| 15th
annual lecture series starts Oct. 2
The 15th Annual Fall Lecture Series presented by the Historical Museum at St. Gertrude begins Thursday, October 2, at 7:00 p.m.  with
Cort Conley. These free events provide insights into the history of our
region and are held on Thursdays during the month of October with the support
of the Idaho Humanities Council.
Author, river guide and Director of Literary Services at the Idaho Commission on the Arts Cort Conley will present "Song of the Winds: 1,200 by Canoe Down the Snake River." Come hear the story of 23-year-old Amos Burg’s journey down the Snake River from Jackson, Wyoming, to the Pacific Ocean in the summer of 1925 in a canvas canoe. The presentation includes 110 black-and-white slides of photographs taken by Burg along his voyage of the depression-era farms and ranches he encountered. October 9: 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., Janet Worthington presents “Laura Ingalls Wilder: Moving West.” In her beloved series of books, Laura Ingalls Wilder portrayed pioneer life as an ad venture, filled with warmth and love. Dressed in period costume, Janet Worthington will present an historical reenactment of Laura Ingalls Wilder, recounting the west ward movement, the hardships the family faced, and the joys of making a life in the wilderness. Dr. Janet Worthington has been presenting women and girls from history and literature for over 30 years. She received her B.A. from the University of Chicago, her M.S. from the University of Iowa, and her Ph.D. from Florida State University. She taught English at West Virginia Institute of Technology, Nicholls State University in Louisiana, is a former dean, and teaches for the Center for Professional Development at Boise State University. We invite attendees to wear their period costumes! October 16: 7:00 p.m., Philip A. Homan presents “Queen of Diamonds: Kittie Wilkins, Horse Queen of Idaho, and the Wilkins Horse Company." Kittie Wilkins was the boss of the Wilkins Horse Company, owning 10,000 range-bred horses, all branded with her famous Diamond brand. She was the only woman at the turn of the 20th century whose sole occupation was a horse dealer. She rode the range sidesaddle with Victorian charm and had the education and tastes of a late 19th century wealthy, urban woman of the East, but preferred life as single woman on a ranch in Idaho. Phil Homan is an associate professor at Idaho State University’s Eli M. Oboler Library in Pocatello. He is a frequent presenter at library conferences, and a contributor to Idaho Magazine. Phil received an IHC Research Fellowship and is writing the first biography of Kittie Wilkins. October 30: 7:00 p.m., Tom Blanchard presents “Mining in Idaho: Today and Yesterday.” By the 1870’s, Idaho Territory had seen several major gold rushes yet its growth was not sufficient to justify statehood. This changed by 1880 when discoveries of gold in the Yankee Fork area and lead-silver in the Wood River Valley and the Coeur d’Alene’s attracted thousands of miners. The impact of both political and environmental decisions of that early period remain with us today. Tom Blanchard has conducted projects and research in Idaho for the past fifteen years at the College of Southern Idaho. In addition, Blanchard served three terms as County Commissioner in Blaine County, adding a contemporary public policy perspective to Historical issues which shade our lives. All the lectures are free. They begin at 7:00 p.m. and end at 8:30 p.m. A Q&A session with the presenters follows the lectures. Light refreshments are provided. The events are held in the Johanna Room at Spirit Center at the Monastery of St. Gertrude located at 465 Keuterville Road, Cottonwood, Idaho. For more information call 208-962-2050 or email museum@stgertrudes.org. 
The October Lecture Series at the Historical Museum of St. Gertrude includes presentations on brave and courageous Idahoans. |
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