Yesterdays: Flathead's forks added to Wild and Scenic River Act

70 years ago

Oct. 12, 1956

Packer Chuck Dawson shot a huge grizzly in the South Fork that was estimated between 800 and 900 pounds. Dawson shot the bear with one bullet from a 30-30 from 70 feet. The paws were almost 15 inches long.

60 years ago

Oct. 14, 1966

LeRoy Tallman, 19, hit a grizzly near the West Glacier dump and overturned his pickup truck. His arm was pinned under the truck, but he was able to bust out a window with the other hand and get a jack out of the truck. He jacked up the truck enough to get his arm unpinned and then went for help, which was 2 miles away at the Tom Sloan residence.

50 years ago

Oct. 14, 1976

The three forks of the Flathead River system, some 219 miles of rivers, were formally protected under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The addition was supported by Congressman Max Baucus. In addition, a study of the Great Bear Wilderness was also approved.

40 years ago

Oct. 15, 1986

In its first year, the Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. turned a profit, sharing proceeds with employees and paying off a state loan. Chairman Brack Duker said everything had gone better than expected.

30 years ago

Oct. 17, 1996

Glacier National Park officials were trying to use dogs to chase grizzly bears away from areas where humans gathered, like the Going-to-the-Sun Road. The road itself, however, had closed at Logan Pass due to snow.

20 years ago

Oct. 12, 2006

The Columbia Falls planning board OK’d a rezone of 76 acres east of the Flathead River to Rogers Road for a 146-unit subdivision. The subdivision was never built.

10 years ago

Oct. 12, 2016

The Blackfeet Tribe announced its intention to release about 89 bison into the Badger Two Medicine region south of Marias Pass. They never did, however and it remains bison-free today.