The Library is excited to welcome back local historian Ken Robison to talk about his newest book, ‘Lost Great Falls’, in the Cordingley Room on Thursday, July 10th, starting at 5:30 pm. Cassiopeia Books will have copies of his title available for purchase at the event, as well.
In Lost Great Falls, Robison turns back the clock for a nostalgic tour of the city’s lost architectural, social and cultural heritage. The unrelenting passage of time inevitably brings dramatic physical change. Thus, many of Great Falls’ iconic figures and landmarks persist only in memory. A “Turkey Trail” railroad joined Great Falls and Canada, while Trolley Cars rolled through the Electric City.
Internationally famous “cowboy artist” Charles M. Russell favored socializing at the Mind and Silver Dollar Saloons. The Ozark Club broke down racial barriers, where African American businessman Leo LaMar presented the hottest jazz acts touring the West. Mark Twain and other luminaries graced the Grand Opera. City-sanctioned brothels littered the infamous 10 Alley South. The Big Stack, one of the world’s tallest structure, stood as an iconic testament of industry and progress.
Some of Ken’s other books include Historic Tales of Fort Benton, An Antietam Veteran’s Montana Journey: The Lost Memoir of James Howard Lowell. Confederates in Montana Territory: In the Shadow of Price’s Army and World War I Montana: The Treasure State Prepares.
In 2022, the Montana Library Association and Great Falls Public Library named Robison the first recipient of the association’s Alma Smith Jacobs Award–to honor library efforts in the area of equity, diversity and inclusion. He is the historian at the Overholser Historical Research Center and for the Great Falls/Cascade County Historic Preservation Commission and is active in historic preservation throughout central Montana. He is a retired navy captain after a career in naval intelligence. The Montana Historical Society honored Ken as “Montana Heritage Keeper” in 2010.
For more information, contact Jake Sorich at jsorich@greatfallslibrary.org or 406-453-0349 ex. 220.
Author: Staff
Our Staff account is used to publish submitted content. If you have content that was published under this account, and wish to have your name as author, please contact us at (406) 952-3021
