Flathead County Library

📚 Columbia Falls families—looking for free summer fun for your kids?

Join us at the Columbia Falls Branch of Flathead County Library for our FREE Summer Reading Experience! Kids can explore hands-on STEAM activities all summer long with exciting science, technology, engineering, art, and math programs designed to spark creativity and curiosity.

Stop by the Columbia Falls Branch to pick up a summer schedule, or learn more on our website: https://flatheadcountylibrary.org/programs/summer-experience/

We can't wait to see you this summer! ☀️

Welcome to Montana Mondays, our weekly series dedicated to uncovering the rich and rugged history of Montana!⁠

Near Great Falls, in the Little Belt mountain range, the 40 miles between Belt and Neihart were once full of mining communities. The mine near Belt produced coal, but the discovery of silver and lead deposits brought several more towns, including Monarch, Hughesville, and Albright. When the Montana Central Railroad was built in 1891, Riceville became a station stop for the Great Northern Railroad. Word quickly spread that the dramatic mountain scenery held excellent fishing opportunities, and tourism became a major draw in the area.

The collapse of the silver market closed many mines in 1893 and the railroad line ceased operation in 1903. Some mines continued to operate until the Great Depression forced their closure. An attempt to reopen them in the early 1940’s was unsuccessful, and the mining equipment and railroad tracks were sold after the final closure in 1943.

In 1974, Sluice Boxes State Park was created near Riceville, containing the remains of some mines and the railroad tracks. A rugged trail provides access for fishing, which remains a popular activity in the area. Several ghost towns and museums are within easy driving distance of the state park for additional mining history.

Sources: https://fwp.mt.gov/stateparks/sluice-boxes , https://visitmt.com/listing/sluice-boxes-state-park-7015 , https://www.legendsofamerica.com/mt-barkerhughesville/ , https://www.mtmemory.org/nodes/view/128475 , https://www.mtmemory.org/

For more Montana history, please check out the 978.6 section of the library!

Last week we explored all things icy and cold during our Silly Chilly workshop for kids at the Kalispell library. Our Dry Ice Bubbles demonstration was an especially popular science experiment. Kids watched foggy, bouncing bubbles appear and burst into a cool cloud.

Join us for more group activities like this all summer long at any Flathead County Library location. See our Summer Program schedule at https://flatheadcountylibrary.org/programs/summer-experience/.

Check out this week's programs for Kids & Teens! Join us for Workshops, Storytimes, and Switch Days at all three Flathead County Library locations. For more information go to flatheadcountylibrary.org/events-calendar/

Hey! It’s History Friday!⁠
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This week, we’re sharing a comparison of the West Side Tunnel in Glacier National Park following the catastrophic Flood of 1964 and how the site appears today in 2026. These historic images are a striking reminder of the power of natural forces and the lasting impact extreme weather can have on the park’s landscape. If you’ve wondered why Many Glacier was recently evacuated after heavy rainfall, these photos provide important perspective, showing how intense rain combined with mountain snowpack can rapidly swell rivers, destabilize slopes, damage infrastructure, and dramatically reshape the landscape in just hours.⁠
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The Flood of 1964 unfolded with astonishing speed. Heavy rain rapidly melted the remaining snowpack, turning quiet mountain streams into raging torrents within about 37 hours. During June 8–9, floodwaters surged down both sides of the Continental Divide, washing out roads, bridges, railroad grades, and large sections of the park’s transportation network. Parts of the Going-to-the-Sun Road were destroyed, access to portions of the park was cut off, and stream channels and hillsides were dramatically altered. What began as heavy rain became a historic disaster in less than two days, making the 1964 flood one of the most sudden and destructive natural events in Glacier National Park and northwestern Montana history.⁠

Happy Fourth of July, everyone! Don't forget to stop by the Kalispell library branch, after the parade, for a live reading of the Declaration of Independence by our very own Tony Edmundson! Celebrate safely!
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Source: A massive flood struck the Flathead Valley 60 years ago | Daily Inter Lake, Torrents of rain, miles of misery: 1964 | Daily Inter Lake⁠
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Photo: Montana History Portal, 2026 photo taken by library staff, Liz Camarillo⁠
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For more Montana history, check out the 978.6 section of the library!