• Mt Cannon, Heavens Peak, and the Weeping Wall

    Glacier

    National Park Montana

Kass Hardy's Centennial Blog

March 18, 2010

What's new with Glacier's Centennial?

Check out our latest eNewsletter!

Highlights include:

  • Centennial Film Festival Kick-off, featuring The River Wild at Signature Theaters in Kalispell (Tonight!) at 7 PM
  • Unveiling of Chris Peterson's 100 Years, 100 Straight Days Photography Exhibit on Friday, March 19, 6 PM at Discovery Square in Columbia Falls
  • Author John Fraley wraps up the Glacier National Park Associates Winter Speaker Series on March 22, 7 PM at the Central Museum in Kalispell
  • Unveiling of Columbia Falls High School Student Centennial Art, Thursday, March 25, 6 PM at Discovery Square in Columbia Falls
  • Where you can get a free centennial license plate holder
  • Details on Glacier's 100th Anniversary Ceremony on May 11th
  • And...a Centennial by the Numbers overview!

Enjoy!


 

February 15, 2010

Latest Centennial eNews

Our latest Centennial eNews!

Highlights include:

  • Upcoming Activities:
    • February 22, 2010: Glacier National Park Associates Winter Speaker Series featuring Joyce Lapp at Central Museum in Kalispell
    • February 27, 2010: Winter Moonlit Ski in Apgar Village
    • March 18, 2010: Centennial Film Festival-- A River Wild at Signature Theaters in Kalispell
    • March 19, 2010: 100 Years, 100 Straight Days in Glacier-- Photography Exhibit Reception with Chris Peterson at Discovery Square in Columbia Falls
    • March 22, 2010: Glacier National Park Associates Winter Speaker Series featuring John Fraley at Central Museum in Kalispell
  • March 25, 2010: Columbia Falls High School Centennial Art Reception at Discovery Square in Columbia Falls Two Centennial Literary Contests: University of Montana Literary Journal-- Camas and the Belton Chalet Centennial Poetry Contest
  • Photos capturing recent centennial activities

Enjoy!


 

January 15, 2010

January eNews!

Check out our latest eNews!

Highlights for this month:

  • Photos from the Belton Chalet Centennial New Years Party (if you click on the photo in the eNewsletter it will bring you to our photo gallery for more photos from the event)
  • Glacier National Park Associates Winter Speaker Series will kick off with Ranger Bill Schustrom on January 25th, 7 pm at the Central Museum in Kalispell. Bill will talk about 100 years of Wilderness.
  • Don't miss the Whitefish Winter Carnival (Feb 5-7) This years theme is Glacier's 100th Anniversary. Be sure to stop by the parade on Feb 6th at 3 pm!
  • Books, patches, tshirts, and more can be found at the Glacier Association and Glacier Park, Inc's websites!

Enjoy!


 
New Years Eve at the Belton Chalet

January 4, 2010

Happy Centennial Year!

On December 31, 2009, the Belton Chalet brought in the new year, as well as the centennial of the Belton and of Glacier National Park. The historic chalet was the first of many chalets built by the Great Northern Railway. The Belton was completed in 1910 and opened to the public a mere two months after the park was designated. The New Year's Eve evening began with a grand welcome by the Chalet's staff in unique attire. Dressed to the nines in their historic 'swiss-like' uniforms, guests were catered to with a luggage valet. Once arriving to your room, guests found champagne flutes with a bottle of bubbly awaiting.

The evening's schedule was crafted as the following:

  • Dinner marked with guest specific reservation time- in the Chalet Dining Room.
  • 6:00 pm-8:30 pm: Hors d'oeuvres in the Terrace Room
  • 6:30 pm-9:30 pm: String Crossings in the Terrace Room
  • 8:30 pm-10:30 pm: Old Time Photos in the Lobby
  • 9:00 pm-10:30 pm: Dessert in the Terrace Room
  • 9:30 pm-12:30 pm: Old Slouch Hat (band) in the Terrace Room
  • 12:00 am: Champagne Toast in unique Centennial Flutes
  • New Year's Day Breakfast in the Chalet Dining Room

The evening proved to be memorable for all attendees. From top hats to historic hiking packs the guests followed suit in dressing the part. A delicious dinner in the Chalet Dining Room followed the String Crossings band in the Terrace Room. A traditional wave to the train that passed the Belton near 8 pm was something that everyone ran to the porch for-- and no one could hold back dancing once the Old Slouch Hat band began strumming their strings. The night concluded with a clinking of commemorative centennial flutes as a toast to 100 years of the Belton Chalet and Glacier National Park.

Check out the pictures from this centennial commemorative kick-off event!


 
Land of Many Stories Exhibit

Land of Many Stories Centennial Exhibit

NPS Photo by David Restivo

December 18, 2009

The Land of Many Stories

On November 5, 2009, the Land of Many Stories, a Glacier Centennial exhibit, was unveiled at the Montana Historical Society Museum in Helena. One of the elements of the exhibit will be a virtual tour-- to increase the accessibility of seeing the exhibit during it's installation.

I recently had the chance to interview a colleague, David Restivo, who is developing the virtual tour...and here are a few words that he offered to share.

Q: What was the most captivating part of the exhibit?

David: The diversity of tangible artifacts and the time periods that they represented. It goes from the 19-teens to today. It was really neat to contrast the ornate Great Northern Railway china cup to the USGS hidden video of grizzly bears. I really like how the exhibit gives you a relevant digital representation of the history that we are making everyday, today. It helped me connect with an exhibit that really could have been all about Glacier 100 years ago.

Q: What was your favorite part of the exhibit?

David: There are many pieces that are featured in the exhibit that come from private individuals. For instance, Bill Lungren has shared a lunch box that would have been used by horse outfitters in the early days. It was smaller than a shoebox. Visitors would have been given this boxed lunch that included a paper cup a vile of cream- and instructions, reading: (paraphrased) per park regulations the outfitter will prepare this for you and will burn it for you.

Q: What's your role in this project?

David: I'm tasked with developing a virtual exhibit of the Land of Many Stories to help make the exhibit accessible to more people. Our hope is to have it complete by the end of February. Deirde Shaw, GNP Park Archivist and Jennifer Bottomly-O'Looney, MHS Archivist, are developing the content for the virtual exhibit. Not every artifact will be highlighted- but it will give people a taste of the exhibit. Video and still photography will be used. One of the objects is an old camera from the 30s- when you scroll over the camera you will see the actual photage that would have been taken from a camera similar to that.

Q: If you could sum up the exhibit in one word, what would it be?

David: Impressive. It is so fascinating to see over 100 years of history- captured in one location. It is an impressive representation of the park because it covers so much history.

There are a few sections that are dedicated to Native American Indian history. I really enjoyed reading about the tribes and seeing some of the artifacts that the park and the Montana Historical Society have, such as: moccasins, baby carriers, tools, and arrowheads. In addition, there are several beautiful pieces of art that complement this section.

Joe Cosley was another piece of history that I had always found fascinating. Joe was a rogue ranger in the Belly River and was known for his trapping abilities. He is also well known for carving his name into aspen trees. It was really cool to see one of the trees that was a part of his collection.

I was most amazed to see how prominent the Great Northern Railway was in the early days of the park. They made the park accessible for a lot of people-- it looked like a classy time and experience. In some ways it was sad to see pictures of the view from chalet dining rooms or balconies...I can just imagine standing on those balconies and what it would have been like to be looking over the wide sweeping valleys and glacier lakes.

Q: Is there anything else that you would like to share?

David: This exhibit is a rare and unique opportunity to see the collection of these objects in person- the fact the we don't have a museum in the park makes this huge for the park to see it all together. It made me want to see and learn more.

From a child's perspective- there are other permanent exhibits on display at the Montana Historical Museum that complement the Land of Many Stories really well.

The online exhibit will have audio capabilities, such as oral histories of long time residents and early settlers.

First time visitor should give 2 hours to this unique exhibit.

This exhibit was made possible due to the good partnership between the Montana Historical Society, Glacier National Park Fund, and Glacier National Park. Burlington Northern Santa Fe Foundation is the lead sponsor.

For more photos of the exhibit, visit our Centennial Photo Gallery.




December 10, 2009

December eNews

Wow- the centennial is here! Please check out our latest Centennial eNews. Just a reminder-- each section of the eNewsletter includes a 'clickable link' for ease of finding more information for each highlight.

Highlights for December:

  • A vintage red bus joined us for the Centennial Night of Lights in Columbia Falls
  • Whitefish Christmas Stroll is December 11th
  • A special open house book reception for A View Inside Glacier National Park on December 12th in Columbia Falls (this eNewsletter includes an excerpt from the book!)
  • Celebrate the centennial with the Belton Chalet on New Years Eve!

Enjoy- and have a safe and happy holiday season!


 
100 Years, 100 Stories
Commemorative Book
100 Years, 100 Stories
Commemorative Centennial Book
 

December 3, 2009

Stories Galore!

Who would of thought that 115 minds could compile and publish a group of riveting stories in 11 months?

Well, the Glacier Centennial Program, along with 100 selected authors have launched a commemorative story book. The stories range from tales of adventures in Glacier's high peaks to recollections of growing up on Lake McDonald. There are Ranger Tales and stories recalling Hootenannys. And pictures-- Oh, the pictures tell stories all by themselves.

Glacier's Centennial Program is pleased to share this project and product with the world. We are leaving a legacy for Glacier National Park through these stories-- and we hope that you will continue to share your stories with your friends, family, and neighbors.

You can find A View Inside Glacier National Park at the Glacier Association, one of our cooperating park partners.

Enjoy!


 
Commemorative story book in the print process.

Commemorative story book in the printing process.

November 23, 2009

100 Years, 100 Stories: A View Inside Glacier National Park

As you know, our commemorative story book is on schedule for a December 1st release through the Glacier Association. I thought it might be interesting to share some insights of how this book came to be and share some photos from our press check. It's powerful to watch a project of this magnitude come together.

It all started with a conversation in the carpool to work from Whitefish. We often share stories of our weekend adventures on Monday mornings. We share, we laugh, and recollect old times. I thought to myself, gosh- what a neat idea this would be for the centennial.

Well, the project launched in December 2008 with a call for stories, poems, and photos. Over a four month window we received over 200 stories from individuals located all over the country and from several other countries.

Through the Centennial Program, we pulled together a selection committee and a 'light-editing' committee. These folks read as the stories streamed in, keeping in mind the guidelines for submitting a story, our mission: Celebrate the rich history of preservation, Inspire personal connections and partnerships, and Engage future stewards.

We selected 100 stories that captured 'A View Inside Glacier National Park.' First time visitors or visitor experiences was the most popular recurring theme. We have stories from land owners and people who grew up beneath these peaks. We selected stories from employees who work here year round and stories from seasonals. And we chose stories that aspired to make a toast to the park's 100th birthday-- all the while helping us move into the second century of Glacier.

Step 4 was to design the layout and cover. Glacier National Park Interpretive Specialist Bill Hayden assisted greatly in this task. We moved files around, saved them centrally, and worked on three separate computers. We hung proofs on the walls of headquarters, we changed colors and leading, and we mounted quotes on a historic backdrop (among a million other things!!!)

The final stretch was working with the printers. Signing off on proofs and learning about the production: matte vs. gloss, 50 lb vs. 80 lb weight paper, stitched vs. perfect binding.

We are anxious to share the book with everyone! We hope you can join the Glacier Association and Glacier National Park at the unveiling reception on December 12, 2009 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at their new office in Columbia Falls, 402 9th Street West.

Enjoy!

Kass Hardy, Centennial Coordinator


Did You Know?

Going-to-the-Sun Road

Did you know that in 1985, the Going-to-the-Sun Road was dedicated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark?