Time Line
Flathead Indian Reservation
1950 - 1959
 

St. Luke Hospital in Ronan opened. It was built with volunteer labor, donated materials, and local fund-raisers.

The Yellowstone Pipeline was built, with 55 of its 532 miles crossing the Flathead Reservation. The 10.75 inch pipe was buried three feet deep along the Flathead River, which it crossed at Perma. An average of 1,233,036 gallons per day of petroleum flowed through the pipeline connecting Billings, Montana to Moses Lake, Washington. The Yellowstone Pipeline Corporation was a limited liability corporation, to protect its owners from liability in the event of leaks. The companies that shared ownership of the line included Conoco, Exxon, and Union Oil. The line leaked repeatedly, contaminating ground water.

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