Public Invited to Glacier's Rededication Ceremony

Public Invited to Glacier's Rededication Ceremony
Date: May 4, 2010
Contact: Amy Vanderbilt, 406-888-5838
Contact: Wade Muehlhof, 406-888-7895

WEST GLACIER, MONT. – On Tuesday, May 11, 2010, at 10:30 a.m., Glacier National Park will hold a Rededication Ceremony at the West Glacier Community Building to commemorate its first 100 years. Attendees will receive special centennial commemorative items, and have an opportunity to take a walking tour of the historic park headquarters area. Birthday cake will be served and a number of dignitaries and special guests will be in attendance. The park’s 100th birthday is also a fee-free day this year.

Confirmed dignitaries include Lieutenant Governor John Bohlinger, former Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribal Chairman and current council member James Steele, Jr., Department of the Interior Senior Northwest Advisor Steve Doherty, and Acting National Park Service (NPS) Intermountain Regional Director Mary Gibson Scott.

For those not able to attend the rededication, they can follow the day’s event through Glacier’s social networking opportunities. The park staff will provide live updates on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/glaciernps) and will post photographs to Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/glaciernps).

Walking tours, led by retired NPS employees, will be offered following the formal ceremony starting at noon. The tour includes four stops at historic locations in the headquarters compound including the park’s museum collection, historic fire hose tower, the original park headquarters building and the historic Belton Bridge.

With support from the NPS, Glacier National Park’s May 11th Rededication Ceremony is being planned by the centennial events volunteer committee as part of Glacier National Park’s overall community-based Centennial Program. According to the Centennial Events Committee Chairman Jan Metzmaker, “On the park’s actual birthday, there will be various events held in the town site of West Glacier, including a special stamp cancellation at the West Glacier Post Office and special events at the Belton Chalet, Belton Depot and West Glacier Mercantile. All of the Centennial Committee volunteers have put in a tremendous effort to kick off the park's centennial. This coming Tuesday is the big day and we hope many will be able to join us as we mark and commemorate Glacier's 100th birthday.” A full description of May 11th community events and other information on the park centennial is available at http://www.glaciercentennial.org The West Glacier Community Building is located inside the park’s headquarters compound. To maintain traffic flow and insure safety during the rededication, greeters and volunteers will help usher attendees. Parking will be available in West Glacier and shuttles will used to move attendees to and from the community building. Shuttles will begin transporting attendees at 9 a.m.

Glacier National Park was created on May 11, 1910, when President William Howard Taft signed the bill establishing Glacier as our 10th national park.