Commemorative Story Book

Official Centennial Art
Photo by Bret Bouda

Governor's Conference

July 12, 2010

Upcoming Activities July 13-25, 2010

A Centennial Week, to say the least. 

The Going-to-the-Sun Road is now passable to Logan Pass as of Thursday this week. 

And just about everyday this week we have had centennial activities. Our Centennial Summer is here! From hosting the Hockaday's Plein Air Paint Out with 30 artists around the park (with nearly PERFECT weather!) to the Centennial Poetry Festival at the Belton. From the Centennial Train Ride with the Western Governors' Association, Glacier National Park Fund, and Burlington Northern Santa Fe...to the Paint Out unveiling at the Hockaday. Hundreds of people have been engaged in our birthday this week-- and hopefully inspired to rekindle their connection with this ever special place. 

A few more activities to come yet: Look, Listen, and Learn with the Montana House tonight at 7 PM with Photographer Chris Peterson and Carver Jim Jensen. 

Join the Historic Belton Chalet tomorrow afternoon at 4 PM as they recognize their 100th Anniversary! Commemorative Belton Chalet Centennial flutes will be given to all attendees.

June 15, 2010
An Inspiring Season

As you might imagine, things are moving right along...quickly...with the dozens of Centennial Activities! Blog entries will be more sporadic, but I will try and add a few highlights as the inspiring season continues.

From history talks, to art walks-- the centennial ceremony and activities such as the film festival have been more successful than we could have hoped for! Take a minute to look at all of the pictures we have posted on the centennial website.

If you would like to learn more about the history of the park, please check out our Museum Curator, Deirdre Shaw's blog.

Join us tomorrow (Thursday, June 17) as the Hockaday Museum of Art unveils a special John Fery Collection in honor of the Centennial in Kalispell. The reception starts at 5 PM.

John Fery was born in 1859 in Hungary. Fery studied in Europe under Peter Jansen at the Dusseldorf Academy in Germany. His first experience with America was bringing European nobility on hunting trips throughout the Northwest between 1892 and 1893. Fery made an important contribution in the creation of Glacier National Park through his paintings. He was commissioned by the Great Northern Railroad to paint the scenery along its route and in Glacier National Park in order to attract people to the area. The Hockaday has collaborated with John Fery's family, BNSF Railway and private collectors to present this collection of historic paintings. This show will be on display until September 18, 2010.

More soon...

• On Wednesday, Peter Lesica on behalf of the Montana Native Plant Society shared some insight on the significant naturalists of Glacier National Park such as: George Bird Grinnell, RS Williams, Marcus Jones, Paul Stanely, Morton Elrod, Gertrude Norton, Leroy Harvey, Willard McClaughlin, Dave Shea, and Jerry DeSanto, among others. Lesica did an incredible job of retracing the milestones of 100 years of Glacier's Botany. The audience not only learned about individuals who made history by discovering various species, but also learned about botanists personalities. 
• On Thursday, the Glacier Centennial Green Business Program hosted a meeting on the benefits of energy efficiency in honor of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day.
• Also on Thursday, the Miracle of America Museum in Polson housed 60 participants in a Centennial Program and Birthday Party. In addition to a tour of historic Glacier memorabilia and souvenirs, Dale Harvey, a retired Flathead Valley Community College professor shared several Glacier Poems and Neil Lewing sang the Glacier Park Song. Cake was served after the audience sang Happy Birthday to the park.  
• Friday kicked off the Glacier Centennial Year Symposium at the Flathead Valley Community College. The opening lecture focused on the challenges in resource management over the century. 
• On Saturday, Michael Ober, long time Lake McDonald Ranger and Librarian at the Flathead Valley Community College participated in a book signing of his new centennial book, Glacier Album, at the Montana House. In conjunction with the author signing, Will Hammerquist with the National Parks Conservation Association, gave a presentation on how we can work together to protect our national treasurer for the next century.
• The Glacier Centennial Year Symposium, History and Memory: Glacier National Park's Centennial Year, concluded on Saturday afternoon with stories, memories, and wise words from the Chief of Science and Resources, Jack Potter. Jack has worked for Glacier since 1969. Over his 41 year career, he recalled several events that impacted his work: Night of the Grizzly's in 1967 resulting in a system-wide change in Bear Management; 1975 Flood in which the NPS incorporated lessons learned from the 1964 floods, resulting in a more thoroughly though out response concerning trails and bridges; Fire's role on the landscape- with a focus on the Red Bench Fire of '88, the epic fires of 2003 in which ancient trees along Howe Ridge burned, and the Red Eagle Fire of '06...fire does happen east of the divide; and most recently, the response to Climate Change through adaptive management, mitigation, and communication.