Centennial: Rededication ceremony planned May 11

On May 11, 1910, the awe-inspiring wilderness that is Glacier National Park was officially set aside as a national park when President William Howard Taft signed the bill establishing Glacier National Park as the 10th national park in America.

As Glacier commemorates its first 100 years, the public is invited to the park's rededication event on Tuesday, May 11, at 10:30 a.m. Festivities will include a rededication ceremony at the West Glacier Community Building, inside the park's headquarters compound.

Cake will be served following the ceremony. No tickets are required to attend and park entrance fees will be waived on May 11.

Walking tours of four historic park locations will be led by retired National Park Service employees.

Many dignitaries have been invited to the park's centennial birthday ceremony, including Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger and Acting National Park Service Intermountain Regional Director Mary Gibson Scott. Others include Blackfeet Tribal Chairman Willie Sharp and Confederated Salish-Kootenai Tribal Chairman Bud Moran, U.S. Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester, Congressman Denny Rehberg, and NPS Director Jon Jarvis.

West Glacier will provide parking and shuttles to and from the event.

Various events will be held the same day 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. A full description of May 11th community events and other information on the park centennial is available at www.glaciercentennial.org.