. As the new chief of staff at North Valley hospital, Beach, an obstetrician/gynecologist, will have a leadership role as the hospital construction project moves forward. “The quality of the medical staff is very good here and I hear consistently from patients that they're well cared for,” Beach said. “People leave satisfied and with that personal feeling.”
10 Years Ago
July 29, 2014
The Whitefish All-Stars took third at the Pacific Northwest Regional Cal Ripken 12U baseball tournament at Kidsports Complex. The All-Stars were knocked out of the tourney with an 8-3 defeat to Caldwell, Idaho, in semi-final play. Chad Queen homered in the second inning with one out to give Whitefish a 1-0 lead. Coach Lindsay Fansler said the team played fearlessly throughout the tourney. “They played like they had nothing to lose,” he said. “Like any game could have been their last. I’m so proud of these kids.”