'We nearly lost it' - Airport was saved in 1967
Our city airport in 1963, was suffering from neglect, a lack of use, lack of interest and lack of upkeep. It was little more than a sod landing strip, not too easily identifiable from the air and not overly conducive to flying operations.
The city at the time offered the entire property to an interested leasee, the 3M Company of Minnesota for the fee of one dollar a year, but 3M decided on a different location. The December 1964 edition of the Flathead Valley Industrial Survey showed the property as “an existing landing strip which would be abandoned if a desirable client is located here.”
Meantime, back at the airport, some individuals were working to keep the facility and somehow get it improved.
Larry Stockhill had purchased his business site outright from the city in September of 1964, starting an aircraft maintenance and repair station, and later adding his flying school and charter service. He had considerable investment to protect.
Dr. Herman Ross, Ritchey Ostrom and Cecil Rhodes, local flying enthusiasts and businessmen, joined forces in July 1965 and decided to form an organization to save and expand the airport. Sol Catron of the aviation committee of the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce helped tremendously in negotiating the land trade between the city and the Edmiston Land Company. Attorney Dean Jellison gave Invaluable legal advice and counsel all along the way — through stacks of proposals, agreements and contracts.
Bob Ewing pushed the idea of airport improvement through a series of talks to service clubs and local fliers and through the Montana Pilots Association. All those who worked and struggled in those early days of organization cannot be named but the community owes them a debt of gratitude.
The spring of 1966 saw the signing of a lease between the city of Kalispell and the newly formed Kalispell City Airport Association. This association now completely handles the airport property. All income from leases goes into the airport association fund and this, together with continuing donations and memberships form the community to the airport association will maintain and improve the facilites.
The Jaycees did an outstanding job in putting across the membership drive; the local business community was generous in its support of the project. Some of the actual work by groups and Individuals who made the completion of this project a reality is mentioned elsewhere In this edition, yet many, who labored long and hard will go unsung, but today, at this dedication of the new airport, we hope they feel their efforts were justified and rewarded.