The Early Years:

The area that is now Columbia Falls, in the early days, was a logging and agricultural section with numerous mills and farms located throughout the area. When the Great Northern Railway built through the area in 1891, Columbia Falls, once known as Monaco, became the eastern gateway into the Flathead valley and the western gateway into the North Fork, Lake McDonald country and points east. Though settlers were in the area long before, the city of Columbia Falls was not officially incorporated until April 26, 1909. read more...

The Beginnings Of Heritage Days:

The annual community celebration in Columbia Falls began in 1956. The original event was organized to celebrate the prosperity brought about by the industrial expandsion of the area, which, in addition to the railroad and lumber business, now included the Anaconda Aluminum Company's new plant just north of Columbia Falls. For more on the origins of Heritage Days follow this link: read more...

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Due to the increasing size of this section of the Heritage Days website, the "History" page has been broken down by category for easier reference.

CHARACTERS
1927, 20 Jun: Joe Cosley - Indian Trapper Returns From The Northland	read
1931, 20 Mar: Jacob Neitzling - Columbia Falls Constanble Slain	read
1935, 07 Jun: John E. Lewis - Flathead Valley Pioneer	read
1941, 21 Feb: James A. Talbot And Shellrock Manor	read
1942, 17 Jul: Final Voyage Of Talbot's Steamer "The Oakes"   NEW !	read
COMMERCE
1895, 16 Aug: Columbia Falls Gets Soldiers Home	read
1903, 05 Jun: Newspaper Plant Moving To Columbia Falls	read
1903, 26 Jun: Columbia Falls Has A Newspaper	read
1910, 29 Apr: Changes At Columbia Falls	read
1910, 05 Jul: New Concern For Columbia Falls	read
1925, 16 Apr: Anderson Opens Theatre At Columbia Falls	read
DEVELOPMENT
1909, 27 Apr: Columbia Falls Incorporated	read
1909, 22 Jun: Murray Is Elected First Mayor Of New City	read
1910, 23 Sep: Electric Lights For The Falls	read
1956, 12 Jun: Falls To Use Dial Telephones Sunday	read
FIRES
1904, 05 Feb: Destroyed By Fire	read
1904, 22 Apr: Columbia Falls Has A Blaze	read
1929, 31 Jan: Fire Totally Destroys The Gaylord Hotel	read
MILLS
1896, 27 Nov: Another Saw Mill	read
1906, 09 Mar: New Mill At Columbia Falls	read
1920, 27 Jul: Among The Sawmills	read
1922, 23 Jun: Columbia Falls Mill Is Burned	read
SCHOOLS
1896, 20 Nov: Columbia Falls Schools	read
FALLS FABLES
1904, 27 Aug: Night Operator At Columbia Falls Held Up	read
1910, 02 Sep: Safes Cracked At Columbia Falls	read

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	PLEASE NOTE: If you have any information about the history of Columbia Falls, and / or Heritage Days, and you would like to share that information on this website, please contact the Heritage Days coordinators (click on the 'contact us' link at the top of this page for contact details). Thank you, Heritage Days Committee

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