Scenic Montana county with exploding population seeks $10-million from voters-
Whenever I visit the area, I try to take a few photos of the disappearing rural countryside.
Story: Flathead open space bond on ballot. By Michael Jamison of the Missoulian
The disappearing rural landscape of Flathead County. Photo taken Sept. 2008 a few miles south of Kalispell, Montana. Copyright Ralph Maughan
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Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is past President of the Western Watersheds Project.
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I drove through Kalispell this year and was shocked at how poorly planned and developed that city is. In fact, the whole section of 93 from Kalispell to Darby is quite sad.
I agree Mike. It is basically sprawl from Darby, Montana a couple hundred miles north to the border of British Columbia.
You can tell when you are approaching customs — the trophy homes built randomly along the highway come to an end. Once in B.C., all that ugly development immediately disappears.
This is one reason why the economy is in the toilet. An economy has to do something besides build homes for the relatively well off (or at least those who could secure some kind of mortgage).
Nice pic BTW. Did you get a chance to head into Glacier? Amazing colors on the east side this fall. Lots and lots of bear activity.
Good point about the economy. It seems the only thing keeping it afloat was the housing market. That’s a hollow shell.
Mike,
No. I didn’t go to Glacier. I went up to Fernie, BC and down into the headwaters of the North Fork of the Flathead. I wanted to see where the big coal pit mine would be.
Then I went north and explored around the Bull River.
Beautiful photo!
The really sad part is often the developers put in horrendous suburban sprawl for everyone else (to line their pockets), then they go find the beautiful land (that’s left) to live on themselves.
Open fields…ahhh… such a calming picture.