Programs

After a six-month delay, the Northwest Montana History Museum is proud to present a much anticipated, can’t-miss showing of the E.B. Gilliland Photography Collection. The Museum will be offering a glace through The Lens of Ed Gilliland on Wednesday, May 11th, from 7 to 9 pm at the Northwest Montana History Museum.

Photography historian and NWMTHS board member Arne Boveng will present a “analog film night” of Ed s photography as the main event of the evening and an unofficial public unveiling of this remarkable collection. This will not be your typical digital or Kodak Carousel slide show – all the slides that Arne will present are larger format, at least two or three times larger than the typical 35 mm. The brilliance, clarity, and precision of these slides (which are mounted between glass plates) is far greater than nearly any other photography format.

Every negative that will be presented is an Ed-Gilliland-original taken in the 1980s or 1990s. Besides his beloved Glacier Park, Ed’s photography from the American Southwest and the Pacific Coast will also be highlighted. Ed had a real gift of capturing light just perfectly, and he worked hard at his craft, often returning to the same location day after day or at multiple times through the year to reveal changes to the landscape. Photography aficionados will be able to spot the subtle yet remarkable differences in the different slide formats that will be on display.

The event is free and open to the public. The Museum hopes you can join us on May 11th to share this special presentation of works from one of the Flathead’s finest photographers.

Before and after the slideshow, attendees will be able to view and purchase some of Ed’s printed work and historic photographs, including some images professional mounted on foamboard and ready for framing.

The Slideshow starts at 7 PM, but the doors to the Museum will open at 6 to give everyone a chance to view the prints for themselves. Beer, wine, and pop will be available for purchase before and during the presentation.

This is a good chance to own a piece of history, from the Flathead Valley, Glacier Park, or the American Southwest. Proceeds support the Northwest Montana Historical Society

Bill Farley holds a Ph.D. from the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University. His research interests include economic and policy history with his work having been published in Montana: The Magazine of Western History, the Journal of San Diego History and the Journal of Policy History. He also has published trade articles in Wild West Magazine, American Ancestors, as well as a trade book on Montana Pioneer James A. Murray (Mountain Press Publishing, 2018). Dr. Farley has been an invited lecturer at the An-Ri-Ra Festival in Butte and on two occasions at the Montana Historical Association in Helena. He was recently commissioned by the Irish Royal Academy to prepare an entry for James A. Murray into the Dictionary of Irish Biography. 

How to Make a Million in the Wild West will be held at the Northwest Montana History Museum on Thursday, January 27th, at 7pm. The event is free to attend, and beer, wine, and pop will be available for purchase. 

Everyone is always welcome at the Northwest Montana History Museum. However, if you have a cough, a fever, or are just feeling under the weather, we kindly ask that you visit us some other time; not only for your own health, but for the well-being of our staff and other supporters.

The Northwest Montana History Museum is located at 124 2nd Ave E., Kalispell. Call 406- 756-8381 for more information.

Change over time is often difficult to visualize. Before we know it, the landscape has shifted, buildings are demolished and erected, and new people and businesses have displaced what once was. And the truth is, we become accustomed to these changes remarkably quickly. Too often, all that is left is our memories, and those memories get dimmer each passing day. On Sunday November 14th, at 2pm, the Museum is happy to welcome back Doug Ammons, who will visit the museum with an innovative, visual presentation of how Montana has changed over time. The final decades of the 19th century are among the most dynamic in the history of the state, as the west was “won” and trading posts began to sprout into communities. Each image that Doug will introduce starts from this time period, before slowly changing before our eyes into the modern landscape, a century of transformation depicted in mere seconds. At each new image, eyes will widen and jaws will undoubtedly drop to the ground in amazement. On top of the visuals, Doug’s story-telling will bring the history to life in a way that a static photograph simply cannot.

Doug Ammons attended the University of Montana for degrees in mathematics and physics, and his PhD in experimental psychology, and has pursued many other interests such as geology and history. He is an award winning author, Emmy Award winning cinematographer, scientific editor, and extreme kayaker. There will be book sales and signing by the author.

Doug last visited the Museum in 2019, when he visited the Museum to talk about A Darkness Lit By Heroes, his excellent account of the Granite Mountain-Speculator Mining Disaster in Butte. The book has been chosen as the Museum’s Historic Book Club selection for December 1st. It is available in our Schoolbell Books & Gifts, and Doug will also be selling and signing copies of the book after the November 14th presentation.

Although Doug has delivered this presentation in the Valley before, it has since been expanded with never-before-seen content and more of a local, Northwest Montana flair! Masks are not required but are highly recommended for all attendees. The Museum is also exploring ways to make this content available digitally. This event is FREE to attend, and all donations will go to Doug to offset his travel expenses

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers – Monday, August 23, 7:00pm

The Northwest Montana History Museum is happy to announce the next Movie Night at the Museum on Monday, Aug. 23, with the 1954 classic musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers!

Milly (Jane Powell) is excited to move in with her new husband Adam (Howard Keel ), picturing a life of domestic bliss. She is less excited by what she finds, a pig sty occupied by Adam and his six rough-and-tumble brothers.  After living with Milly, the brothers decide they want to find wives of their own; apparently, there is a fine line between “finding” and “abducting”.

Though still very much considered a great work of classic cinema, much of the discussion around Seven Brides for Seven Brothers in recent decades has been of the themes of sexism and women’s rights.  In fact, in a more modern lens, elements of the film are more easily viewed as satire than actual plot points. To illustrate, the following alliterative slogan was used to promote the film in 1954:

• Adam abducted Milly
• Benjamin brought Dorcas
• Caleb caught Ruth
• Daniel detained Martha
• Ephraim eloped with Liza
• Frank fetched Sarah
• Gideon grabbed Alice