This Day In History - Dec. 21
 | Author:
Linda Huth, Broadwater County Musuem Curator
Linda Huth: MT43 News Board Member and Copy Editor |
“What Happened this Week in History”
Submitted by Linda Huth; Sponsored by: The Broadwater County Historical Society and
The “Cotter Foundation”
December 21
1939
“’Wizard of Oz’ Coming Xmas”
“The Wizard of Oz”, one of the big screen plays of the year, has been billed for Townsend for Christmas eve and Christmas day. Manager Ben Sautter of the Rex theater is going to run three shows on Christmas day to take care of the large crowd as well as to accommodate the children of the community who will want to attend an early show. Likewise this very popular play will be shown in Townsend on Sunday at the usual hours, 7 and 9 o’clock and on Christmas day, Monday three shows, the first one at 5 in the afternoon.
This play is one of metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s prize pictures of the year. It is reproduced from the book and has many fine song hits and beautiful technicolor scenes. In connection with this fine picture, Mr. Sautter says he is showing two especially interesting short features.
1950
“College Students Home for Holidays”
College students are all home for the mid-season vacation. Several came from Bozeman, students at Montana State College, several from Missoula from the University and some from the various other colleges in the state. Among them were Kenneth Marcotte from the Butte School of Mines; Peggy Graveley and Billie Zimmerman from Dillon; Jeff and Bill Doggett, Kay and Tom Cotter from Missoula; Sue Duehr from Bozeman.
“Townsend Briefs”
Sgt. Mike Gabisch is home from Alaska for a two-weeks furlough with his wife and other relatives.
Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Kirscher, Mrs. Maurice Guffey and J. Garrison Rains attended a sugar been meeting in Missoula last Thursday.
Pat Hooks, who is in his senior year at Georgetown University, in the Law School in Washington D.C., arrived home Sunday for the Christmas holidays with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. F rank T. Hooks.
Miss Helen Connors Arrived from Las Vegas, Nevada and will spend the Christmas holidays with her mother, Mrs. J.S. Connors and other members of the family. Mrs. Connors’ son Leo, who has arrived in the states from Alaska and is now in Missoula with his family, is also expected to be home for Christmas to make the family reunion complete.
Kay Thompson was eight years old Thursday, Dec. 7, and to celebrate the occasion, was hostess to several of her young friends at an afternoon party from 4 until 6 o’clock. After an enjoyable hour of games and entertainment, party refreshments were served from a table centered with the birthday cake with eight lighted candles and surrounded with baskets of candy and party crackers for each guest. Present were Twila Fae Perkins, Linda Moudree, Carol Horne, Carol Cooper, Carol Cartwright, Laura Jean Maynard, Barbara Wallace, Helen Damuth, Darlann Johnson, Jim, Bobby, Beverly and Gene Thompson.
1961
“Crow Creek News” by Mrs. Forrest Kitto
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Horne and Valerie visited his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. Warren Horne in Martindale Sunday.
Barbara Lewis spent the week end in Townsend as the house guest of Miss Marilyn Retterer.
Allen Smith of Radersburg was a week end guest of Dennis Williams.
Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Turman, Merle, Tim and Dixie and Mrs. Ida Byrd were Sunday dinner guests at the William Kitto home.
“Christmas Tree Party”
Miss Connie Valentine of Townsend and Jim Webb were hosts at a Christmas Tree Party Sunday. With about thirty of their school friends they went to the hills to get trees for the coming senior dance. The group then ate chili and played games at the home of Jim’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Webb.
1967
“Rescue Cattle in Sub-Zero Weather”
A cattle rescue operation lasted from 6 to 11 o’clock Tuesday night when a group of neighbors assisted Pete Cartwright in rescuing 15 head of cattle which were marooned near the Missouri River south of town.
An ice jam near where the Montana Ditch takes off from the river had forced water around the pasture. The crew cut a narrow trench through ice by tying seven lassos together had enough rope to drag the cattle across a deep channel. For a distance of about 100 feet the cattle had to be dragged under ice. Fifteen were rescued in this manner, but two were lost by drowning.
Assisting in the operation were Harry Cartwright, Jim Tew, Ray Doig, Don Lewis, Paul Carson, Marcell Turcotte and Jim Wimmer. The last two are guests of Mr. Carson.
“Local Rancher Featured in National Magazine”
In the TV Guide for the week of December 23 – 29, our own Claude “Ben” Cartwright has made national publicity with his ranch “The Ponderosa”. There is a color picture and two-page spread telling about Claude and his ranching operation.
“Local News”
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Black, Mr. and Mrs. Garrison Rains and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Holling attended the Montana Power Christmas party at Jorgenson’s Holliday Inn in Helena Saturday evening.
Miss Donna Doig arrived home Sunday from Kansas City where she has completed training with the Atlantic Airline School. Presently she is employed in Kansas City.
Chris and Mickey Grover of Brigham City, Utah came last Thursday to visit relatives in Townsend including the Mel and Grant Grover families. Chris recently completed two and a half years on an LDLS mission in Europe, spending some time in Belgium, but most of the time in France. He spoke to the French Club at the high school Friday. Mickey also will go on the mission field right away. They are sons of Mr. and Mrs. Scott Grover, former Townsend residents.
1978
“East of Townsend” News by Connie Shindoll
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Nelson and John, Vryl Payne of Livingston and Pauline Cady of Botswana, Africa were dinner guests Friday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Sewell Marks. Pauline is a sister of Pat Nelson and is with the Peace Corps in Botswana.
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Bieber attended the children’s Christmas program Sunday evening at the Lutheran Church.
John Clark, Ed, Tom and Joann Shindoll, Jim and Denise Marks, Dave Grown, Diane Harris and William Plymale had a snowmobile and sledding party Sunday afternoon at the Shindoll Ranch.
Keith and Robin Kirscher returned Saturday from a 3 week trip which took them to Redfield, South Dakota; Dallas, Texas; Phoenix, Arizona; California; Reno, Nevada; and Seattle.
