Tall Tales | Through Glacier Park

A book program designed to help us learn about the many varied cultures, landscapes, and stories of the American West past and present. Before the program, read the selected book, then join us as we gather together to engage in meaningful conversations and shared experiences. First 10 households to register receive a free copy of the book!* Our exhibition, Russell’s Retreat: Summers at Glacier National Park , explores Charles M. Russell’s summers spent at Bull Head Lodge on the shores of Lake McDonald. Away from his familiar cowboy subjects, Russell turned his attention to Glacier’s awe-inspiring peaks, sparkling lakes, and abundant wildlife. His landscape sketches and paintings reflect the deep inspiration he found in the natural world. In 1915, Russell joined author Mary Roberts Rinehart and trail guide Howard Eaton on a 300-mile horseback journey through Glacier. Rinehart’s resulting book, Through Glacier Park (1916) , offers a lively account of this adventure, written at a time when Glacier was still a new national park. Her narrative highlights the wonder of the landscape, the camaraderie of the trail, and the spirit of discovery that shaped early park tourism. “The lure of the high places is in your blood. The call of the mountains is a real call. The veneer, after all, is so thin. Throw off the impedimenta of civilization, the telephones, the silly conventions, the lies that pass for truth. Go out to the West. Ride slowly, not to startle the wild things. Throw out your chest and breathe; look across green valleys to wild peaks where mountain sheep stand impassive on the edge of space. Let the summer rains fall on your upturned face and wash away the memory of all that is false and petty and cruel. Then the mountains will get you. You will go back. The call is a real call.” So wrote Mary Roberts Rinehart in her famous travelogue, Through Glacier Park, first published in 1916, as the already famous mystery writer introduced readers to recently minted national park and to the scenic wonders of Montana and to the adventures to be found there. Howard Eaton, an intrepid guide who had become known for his Yellowstone experience, had convinced Rinehart to make the trek to the West. Traveling three hundred miles on horseback with a group of more than forty assorted tourists of all shapes and sizes, she took in her fellow travelers, the scenery, and the travel itself with all the style and aplomb and humor of the talented fiction writer and journalist she was—and her words remain fresh and entertaining to this day. Join us for our next Tall Tales book discussion as we read and discuss Through Glacier Park by Mary Roberts Rinehart. Please read the selected book prior to the program. Registration: Required - opens June 16 Ages: 18+ Contact: Director of Adult Programs at adulteducation@SidRichardsonMuseum.org or 817.332.6554 if you have any questions or would like to be added to the wait list when registration is full. * Registrants who receive a free copy of the book can elect to pick it up at the front desk during museum hours or have it mailed for a $7 fee. Staff will confirm your option after you register.