We are so very fortunate to host Mark Feig on April 5th at the Lewis & Clark Library for our "Speaking of Running" event. Mark was an elite runner, friend and teammate of Steve Prefontaine and is a talented runner himself. All ages welcome! Mark will talk about what it was like growing up talented, […]
Historian Alan Noonan will speak on the lives of Irish immigrants and the communities they formed in the American West. Drawing upon a diverse array of sources, including songs, poems, emigrant letters, and official records, his book “Mining Irish-American Lives” explores the rich and complex experiences of Irish immigrants in the American mining industry.
Carroll College professor emeritus Bob Swartout will speak about Montana’s historical ethnic and social diversity, drawing from his book "Montana: A Cultural Medley." Swartout’s book gathers enthralling stories from African American, Japanese American, Metis, Jewish, Dutch, and many other communities across the Treasure State.
Renowned Northern Pacific photographer F. Jay Haynes followed the construction of the transcontinental railroad as it worked its way across the Montana Territory, capturing the landscapes on his journey. For 20 years, Haynes documented railroad construction, town and rural growth, the development of industrial mining, Yellowstone National Park, and anything else that would promote the […]
Mary MacLane had a complex relationship with Butte, the city that both formed and frustrated her as a writer. Her first confessional memoir, originally titled “I Await the Devil’s Coming,” was published in 1902 and became an international bestseller. After a period on the East Coast, she returned to Butte and wrote a second memoir, […]
Lauren Hunley, a community historian from the Western Heritage Center, notes that cemeteries weren’t always associated with ghosts, ghouls, and zombies. Instead, Hunley examines the history of American cemetery trends and includes pioneer cities, the rise of rural graveyards, and Native American traditions.
Stories of Montana vigilantes often center on Henry Plummer and X. Beidler in Bannack and Virginia City in the early 1860s, but vigilante activity later in the 1860s in the booming and lawless riverport town of Fort Benton has received little attention. Ken Robison, author of “A Hidden Tale: The Vigilantes and X. Beidler of […]
While history often focuses on the people of the past, the story of the land and our natural environment also is an important part of our cultural heritage. In this presentation, Carson Thomas from the Montana Department of Agriculture will delve into the cultural significance of native plants and how their historic cultivation and use […]
Although many people today think of public lands as an American birthright, their very existence was at one point in doubt. Join Montana-based author John Clayton on a journey to discover an origin story for public lands. Copies of his book “Natural Rivals: John Muir, Gifford Pinchot, and the Creation of America’s Public Lands” will […]
Come hear the Magpie Drummers & Singers, meet photographer Lea Frye, have some cake and ice cream, and get a free book! Along with the evening's festivities is an artist reception sponsored by the Lewis & Clark Library Foundation for Helena photographer Lea Frye, whose stunning wildlife photography is currently on display and on sale […]
Montana has long held the reputation of being the bastion of organized labor in the Rocky Mountains, seeing the birth of its first union in 1866. Organized labor helped build the Montana we know and love today, but included some rascals, scoundrels, and criminals along the way. Join Montana Historical Society's State Archivist Rich Aarstad […]
Trained death doula Lindsey Barnes will be hosting a Q&A-based discussion on how to navigate aging, illness and death with an emphasis on retaining one’s personal autonomy. Being in control of one's own dying process requires the advance planning of many decisions such as appointing medical representatives, articulating wishes for future medical interventions, vigil planning […]
Ray Marxer will discuss his book “Thirty-Seven Years of Riding for the Square & Compass Brand.” Marxer discusses the cowboy romance of the West as well as the gritty realities. Managing an iconic Montana ranch for a distant corporation – Koch Industries – adds a new dimension of reality, which can be even more challenging […]
Join author Brenda Wahler as she brings to life Copper King Marcus Daly's secretive and formative early years to life. Born in 1841 to tenant farmers, Marcus Daly came from rural Ireland to New York as a boy. Having learned the big city’s harsh lessons, he traveled west to the gold and silver mining camps […]
The Lewis & Clark Library Foundation and Lewis & Clark Library invite the public to Helena Reads Poetry! Join us Wednesday, April 26 at 6:30 PM in the Large Community Room to listen to friends and neighbors from the Helena community read a poem they have written or chosen that is meaningful to them. This […]
Join Candi Zion, the author of "In Between People: The Metis of Central Montana" and "Walkin’ Down the Middle: The Hi-Line Metis," to learn more about this distinctive cultural group, sometimes known as the children of the fur trade. Zion interviewed descendants of early Métis settlers in central Montana and the Hi-Line, who relayed stories […]
An inspiring look at wildlife species that are defying the odds and teaching important lessons about how to share a planet and how we think about animals. Philosopher Christopher Preston will read a few short passages from his new book, Tenacious Beasts, and share insights and perspectives about the people and wildlife he encountered while […]
In this lecture and book signing by John Shontz, you'll meet the tens of thousands of men and women, rich and poor, highly educated and illiterate, who came to western Montana from across the globe more than 110 years ago to build a railroad engineering marvel — the St. Paul Pass Tunnel — and the […]
Dr. Liz Gundersen will share the research she conducted on the Holter Heart Monitor in the 1950s, which remains in use today. Jeff Holter established the Holter Research Laboratory in Helena in 1948, and with Bill Glasscock, invented a device still in use today worldwide to detect cardiac problems. Gunderson used MTHS archives and photograph […]
Did you know that even Bad Guys love libraries and chocolate? Celebrate Love Your Library Month with the Lewis & Clark Library this February with kits and in-house movies. Love Your Library kits will be available for pickup at library locations starting February 1st while supplies last. The celebration includes in-person movie showings at library […]
Join Kate Hampton, the director of the MTHS’s Montana African American Heritage Resources Project, for a discussion on the history of several Montana laws that affected how Black residents were able to participate in society. Since the establishment of Montana Territory in 1864 through the present day, Montana has enforced laws and policies designed to […]
In this talk and book signing, Jennifer Hill charts the experiences of childbirth across Montana, the Dakotas, and Wyoming. In a region that had historically high rates of maternal and infant death, childbirth took on even more importance in defining families, communities, and nations. Hill will explore how women exercised control over their own health […]
Join us for a special Chinese New Year presentation by Mark Johnson! From the earliest days of non-Native settlement of Montana, Chinese pioneers played a key role in the region’s development. In this lecture, Mark Johnson, the author of Middle Kingdom under the Big Sky, will detail how Chinese Montanans achieved cultural continuity and togetherness […]
Join the Montana Historical Society Jan. 12 at the Lewis and Clark Library for "A Survivor’s Account of the Custer Creek Train Wreck" by Bill Jones. He’ll recount his father’s story of surviving the horrific incident. The train wreck, which also is called the Saugus train wreck, was the worst rail disaster in Montana history. […]
Who Do You Think You Are? Join us to learn more about your ancestors and family history. Montana ancestry not required -- research any location! Saturday, December 3rd, 2022 Noon – 3:00 PM Lewis and Clark County Public Library Genealogy Society Members will be on site to help you look up records and learn about […]
Helena-area author Gerry Robinson will discuss the actual people and locations that inspired his award-winning historical novel, The Cheyenne Story: An Interpretation of Courage (2019, Sweetgrass Books, Helena). Robinson grew up in Lame Deer on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation and is a member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe. His novel—the first in a planned trilogy—is […]
Montana Women Writers Workshop with Caroline Patterson Saturday, October 29 from 11 AM-1 PM in the Large Community Room. Free, but seating is limited and registration is required. Go to www.lclibrary.org or call 406-447-6681 to sign up. Funding for Montana Conversations is provided by Humanities Montana through grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, […]
Writing Your Origin Story: A Workshop with Kendra Mylnechuk Potter (Lummi) Saturday, October 22, from 1-4 PM in the Large Community Room. Free, but seating is limited and registration is required. Go to www.lclibrary.org or call 406-447-6681 to sign up. In this writing workshop, Kendra Mylnechuk Potter (Producer and Protagonist of the film “Daughter of […]
Enjoy a 90 min easy walk down the gulch and learn the History of Downtown Helena. $5 donation to the county historical society. Meet at the library at 4:00.
Pirate and Mermaid Party Friday, July 29 from 2:00PM-5:00PM at Anchor Park Join in Anchor Park for pirate and mermaid adventures to celebrate the end of the Summer Library Program. Dress in your pirate or mermaid best, and be ready for fun!
Walk & Talk Book Club Mondays, June 6, 13, 20, 27 at 6:30 PM, at Centennial Park (or the Discovery Room if the weather is bad). This summer we'll take a walk around Centennial Park and then discuss books at the gazebo, each Monday at 6:30 PM. If the weather is too hot (85+ degrees), […]
During June and July join us each Monday for a Monday Morning Movie based on the Summer Reading Program theme, Oceans of Possibilities. Monday, June 13, 20, and 27, July 11, 18, and 25 at 10:30AM in the Large Community Room Family Friendly Movies for all to enjoy! We’ll provide snacks and drinks. Movies are […]
Enjoy a variety of craft opportunities at the Library.
Teens, come hang out in the new TEEN space and enjoy fun with friends while playing your favorite board games.
Craft Supply Swap! Friday, July 15 from 12-4 PM, Large Community Room. Want to reduce your stash of leftover craft supplies? Want to try a new craft without laying out a bunch of cash to do so? Then check out our Craft Supply Swap. Here’s how it works: donate your clean, unused, or gently used […]
Sea Creature Show Down Friday, July 8 from 2:00PM-5:00 PM at Anchor Park. Join at Anchor Park to play ocean-themed games. Sea creature costumes and outfits are highly encouraged.
Teen Downtown Scavenger Hunt (6th– 12th grades) Thursday July 7th 1:30—6:30 pm Starts at the library! (Must be completed sometime during this time)- last first clue must be picked up by 6:00 pm. Solve Clues & get prizes! (open to the first 50 teens)
Fish Math with Jessi Tuesday, July 5 at 12:30PM in the Large Community Room Become a fisheries biologist with Jessi from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. You’ll work with a team to conduct a mark-recapture survey to determine how many fish live in a river. Recommended for participants between the ages of 10 and 15. […]
Egg Carton Sea Animals Wednesday, June 29 from 10:30AM – 12:00PM in the Large Community Room Stretch your imagination to transform recycled egg cartons into fantastical sea creatures – both real and make-believe! Appropriate for children aged three and up, though younger children may need help from their grown-ups.
As part of the Library’s Summer Library Program, we are pleased to host Storytime with Marti! Friday, June 24 at 10:30AM in the Children’s Area Montana WILD volunteer, Marti Cook, will lead a guest storytime featuring the book Trout Are Made of Trees by April Pulley Sayre. This storytime is recommended for participants between the […]
Salt Dough Sea Stars Wednesday, June 22 from 10:30AM – 12:00PM in the Large Community Room With some common household ingredients, you can make a dazzling ornament. Appropriate for children aged three and up, though younger children may need help from their grown-ups.