Looking Back: New SNOTEL site improves winter weather forecasting
One of the old landmarks in Whitefish began to disappear as the top of the belfrey of the old St. Charles Catholic Church was lowered to the ground -- the first step in tearing down the church to make way for a parking area in 1974.. The bell in the belfrey was saved and mounted n ear the new St. Charles Church. The frame constructed wooden building was erected in 1907 and had been an activity center for the church and civic groups.
A look back at past Pilot articles by Julie Engler
50 Years Ago
Sept. 19, 1974
A bid from Pack and Company of Kalispell was accepted for the construction of three tennis courts on property across Highway 93, donated to the city for park and recreation purposes. Those companies bidding on the construction of the Whitefish Golf Course sprinkling system included Glacier Memorial Gardens from Kalispell with a base bid of $138,234. Nelson Landscape Service from Spokane had a base bid of $160,000. The sprinkling system would be financed partly by federal funds and partly by funds from the Whitefish Lake Golf Club.
40 Years Ago
Sept. 20, 1984
Early enrollment figures for Whitefish schools showed the overall student population had grown. The biggest increase was in the elementary grades, where about 80 more students were enrolled. Muldoon Elementary had 644 students, compared to 568 the previous year. Central School had 496, compared to 512. While the high school has had 519, six fewer than in 1983. The kindergarten showed the greatest increase, with 27 more students than a year ago.
30 Years Ago
Sept. 15, 1994
The city was attempting to iron out a plan to minimize any adverse effects the new viaduct might have on adjoining streets and nearby businesses. In an eleventh-hour meeting, the City Council and half dozen owners of businesses and properties near the south side of the viaduct discussed their concerns about how the new bridge would affect traffic in the area and how access could be limited to some businesses. The discussion was sparked, in part, by a proposal from architect John Constenius and the Great Northern Brewing Company to make Railway Street one way westbound from Central Avenue to Baker Avenue.
20 Years Ago
Sept. 16, 2004
Years of negotiations between the city of Whitefish and the county over planning boundaries abruptly came undone when County Commissioners Bob Watne and Howard Gipe voted against a public hearing on the matter and then scrapped a resolution of intent for the Whitefish-Flathead interlocal agreement. Commissioner Gary Hall, who was pivotal in the crafting of the agreement, was devastated, while Gipe and Watne were decisive in their opposition. City Attorney John Phelps said the move caught the city off guard, but he remained hopeful the deal could still be salvaged.
10 Years Ago
Sept. 17, 2014
A new automated weather station on the summit of the Big Mountain was poised to bring skiers, meteorologists and avalanche forecasters up-to-the-minute conditions. The SNOTEL site would provide real-time updates on snow depth, snow water equivalent, wind speed, air temperature and other critical weather data. Whitefish Mountain Resort spokesperson Riley Polumbus said the weather station would fill a large data-gap in mountain weather forecasting.