Glacier National Park Centennial Lecture Series

2016 National Park Service Centennial Lecture Series at the Conrad Mansion.

The Glacier Institute presents their three-part 2016 winter lecture series in conjunction with the Conrad Mansion to honor the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service. All programs will take place at the Conrad Mansion in Kalispell. Doors open at 6:00pm for coffee and wine, desserts, and conversation with old and new friends. The presentations begin at 6:30 and will conclude by 8:00pm. A $15 admission per person is charged to support the missions of both organizations. Seating is limited, and reservations are required. Payment is required at the time of reservation. To RSVP, please call Conrad Mansion at 406-755-2166.

Thursday, January 21st: Adventures in Glacier Country - George Ostrom

There are few humans that know Glacier Park and the surrounding areas as well as George Ostrom. With nearly 90 years of Big Sky experiences under his belt, George has some stories to share. In the first presentation of this year's educational lecture series, George will bring the history of Northwest Montana to life through colorful stories of his remarkable adventures in the mountains, forests, and waters of Glacier Country.

 

George Ostrom has been a fixture in the Flathead valley for over 60 years as a hall of fame radio broadcaster, award-winning columnist, television host, newspaperman, photographer, author and public speaker. He is the author of three books, served on countless boards and the University of Montana President's Advisory Council, and was an early member of the "Over-the-Hill Gang" in Glacier Park and the surrounding areas.

Thursday, February 18th: People before the Park - Sally Thompson

Step out of a world governed by clocks and calendars and into the worldview of the Kootenai and Blackfeet people before Glacier National Park was established. In this presentation, Sally Thompson highlights Blackfeet and Kootenai history by sharing cultural legends, hunting techniques, games, and seasonal travels in what is now Glacier National Park. Join fellow lifelong learners to enhance your understanding and appreciation of the Blackfeet and Kootenai people and how they historically interacted with Glacier National Park before it was established in 1910.

 

Sally Thompson, an anthropologist (Ph.D., University of Colorado, 1980), has spent over thirty years working with the native tribes of the West, from the Rio Grande to the Susitna and from the Columbia Bar to the mouth of the Missouri. Aside from writing, her most recent work focused on repatriating human remains and sacred objects to tribal communities. Sally is the principal author of the new Montana Historical Society Press book, People Before the Park: The Kootenai and Blackfeet Before Glacier National Park. 

Thursday, March 17th: Glacier Park After Dark - John Ashley

Join nocturnal photographer John Ashley for a visual feast of film and video as he time travels with Charlie Russell through the past 135 years. "The Nature of Night, What's Been Lost and What's Been Found" celebrates Montana's naturally-dark night skies while looking at the growth of artificial light at night, back to 1880 when Montana's first light bulb began to glow in a Butte mine shaft. Ashley is the author of "Glacier National Park After Dark," the culmination of nearly three decades of night time photography in Montana's most famous wilderness.

 

John Ashley is a Montana author, photographer and educator who weaves award-winning photography together with humorous stories to make science inspiring, informative and fun! His presentations in photography, astronomy and biology have earned praise from audiences around the country. John earned his B.A. in Biology with an emphasis in Natural History from the University of Montana. His most recent publication is a book of photos and essays 28 years in the making, "Glacier National Park After Dark," which will be available at this program.

 

 

 

About the Conrad Mansion: 

The Conrad Mansion was built in 1895 and is one of the most outstanding examples of luxurious pioneer living and period architecture in the Northwest. Ownership and occupation of this beautiful Norman style mansion remained in the family until 1974, when the Conrad's youngest daughter, Alicia Conrad McCutchen Campbell gave the home and its contents to the city of Kalispell to be maintained in perpetuity as a historic site in memory of her parents. Charles Conrad platted and named the modern city of Kalispell, Montana, and was active in shipping, mining, banking, and the cattle industry in the state. To learn more about the Conrad Mansion, please visit www.conradmansion.com or call (406) 755-2166.

 

About the Glacier Institute:

Solely dedicated to education, the Glacier Institute serves adults and children as an educational leader in the Crown of the Continent ecosystem, emphasizing outreach and field-based learning experiences; the non-profit Institute provides an objective and science-based understanding of the area's unique ecosystem. Marking its 32 year of educational programs, the Glacier Institute is a long-time educational partner with Glacier National Park, Flathead National Forest, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and Flathead Valley Community College. The Institute offers family programs, youth science adventure camps, Discovery School at the Big Creek Outdoor Education Center and adult educational programs. The Institute has never turned away a child who has requested an educational scholarship and has welcomed over 30,000 Flathead Valley elementary school children to its Discovery School three-day immersion learning program at the Big Creek Outdoor Education Center.


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