Ledger: Looking Back 25 Years - May 23, 1996

MAY 23, 1996

Memories of the Whitehall area will come alive Saturday when the Jefferson Valley Museum holds its official opening ceremony and begins operations for its first year ever. The museum, many years in the creation with a great deal of local volunteer labor will open its doors at 1 p.m. May 25 with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Inside a barn which has been a fixture in Whitehall community life since the First World War, visitors will find displays of articles gathered from the local area. Exhibits range from the very old – including a buggy used for years by local residents, old high school yearbooks, and numerous photos – to more recent additions such as novel school crossing signs. The newest addition to the museum collection is a centennial quilt honoring Whitehall’s residents. That quilt took years of effort to create and was just presented to the museum board last week. Museum board member and local history buff Roy Millegan said everyone is invited to stop in and see the salute to Whitehall’s heritage.

The Whitehall municipal wastewater treatment system was recently announced as the winner of the Montana Water Environment Association (MWEA) Small System award for 1995. The award recognizes “smaller communities in Montana that make extra efforts to operate, maintain and administer their wastewater facilities in exemplary fashion,” according to an awards letter from MWEA representative Earl Bahr.

With the annual Frontier Days celebration barely two months away, the Whitehall Business Assoc. spent much of its May 16 meeting planning the event it sponsors. Scheduled for July 27 and 28, this year’s Frontier Days observance promises to be bigger and better than ever, WBA members said. Besides the traditional parade, concessions and craft sales, talent show, dance, and loads of other regulars, this year’s offering will include an NRA pro rodeo for the first time and the second year of a car show.

Whitehall High School sophomore Megan Strom has been selected to participate in an international Girl Scouting program in Ireland this summer. Strom, the 16-year-old daughter of Don and Judy Strom, will be part of the team of 10 girls and 2 adults representing the United States at the week-long Wider Opportunities camp with over 600 girls from around the world. The theme of the camp is “peace through friendship.”

Trojan Students of the Week are Keli Mabbott and Tasha Hippert. The girls were nominated by Paul Miranda for their 6th place finish at State Tennis in Missoula.

Trojan Athlete of the Week is Neal Layne. This sophomore at WHS was nominated by Mike Welch for his fine work in Health and PE. He is the son of Darryl and Joanne Layne.