Remember When?

70 YEARS AGO • MARCH 1, 1950

INSTALL2-WAY RADIOS

Installation of 2-way radios in Art Wilkes’, Vern Dolson’s and H.R. Larsen’s cars, was recently completed. This improvement is proving to be a big time saver in the local law enforcement as now any of the officers can be contacted any time or place from the station here and given their instructions. Upon completion of a central station they will be tied up with other western Montana cities and towns which will aid greatly in the enforcement of law and order in this part of the state. H.R. Larson was the sheriff of Sanders County, Vern Dolson was a deputy and Art Wilkes was the highway patrolman.

60 YEARS AGO • FEBRUARY 18, 1960

GIANT SLIDE ENDANGERS HOME, ROAD PLUNGING INTO RESERVOIR

Washington Water Power Co. and Ebasco engineers this week were surveying the damage caused by a tremendous slide which sent a section of Honey Flat, more than a quarter of a mile long, cascading into the Noxon Rapids reservoir.

The slide ripped out a section of the county road across the lake from Trout Creek at the base of 20 Odd mountain near Copper Point.

Apparently, no one was injured but the slide did force Mr. and Mrs. Albert Gerstenberger Jr. and the latter’s mother, Mrs. Rose Franck to abandon the new home, which they had built last summer. The home, perched atop Honey Flat, prior to Sunday’s slide was located more than 400 feet from the edge of the cliff. The slide ripped about 300 feet off the top of the flat and now the Gerstenberger home is located only about 180 feet from the edge of the 100-foot precipice.

50 YEARS AGO • FEBRUARY 26, 1970

POST OFFICE KEEPS PRESENT LOCATION

Despite recent plans to construct a new facility here, it now appears the Thompson Falls Post Office will remain in its present location at least for the next five years and probably longer.

The Post Office Dept. has signed a lease with Larsons and Greens, Inc. leasing the present facility for a period of five years with options to renew for periods of one year. During the five-year period, the lease is non-cancellable. Annual lease payment is $3,600 during the first five years and will be $3,900 for renewals.

The Post Office Dept. Previously had an option on the Macho Trailer Court as the site for a new building.

The Post Office at that time was in the building that now houses Little Bitterroot Thrift Store. The Macho Trailer Court is now a parking lot east of First Security Bank.

30 YEARS AGO • MARCH 1, 1990

MAIN ST. UPDATE

Work on the Main Street reconstruction project began in earnest Tuesday, with crews from Riverside Construction tearing up asphalt and digging the trench for the new waterline in front of Empire Foods.

Traffic will be restricted to one side of Main Street while the water line element of the project is being completed.

A crushing plant has been set up near Birdland Bay to begin preparing materials for the base materials and asphalt and tentative plans, according to Thompson Falls Mayor Sterling Larsen, are to be ready to lay asphalt by May 1.

Also expected to begin shortly is the blasting of the large rock outcrop located on the south side of the highway between the Rimrock and Thompson Falls. Green said the purpose of that project element is to improve the sight distance at that point and accommodate the widening and resurfacing of the highway. No change in alignment of the roadway is planned.