Looking Back: Record snowfall; Second Street resurfaced
Thirteen-year-old, Richard Laidlaw of Whitefish, poses with his first official big game hunt. The teen killed the moose in the Miller Creek area in 1984, while hunting with his father. Richard is the son of Jim and Sharon Laidlaw.
A look back at past Pilot articles by Julie Engler
50 Years Ago
Oct. 31, 1974
Local voters faced a $995,000 question when they went to the polls. Residents of School District 44 were being asked to approve a bond issue in that amount to construct a vocational-technical education center as an addition to Whitefish High School. According to figures from the School Superintendents office, the owner of a $20,000 home would pay an average of $26.98 a year for 20 years; for a $30,000 home, $40.48; a $40,000 home, $53.97. These figures are based on an average annual tax of about 11 and one quarter mills.
40 Years Ago
Nov. 1, 1984
Winter came early in the Flathead Valley and broke snowfall and cold temperature records. By 9 a.m. on Oct. 31, 23.4 inches of snowfall had been recorded for the month, easily topping a 17.7-inch-high set in October 1972. According to Cliff Harris of Whitefish, who maintains a weather station a short distance up Big Mountain Road, this is the first measurable snowfall in October at that elevation or anywhere in the valley, since 1975. The normal, since records were kept in 1939, was only 1.1 inches.
30 Years Ago
Oct. 27, 1994
The Whitefish football team won four conference games, including the 26-7win over Columbia Falls, and got help from Libby and Ronan to make it into the quarterfinal against Central A champion Dillon as the number two team in the Western A. “The kids have bounced back,” said a pleased head coach Mike Ferda. “We've been trying all year to get them to not give up no matter what the obstacles are. There are only eight Class A teams left. It's nice to be one of those eight.”
20 Years Ago
Oct. 28, 2004
After facing declining enrollment last year, Whitefish School District numbers were looking up to the tune of 64 new students throughout the entire district due mainly to a big increase in high school enrollment. While the overall numbers are up, grades 5 - 8 saw a decrease of 41 students. This year's increases came in the K - 4, where student totals increased by 29. The high school saw the biggest enrollment jump, 86 new faces graced the high school halls.
10 Years Ago
Oct. 29, 2014
Pavement was down and East Second Street was once again opened to traffic. The $2.8 million reconstruction project that began in March was in the final stages of work. “We're down to the finishing details like landscaping and paving driveways,” said Whitefish Public Works Director John Wilson. “Inside of the curbs, all the work is complete.” Work included clearing brush and trees, replacing replacement of water, sewer and storm drain facilities, new streetlights and new pavement, with curb and gutter. All overhead utilities were buried and gas lines were upgraded.