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| Jul 29, 2010 - 06:40 PM |
Queen City News - Helena's FREE Weekly Newspaper |
Helena, Montana |
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A vehicle familiar to many Montanans sat outside the Capitol Building under a clear night sky. Glossy fire-engine-red paint coated its exterior, which stretched back for 25 feet. One of Glacier National Park’s historic “Jammer” buses was there to chauffeur visitors anxious to witness the grand opening of the Montana Historical Society’s new exhibit, “Land of Many Stories: The People and History of Glacier National Park”, on Thursday night, Nov. 5.
“Hello, Glacier National Park,” echoed the voice of MHS Director Richard Sims, who commenced opening remarks in the Rotunda. The exhibit, which will be up at the MHS until Feb. 26, 2011, commemorates the 100-year anniversary of Glacier National Park in 2010. It depicts how people have enjoyed the area from pre-European contact until today.
“It’s the first, best idea in a long time – uniting the forces of Glacier National Park and the Montana Historical Society,” said Sims of the exhibit. “It illustrates though much has changed over the years, a great deal remains the same for today’s visitors.”
Sims introduced several other speakers who spoke of the reasons why this exhibit and Glacier Park should be cherished. “[Glacier Park] is truly a gift to all of us and all the generations that will follow,” said Barbara Ranf, Montana director of government affairs for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad.
Sandy Pew, board chair of the Glacier National Park Fund, spoke of the park’s special relationship to Montana. “The presence of Glacier National Park in this state is unique,” she said.
Park Deputy Superinten-dent Stephanie DuBois asked the audience to reflect on their personal memories of Glacier. DuBois, who’s worked for the National Park Service off and on since graduating from high school in 1974, recalled her earliest memory of Glacier.
“I first became enchanted with the Going to the Sun Road,” she recalled.
This famous road is a favorite memory of many. The 52-mile-long paved roadway cuts through the park’s interior and was completed in 1932 after 11 years of work.
Tim Cahill, founding editor of Outside magazine and also a long-time Glacier Park advocate and historian, delivered the keynote talk. He spoke about the uniqueness of land being set aside for the public’s enjoyment.
As a journalist, Cahill has traveled to countries around the world, but he said none of them seem to grasp the concept of national parks. “People from other countries don’t get how national parks will benefit the people,” he said. “We in America grew up with the idea of national parks. We understand it in the very depths of our souls.”
After Cahill’s remarks, the audience was invited over to the Historical Society to view the new exhibit and snack on cake and trail mix. Visitors making their way toward the museum’s front door passed by humorous carnival-like photo cutouts shaped like a park ranger and a black bear.
The exhibit is designed to make visitors feel like they are hiking their way through it. Small signs stating, “Trail Rides Ahead”, “Scenic View”, and, “Ranger Guided Hikes” are placed along the pathway. According to Jennifer Bottomly-O’looney, curator of the exhibit, there are more than 280 artifacts included.
Native American items such as beaded moccasins and purses and various paintings are a tribute to Glacier’s earliest visitors. Authentic items from Hotel Glacier on Lake McDonald such as blankets, blue-and-white china, a cash register, and even the “Swiss Miss” waitress uniform worn by employees from 1915-1925 can be seen. Upon first entering the museum, a large mural of the hotel lobby is painted on the wall.
Historic photos line the walls, as well as quotes from workers and explorers of Glacier Park. Author and Glacier sightseer Mary Roberts Rinehart wrote in 1915, “The call of the mountains is a real call. The veneer, after all, is so thin….Throw out your chest and breathe; look across green valleys to wild peaks where mountain sheep stand impassive on the edge of space.”
There are several uniforms present, including the suit of Bob Haraden, superintendent of Glacier from 1980-1986, a ranger’s naturalist uniform, and a colorful Glacier Park Great Northern Band uniform from 1916. One of the largest historic items on display is a 1968 bear trap made from a culvert pipe.
According to the National Park Service, nearly two million people visited Glacier in 2000, proving that the park’s icy glaciers, crystal lakes, and roaming wildlife continue to inspire visitors 100 years after its designation.
As Cahill put it, “Think about what it [Glacier Park and exhibit] means and how we as Americans preserve the ‘Crown of the Continent’.”
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The Queen City News is published every Wednesday in Helena, MT, by Mossback Media, LLC.
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