The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1945-03-08
Posing Years

Continued from page u

Continued from page u
The Fountain, an attractive brick
building.
The brick building housing the
Chapman Sc to slice Stefe-was G
small frame structure. Another va
cant lot greeted the stranger ir
the city where now stands the stuc-
co building in which the Fashion
Beauty Shop holds forth. The brick
building that is a home for Bur-
CANS grocery and market was va
cant property. The quarters of the
Libby Furniture Exchange was q
rather old frame structure holding
the RockafelloW studio. 1t has since
been greatly improved. The fine
modern brick block now occupied
by CANDLES, and Bills Hambur-
ger Stand adjoining. were also va
cant properties. There was nothing
but weeds where the c. & H. Serv-
ice Station has long been taking
care of many car owners IN its at
tractive stucco buildings. Across the
street diagonally one found an old
log building, since removed. The
brick service station now standing
at the corner of Mineral avenue
and Sixth street has been built since
that spring day. The theatre build
ing was then a frame structure.
Several years ago il was greatly
improved by being remodeled and
covered with an attractive stlcco
pattern. The LIE Due property at
the corner of Mineral and Boule-
ward was then a single store room
housing the Mass clothing store.
Where the modern Little-Echo
Service Station now stands one
then found small frame residence
property Joe KujaWa's attractive
service station was also vacant land
in those early days.
- -.
The growth and progress of the
city during those years have also
been manifested in a remarkable
improvement in its civic buildings.
Early day residents will remem-
Der the=eld tumble down shack that
was used as city hall Today the
city hall is beautiful brick struc-
ture that attracts much favorable
comment in its setting of green
lawn, flowers and shrubs. The high
school building was then much
smaller than it is today The wing
housing the junior high depart
ments was built several years later.
And just recently the new Central
building has been added. Residents
also will remember the old frame
court house building standing in the
southeast corner of the present
court house block. In those DAYS
that block stood as nature made it,
with its weeds, shrubs and gullies.
Today it is one Of the show places
of the city, The modern brick court
house is architecturally beautiful
and surrounded by an expanse of
green lawn, flowers, trees and
shrubberv,
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In those early days Libby base
ball fans enjoyed the snort on the
field across the track just north Of
the depot, where stood tumble
down grandstand. Today the city
can boast a fine modern athletic
field, with its adjoining swimming
pool and with its surroundings
beautifully landscaped In the sum-
mer, it is one Of the beauty soets
of the city, Another such improve
ment is Dexter Park, occupying the
block south Of the New Central
school building. II displaced a va
cant block given over to natures
handiWork pine trees and shrubs.
In one corner of that block now
stands the attractive little Episcopal
church known as st. Lukc's.
This is only brief sketching of
the improvements that have 5cen
made in the business district. There
are many others such as the Glack'
Service Station and Cabins and the
Chef Smith Service Station and
Cabins on No 2 highway driving
eastward out of the city. Another
Improvement of late years is the
Libby Cabins on No. 2 highway as
one enters the city from the west.
In the meantime there has been
SlCduy BlUWlll III Tie 0uIHDGT Oh
attractive homes. A few years ago
the Western News carried story
stating that 80 houses had been
built that year, counting everything
from shacks to more pretentous
structures. Entire new districts have
been covered by modern homes.
The area south Of No. 2 highway
and west Of Montana avenue was
in 1923 almost entirely vacant land
Today it is well covered by many
attractive homes. Many houses have
also been built in the district lying
between the-eld zonelite company
plant and the city. And scattered
throughout the city there have been
scores Of lovely homes established
during those % years.
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1ndustrially there has also been
marked improvements The j. Neils
Lumber Company has greatly ex-
banded its plant here, adding new
departments from year to year. The
Universal Zonolite Insulation Com
pany was in 1923 lust taking the