Hungry Horse news. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1948-current, 1955-03-18
Wide Awake Bigfork

We learned more ABOUT B1g1Ork Wnue dCtenQ-
ing the Bigfork Business Association annual dinner
Monday evening
There was turnout of about IS to the affair
held at the Cadillac hotel. Fortunately the people
of Bgfork know how to get together and have
good time.
Ed O'Brien who with his dad and brother OPP
crate the attractive Bigfork hotel is club president
and was POSTMASTER. We talked to him for
time and also with Harold Anderson of Bigfork
Mere, Eva and George Gates Jack Kehoe and
Sam Stephens, the jeweler, among others.
Bgfork fought long and hard to have the east
shore road of Fathead lake improved and surfaced.
Now the highway is bypassing their community,
and there is the threat that the new outlet road
from the Swan will likewise miss the town.
To us these seem to be obstacles to community
progress, but we learned something Monday evening.
Bgfork sees itself having show window spot
from that bridge that takes the highway high
across the bay.
They realize that highway brings steady
streams of traffic through town, and too seldom
to town.
Bigforks idea is to improve their waterfront
with docks, lights and beaches so that the vaca-
tioning minded traveller from that high bridge will
look into a beautiful waterfront setting fine
place to spend some time. The stay-a-while theme
will also see picnic tables provided by Creston's
East Side Grange part of their countrywide pro-
ject
Our thought is that Bigfork as seen over an at
tractive waterfront will be much more interesting
than Bigforks rather narrow main street, another
town to drive through. Ernest Weed IS chairman
of the dock committee and there's been CONSIDER
able volunteer labor.
The community OF $50 on the lake benefits from
having an active civic club It's Business Association
has Is member firms. An ordinary meeting will
see % of the Is represented and total turnout OF
about so citizens
OBrien was enthusiastic about the good done
Bigfork by Eva Gates preserves made from Flathead
fruit and berries. Store shelves throughout the
state and pantries across the nation have this Big
fork quality product-diSplaying the Flathead Lake
scene and Bigfork designation. Eva Gates has GER
tainly put her kitchen to work.
There's Jack Kehoe with his agate shop, skill
fully producing Montana souvenirs and Jewelry
from Montana products
Development Of home and visitor crafts GER
tainly is a part of Bigfork's future.
Ability OF community to work together hcks
most problems. A drug store is interested IN locat-
ing in the town. II it does the hotel wants to give
up magazine sales and there's like sentiment about
the town.
Bigfork is not large enough to have its own
printed newspaper, but we found strong loyalty to
Mrs. Ann Tippett's mimeographed Party Line"
Many newspapers would be proud to have the 10y
atty and support she has, and the comments such
as 'that little paper has helped bring us together
and aided our businesses"
The whole Flathead is aware of Bigfork's out
standing school superintendent Carl Naugle. Re-
Gently a young Montana State University law
graduate by name of Daryl Engebregson hung cut
his Single
Great changes have come to the Flathead as a
recreational center in the past 20 years. Much Is
ahead during the next 20 years Blgforks economy
is based on this vacatoning phase as well as fam
lilies deriving income from fruit growing and lum-
bering.
With Bigforks wide-awake citizens, were bet
ting on Bigfork.
We're pleased to have been presented along
with Art Harlow the "Order OF the Bigfork," con-
verted garden hand spade with lettering and a
green bow, at the Monday dinner.
It is good to know people who don't sit and
wait for prosperity to come to their door. Mr.