Valley views

valley views The Alp Connection

The Alp connection - a very unique relationship between Montana and Switzerland - persists today. Relationships provide meaning and a way to interpret the world around us. Similarities and differences can introduce people to something new. For example, a hot dog and a hamburger have similarities, but also differences, each being unique. Such concepts provide opportunities, which is what transpired in the Alp connection.

Our story begins in the American west. In the late 1800s, the Great Northern Railway began to reach its lines toward the west. Such new tentacles of transportation were engineering marvels requiring a huge upfront investment to create. While the railway lines would eventually revolutionize life in the north-western frontier and accelerate the pace of development by years and years, the rail business was extremely financially risky early on. So, significant effort was focused on strategies to increase the railroad’s use and, by extension, its revenue.

One of the aspects that made building railroads more costly in the west was the magnificent Rocky Mountains. However, Louis Hill, President of the Great Northern Railway birthed an idea to turn an obstacle into an opportunity. This creative entrepreneur gazed across the ocean to a similar, magnificent set of mountains called the “Alps.” While a number of countries claimed different sections of this mountain range, Switzerland had embraced the Alps as a part of their national image. For centuries, the Swiss had made a way of life among the rugged and dramatic granite behemoths, grazing their cattle in the high mountain meadows during the summer and in the lower valleys the rest of the year. Alongside the unique lifestyle of mountain grazing, the Swiss also developed a distinctive and charming architectural style decorated with ornate wood carvings contrasted with sturdy broad beams to withstand the crushing weight of the relentless winter snow and their signature knockedoff corner roofs.

For many years, Switzerland was known as the “Playground of Europe”- expensive, exclusive, and more spectacular than anywhere else. So, what better subject to emulate in the Rockies? Spearheaded by Mr. Louis Hill, the president of the Great Northern Railway, a bill was introduced in Congress to create a new national park in the mountains called Glacier National Park. As soon as the park was created, Louis Hill formed the Glacier Park Company, a subsidiary of the Great Northern Railway. This new company functioned as a concessionaire with the Park Service and built many of the iconic lodges and hotels in the park. Louis Hill was fascinated by Switzerland and its allure. Thus, he set about to promote the new park as the “American Switzerland.”

In the first three years of the park’s existence, the Glacier Park Company built a whole slew of chalets including Belton, St. Mary, Many Glacier, Two Medicine, Sperry, Granite Park, Cut Bank, and Gunsight Lake. With these new chalets nestled in the mountains, Hill ushered in numerous artists to capture the beautiful scenes. These works of art were then leveraged to market the park. Tourists flocked to see the rugged beauty of the mountains. And what was the best way to get there? The Great Northern Railway. The hotels and chalets the Glacier Park Company built were never profitable, but the enhancement of seeing “America’s Switzerland” created a decades-long boom of tourists who rode the Great Northern Railway to this destination.

The economic impact of these tourists also rippled out and played a significant role in the further development of the park. Because of the popularity spurred by this clever image-based marketing, Glacier National Park is a favorite destination. In many ways, we can thank the early image campaign for developing Glacier into the park we know and love today. The Alp Connection links the two locations forever.

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DONE that Ben Stone Media Production, Valley Journal

View from the Library

What a wonderful fall we have had. It looks like winter is going to try to settle in, which is the perfect time to curl up with your favorite cozy blanket, a warm cup of something yummy and a good book. Did you know that we add, on average, 100 books to our collection each month? I’m sure we have something you will love, and if not, I’m sure one of our Partner libraries will. This time of year, I love to check out the holiday magazines with craft ideas, recipes and decorating tips. We have two digital platforms where you can checkout magazines for free: Flipster and Libby. Libby has hundreds of magazines to choose from. We have a small group on Flipster that are not available on Libby. “Willow & Sage” has some great homemade gift ideas in their latest issue, including peppermint hot cocoa soap, chai bath melts and rosemary ginger foot soak, and “Real Simple” has some great tips for an easy Thanksgiving dinner. You can find links for both of these platforms on our

View from the

Library Abbi Dooley,

North Lake County Public Library District see page 11

LETTER POLICY

Letters to the editor are welcome. The content is the opinion of the letter writer and not the newspaper. The decision to publish letters is made by the editor.

Letters regarding candidates in the Nov. 8 midterm election will not be printed after the Oct. 26 issue in order to allow candidates time for response.

Letters must be 350 words or less. A writer will only be published twice per month.

Letters may be edited for content or length, or may not be published if considered libelous, in poor taste, spiteful, self-promotional or of limited interest to the general readership. Space limitations also dictate when or if letters are published.

Letters must be signed by the author and name, address and phone number must be included – phone number is for verification purposes only. Letters from organizations must include the name of at least one author.

Please limit “thank you” letters to four people/organizations or less. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday to publish the following week.

Opinions expressed in this section are not necessarily those of the newspaper.

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website.

Our Nov. 4 music performance planned for in the library at 3:30 p.m. features Anna Dupuis and Gloria Stascavage entertaining us with folk music on fiddle and guitar. On Dec. 2, Ken Kenmille will perform on guitar. These have been really fun performances and a great way to end the week. We hope to continue this music series in our renovated library. Painting with Lizzy returns on Nov. 15 at 11 a.m. This month create an easy and beautiful pumpkin painting perfect for Thanksgiving decorating. Registration is required, so reserve your spot today. Friday, Nov. 18, the library is hosting another Dungeons & Dragons game at 5:30 p.m. This event is perfect for beginners or those who want to learn how to play. On Tuesday, Nov. 22, at 2 p.m., Sierra will host a class on graphic design using Canva. We use Canva at the library to create all of our wonderful graphics. It is an easy and free program to use.

Fall themes abound for Mother Goose and Story Time this month. Mother Goose takes place on Mondays at 9:15 a.m. for ages 0-3 and Story Time happens on Thursdays at 9:15 a.m. for ages 3-5. Register your early reader to read to Riley the therapy dog on Wednesdays from 3-4 p.m.

We are running a progressive sale in our library gift shop through December. Each Monday further discounts will be applied. We are closing out our current selection before the renovation. Shop early for the best selection. Our book sale corner is always available and this month we have a special cart up front with arts and crafts books for just $1. You might find a great treasure. We still have the Charlie Russell, “The Night Before Christmas,” prints available for $15 in the library. The print measures about 23” x 34”. Prints will be available for sale through December or until sold out.

We are accepting submissions for our Request for Qualifications/ Proposals from General Contractor Construction Managers through Nov. 17, and have heard that several Montana companies plan to submit. We are very hopeful that we will be selecting our contractor at our Nov. 22 board meeting and will be starting construction in early 2023. If you’d like to donate to the capital campaign, please visit polsonlibraryfoundation.org for more information.

The library’s hours are Monday – Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. We are open on Election Day this year and are closed on Nov. 11 for Veterans’ Day. The library is closing at 4 p.m. on Nov. 23 and then will be closed on Nov. 24 and 25 for Thanksgiving. Curbside pickup is available for everyone during open hours. Please call us at 406-883-8225 or email us at: polsoncl@polson. lib.mt.us with questions or to request curbside pickup.

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Waste this day

We are a culture often consumed with the material world. We assess value based on our net worth, which is often decreased by net waste. Time spent amassing wealth is valuable; time spent wasting time is just that. And that could very well lead to a squandered life.

I beg to differ. Sometimes the best times are the ones deemed nonproductive. Those that touch our heart, but contribute little or nothing to our 401k balance. Sometimes the heart yearns for the immense potential of a wasted day – time spent doing whatever it is that feeds our soul, which is just as critical to our well-being as feeding the bank account.

Quite simply, we need both to survive. But sometimes one is sacrificed for the other because we walk (or preferably run) through life with blinders on. Tomorrow is assumed and expected, even though it is never promised. We often forget this and in that vein, we forget to value the premise of wasted time. Time spent on just us.

“Just” us - as if we aren’t important enough to warrant squandered time. Go ahead, squander in whatever way feels best to you.

Waste this day but appreciate this moment. Go for a walk - across the block, across the street or across town.

Train for a 5K or a marathon - both equally valuable to your psyche. Attend a yoga class or find one online.

Take more than a day and drive across the country. See the sites. Stop at small towns and chat with the locals.

Write a love letter or maybe a poem. Share them both with the person you love (even if

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