Sited at the headwaters of the Columbia River in Montana’s northwest corner, Columbia Falls was the site of early coal mining and timber harvesting. Later, the Great Northern Railroad expanded to the area, and Flathead National Forest and Glacier National Park were founded. The Columbian was published by J. W. Pace from 1891 to 1897. It was succeeded by D. A. Hendrick's Columbian in 1903-1904. H. F. Laeuger took over in 1905 and continued publishing The Columbian until February 1925. The paper was not published from April 1897 through May 1903.