Dubois beacon lights new day

The city of Dubois used the solar eclipse to officially re-launch a historic airline beacon. The beacon was part of an installation which includes a giant concrete arrow, a 50-foot tower, and an electrical shed. In the early days of flight, the beacon was originally designed to help keep early pilots flying in the proper direction as part of the Transcontinental Airway System. Dubois has one of the few complete installations remaining in the United States. The mail route connected Salt Lake City with Great Falls, Montana. Mail and passenger service began in 1928. Pilots looked for bright yellow arrows to ensure they were headed in the right direction. By 1932 electric beacons were installed. By World War II the arrows and beacons became obsolete or were destroyed in the name of national security. For the past 2 years, Greg Cobia of Blackfoot has worked to restore the Dubois installation.
The beacon was set to shine during the eclipse on Monday.