City of Choteau News Highlights from 1965
Teton County Montana.
A 2013 Centennial Project

"Summarized from the Choteau Acantha Newspaper with its permission by Nancy Thornton, Choteau, Montana. All rights reserved." Copyright 2013-present by Nancy Thornton. This file may be freely copied for non-profit purposes.
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Compiled by Nancy Thornton on June 6, 2013, with the cooperation of the Choteau Acantha.

1/7/65 Rex's (Peterson) Thriftway grand opening. Triangle Packing southwest of Choteau on Belleview Road has grand opening; Bill Hoyt, plant operator, Andy Brutosky, co-owner. Montana Mineral Feed on Choteau's southside in early state of development. Rev. A. Bernard Gravdal leaves Choteau to become a hospital chaplain.
A review of top 10 news events, the June 8 flood being the first.
1/14/65 M/M Gilbert Richardson sold Roxy Theatre to M/M Elmer Afseth, Bonner's Ferry Idaho. G. Isakson new Chamber president. Frank Kelly reelected president of Teton County Sportsmen Association.

1/21/65 Army Corp. Engineers making plans for Teton River project. Teton Memorial Hospital sustained on $12,032.25 during 1964, Pete Olsen, Lutheran Homes Society rep. Dr. George Sexton of Great Falls has begun coming to Choteau to perform surgery.

1/28/65 Jaycees award Ted Halvorson Boss of the Year. Dick Nordhagen, Distinguished Service Award.

2/4/65 Chamber considers establishing a museum and printing a new tourist brochure. City Council asks T.C. Commission to back the Choteau airport master plan. Airport Commission members are Glen Inbody, Harold Hinman and John Nordhagen. Council calls for referendum on bar hours. Aerial of 1964 flood in Choteau featured on Lions Club calendar.

2/11/65 Jack Sangray is city public works manager. Jaycees consider improving city park campground.

2/18/65 (Photo) Zwerneman Mortuary to hold open house, Lee E. Z, owner.
Wedum's, Choteau's new men's clothing store, and Ellen's, formerly the Parlor Shoppe Women's clothing store, hold grand openings in the Wedum building. Wedums is a revival of Wedums Department store that operated 1938-1958. Janet Wedum owner. Ellen's, owned and operated by Mrs. Jack (Ellen) Rogers, established in 1957 as Parlor Shoppe, Ellen's to be in the south portion.

2/25/65 M/M Charles Mora, Cascade, buys Lee's (Stott) Grocery. Sheriff Al Becker to organize a 20-man posse, more desirable than a search and rescue unit.
F.C. Barribal president of Citizens State Bank sells his interest to Bob Gronberg, vice president and longtime bank employee.

3/4/65 Rev. A. Bernard Gravdal, 49, died in Chicago of heart attack. Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church for 24 years, had left in January. Teton Memorial Hospital Association needs funds for maintenance and new equipment in wake of huge repairs after the flood.
Jaycees get green light to improve campground south of pavilion, fence, trees and restroom. Six fire places and shelters in picnic area.

3/11/65 Jaycees to spend $700 on 50-60 trees, fence and restroom at park. Don Arensmeyer, project chairman. Mrs. G.L. “Larry” Banks recognized for bringing girl scouting to Choteau 25 years ago and serving since that time.

3/18/65 (Photo) Five irrigation companies making history by using helicopters to spray weeds for 4th consecutive year.
500 brook trout killed in about 2.5 miles of Spring Creek from pesticides. Choteau Rodeo will be sanctioned by Rodeo Cowboys of America, first time in 10 years.
Council buys chlorinator for city water to be used when it is necessary.

3/25/65 Contested mayor's race set for April 5 election, John Dunckel and Duane Reisch vie for $600 a year, two-year term to replace D.K. Fabrick, who served eight years as mayor and four years beginning in 1953 as alderman. Leonard Sheble not running, served 8 years, beginning in 1957.
Ward 1 uncontested, Darwin “Fuzz” Armstrong and incumbent Bill McCauley candidates. Armstrong assumes position held by Fred Barribal who served beginning in 1957, four consecutive terms.
Incumbents Robert Gronberg and William Irwin return as city treasurer and police judge.
Temperature plunges below zero six out of eight days. Two delegations urge approval of Choteau airport plans. 29 Choteauites toured H-1 Minuteman missile capsule near Fairfield.

4/1/65 Montana Fast Draw Championship slated July 4, a minimum of 50 shooters to attend. La Verne Murr elected Choteau Jaycees president.

4/8/65 John L. Dunckel elected mayor, also elected incumbents Jack Rogers and Bill McCauley and newcomers Don Arensmeyer and Darwin “Fuzz” Armstrong. Take office May 1. Bar hours referendum passes, extended to 1 a.m. Approved 231-207 and 222-210. Ballot wording controversial, voters confused they say. 51 percent of 925 eligible voters cast a ballot.
CHS approved 1.25-mill levy. State calls for bids to repair bridge over Teton River on Choteau-Dutton road.

4/15/65 Rev. Marlow N. Engberg, 39, will assume duties as pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church April 25.
Teton Memorial Hospital Association has $4,000 fundraising goal for maintenance and new equipment. Heavy flood damage last year.
Teton Plumbing and Heating sold to Ron Hecht, by M/M Tom Hammond who established business in 1945.
Chamber sets out 2,000 eggs for Easter hunt. New Lions president is Tom McCartney.

4/22/1965 (Photo) Cultural Hall at LDS Church dedicated April 24. John A. Brandvold assumes duties as vice president of Citizens State Bank May 1.
Army Corps of Engineers bids Teton area flood work.
City Council approved first complete official city plat to be adopted since 1913. Additions added in past but this is first entirely new plat.
Charles Frank, 91, died in California last week.

4/29/65 CHS Board selects Page & Werner, Great Falls, as architect for new high school building.

5/6/65 Max Hansen sells Superior Dairy business. Dairy ceases operations and becomes depot or distribution center.
Police chief is Maurice Black, Jack Sangray is public works manager.
Community leaders meet with council to discuss future coordination of evacuation procedures in the event of another flood or dam break.
Cave Construction Inc. of Great Falls, awarded bid for debris and channel work on the Teton River.
D.P. Fabrick and L. Sheble end terms of office on council.

5/13/65 CHS Board asks bond election for new building. Choteau residents contribute $2,000 to Teton Memorial Hospital Assn fund drive.
(Photo) city council.
Al Johnson Construction Co. personnel will locate in Choteau during the construction of Swift Dam west of Dupuyer. Project to cost $2.87 million.

5/20/65 CHS Senior Thomas Dellwo appointed to West Point, the U.S. Army military academy. William G. Irwin is police judge. Sangray began putting Chlorine in city water May 1 as the result of adverse report from state health authorities.
Council agrees to accept property owned by Choteau Woman's Club that includes the city library. Club will continue to operate the library while they are able.

5/27/65 Al Warneke buys Cliff's Husky Service Station. Cliff Hansen had owned it since 1946.

6/3/65 CHS graduates record 59 students. James Wood agent-telegrapher with the Great Northern Railway Co. in Choteau retires after 45 years.
Sides on rest home issue are grouping for battle.

6/10/65 (Photo) Flood recap at one-year anniversary. Teton Rest Home was granted a 90-day provisional license contingent on action being taken to correct safety hazards in the present facility and taking steps to construct a new one.
Andy's Appliance and Tire Co. opens in former Andy's Implement and Appliance store. Council endorses project to build “Welcome to Choteau” signs.

6/17/65 Bynum Diversion Dam dedication June 24.

6/24/65 Choteau Lions Club Swim team is largest ever with 61 swimmers, per coach Stan Rathman.

7/1/65 (Photo) Dr. Bill Patton hosts open house at the new Double Arrow Vet Clinic.
John S. and Lois E. Davison filed bankruptcy petition. They operated the Villager until recent months. Choteau Electric store has grand opening, Jim and Jean Smith, owners.

7/8/65 Choteau Electric the store moved from the Kropp building into the Odd Fellows building in April. Response to Choteau's July 4th celebration is enthusiastic.

7/15/65 (Photo) Teton County Sheriff's posse. Robert Erickson hired 7-6 to replace Jack Sangray as superintendent of public works. Sangray quit several weeks ago.

7/22/65 Ward 2 alderman Don Arensmeyer resigned, job transfer, rescinded, he will stay. City grants building permit to A.L. Jaumotte for constructing a $35,000 building to house the new post office. Zion Construction builder.

7/29/65 Russell Sewell of Cut Bank proposes building a privately owned 60-bed nursing home in Choteau. Construction starts on new post office. New remodeled Wagon Wheel Bar holds open house, operated by M/M Henry Jensen.
Sewer bond levy paid off. Taxes taken in will go to parks and playgrounds. City employees got a “fair and just” raise.

8/5/65 Choteau Jaycees sponsor Huck Finn Days, Spring Creek planted with good sized catchable fish for the event. New police car bought from Bob's Ford Sales for $1,350.

8/12/65 County to host Robert E. Clarkson Day, honors extension agent in office 1918 to 1934. Bob Erickson, city public works manager, discovered that the Richem Construction Co. underground storage tank has sprung a leak and dumped 600 gallons of gasoline into the ground near two springs west of the city limits. Some people noticed a light gasoline taste. Erickson and State Board of Health said the gasoline presents “no danger whatsoever to anyone's health.”

8/19/65 Chamber asks to host meetings between private and public rest home advocates. Jesse Gleason, Choteau's western artist, turns 75. CHS Board hires Lloyd Reynolds as music instructor. Choteau water facilities get clean bill of health.

8/26/65 Married men are next on draft board list. Petitions come into county calling for a bond issue election to fund a new county rest home.

9/2/65 Federal government to finance more than 50 percent of long planned Choteau airport improvements, FAA sends check for $19,149.
John R. Barber to replace Bob Amick as Choteau Acantha editor.

9/9/65 (Photo) Trinity Lutheran Education building dedication. FAA allots $29,149 for Choteau airport improvements. Ballot issue in December will ask for $150,000 bond issue to replace county rest home with a nursing home for the aged. Council mulls a complete rezoning of Choteau.

9/18/65 Five inches of snow falls, hampering harvest. 64 homeowners on the outskirts of Choteau are now under jurisdiction of Choteau Fire Department, based on agreement ironed out over two years. CHS Board receives preplanning funds to investigate the feasibility of building a new high school.

9/23/65 Don Arensmeyer resigns; Robert S Armstrong is his replacement on Council, Ward 2. Council approves ordinance defining “riot,” providing for suppression of and providing penalties. R.A. Taylor buys Anderson Chevrolet and Choteau Garage, new name is Teton Motor Co.
City engineer Bob Erickson reported on the problem of drainage in front of the new post office.

10/7/65 CHS gets $25,612 for new building study, plan estimate is $580,000 as to cost of new facility. (Photo) Mayor Dunckel in grain field.

10/14 65 Frontier Motel robbed of $700 in cash and personal belongings. Arrest imminent. M/M Ron Hinman buy Choteau Drug Inc. Oct. 1. M/M Ted Halvorson had owned it since 1938.

10/21/65 City lays 356 feet of storm drain from corner of new post office past Legion Club to the alley and across the street to tie into storm sewer. Should do away with “lake” on the corner.

10/28/65 Ron Brumberger's Beauty Shop opens in new location next to Choteau Steak House. U.S. Highway 287 gets federal designation, extends from West Yellowstone to Choteau; will be a boon to tourist industry, say Choteau businessmen. Climax of five-year effort.
Leonard Blixrud, 31, Choteau native, joins Olsen Agency. Post office building to be completed Nov. 20.

11/4/65 Council and students discuss traffic problems at CHS including walking in streets. Teton Memorial Hospital to get new generator to power entire hospital. Chamber to sponsor “Chamber capers,” a home talent and variety show.

11/11/65 Boy Scouts yearly fund drive to begin shortly, says Chairman R.W. Gormley. 60 boys are in Cubs and 51 in scouting. Season reserve tickets for 65-66 CHS basketball season now on sale. Dec. 4 bond election to decide rest home fate. The Teton County Rest home will be closed unless the bond passes, say proponents - cites history of poor farm, then in 1951, the rest home purchased, but now condemned, one of the buildings is 60 years old. With $150,000 raised county is eligible for $100,000 Hill-Harris funds to build 12-bed nursing facility plus use 14 beds in one of the present buildings for total of 40 compared to 32 now.
Plans are unveiled by Cut Bank group to construct a rest home.; 60 patients, $250,000, information meetings planned.

11/18/65 (Photo) Citizens State Bank holds open house on Nov. 20. 100 people hear pros and cons on new nursing home bond issue.

11/25/65 Three groups present views on count rest home, Choteau Jaycees go on recird opposed to public bond issue when private enterprise wants to step forward. Teton County Taxpayers Association also opposed.

12/9/65 Voters approve rest home bond issue by 216 vote margin, 55.5 percent; new nursing home slated by fall 1966. Airport should be completed in July. Chamber Capers Dec. 11 to feature dancing by the Charleston girls, songs by the Hooteneers and featuring the world famous Chamber Rockettes.

12/16/65 (Photo) Teton Motor Co. has grand opening. Ex-Choteau pastor Rev. Harold L. Engdahl from 1946 to 1952 (Methodist) dies of heart attack while hunting in California. Choteau School Board to form citizens group to work with board on the proposed high school.

12/23/65 Lt. J.G. Lee E. Nordahl reported missing in action over North VietNam, a 1957 CHS graduate. Jack Rogers elected Chamber president. Choteau post office to open Dec. 30.

12/30/65 Firemen's Ball is New Year's Eve.

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