Hockaday hosts guest curator to present on Western tourism history

Guest Curator Lee Silliman of Missoula will present on 100 years of tourism in the American West from the 1840s to 1940s at the Hockaday Museum on June 29.

His presentation, Searching for the Golden West: A History of Western Tourism, will be held in conjunction with an art exhibition curated by Silliman titled “Wondrous West: Art, Tourism, & National Pride (1848-1942),” which will be on display through Sept. 16.

The talk begins with wealthy Europeans who wanted to experience the American frontier before the final diminishment of our diverse wildlife and Native American cultures. Next, the discussion turns to the vital roles played by painters and photographers who brought their strong imagery of Western wonders to the broader public. Silliman will share the work of painters such as Alfred Bierstadt, Thomas Moran, and John Fery and black and white photographs by Carlton Watkins, William Henry Jackson and George Grant.

The talk continues with the important allure generated by emerging national parks such as Glacier, Yosemite and the Grand Canyon. Travel westward was facilitated by the development of touring companies and transcontinental railroads — modes that were eventually replaced by the automobile.

Silliman, who is a retired educator and former museum archivist and curator, has nurtured an avid interest in the art and history of the American West since his youth. As a collector of vintage engravings, Silliman has assembled and annotated many exhibits of these artworks for display in numerous museums in six western states. He has taught five courses on Western history and art at the University of Montana Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.

The presentation will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

General admission is $10. Admission is free to members.