WatertonGlacier International Peace Park

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Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park
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Two Parks Two Countries
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Waterton National Park -Canada

• Established on May 20th 1895
• 140 square km ( 54 square miles)
• Since expanded to 525 square km ( 203 square
  miles)
• F.W. Godsall a Pincher Creek Rancher was
  instrumental in its establishment
• The park was named after the chain of lakes
  called Waterton Lakes named by Lieutenant
  Blakiston
• The first Park Superintendent was John George
  Kootenai Brown appointed In 1911

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Waterton National Park -Canada
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Glacier National Park -USA

• Evidence of People living in the area dating Back
  10,000 years ancestors of the Blackfeet Indians
  
• 1806 Lewis and Clark came within 50 miles of what
  is now the Park
• People started settling the area after completion
  of the Marias Pass used by the Great Northern
  Railway in 1891
• In the 1890s tourism to the area began
• George Bird Grinnell and others began to push for
  creation of a National Park
• Initially it was made a Forest Preserve in 1900
  but people continued to push for a park and in
  1910 President Taft signed a bill making it the
  10th National Park in US

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Glacier National Park -USA
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The IDEA

• Over the years, Park rangers felt that the two
  Parks should somehow be joined
• In 1931, they were joined by others with the same
  idea
• Cardston and Butte Rotarians (including Tom
  Davis, future RI President) felt that the parks
  should be joined as a symbol of the friendship
  shared between Canada and the United States.
• In 1931 July 4 they convened a good will meeting
  of 100 Rotarians from Alberta and Montana
• Here, they decided to lobby both governments to
  establish a permanent International Peace Park
  

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Negotiations

• Both sides began to lobby their prospective
  Governments
• By December 8, 1931 the House of Representatives
  had passed a bill to establish the
  Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park and
  was passed by the Senate April 25th 1932
• A similar bill was passed by the Canadian
  Government in 1932

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Success

• On June 18th 1932
• 2000 people attended the dedication Ceremony at
  Glacier Park Montana USA

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The Assembly

• In 1935 The Great Falls Rotary club suggested
  that Rotarians from both sides hold a joint
  meeting
• This idea was embraced by the Canadian clubs and
  the first Assembly was held at Glacier Park on
  July 13th and 14th
• Included a golf tournament and a Saturday
  banquet with speakers
• Following this meeting the Assembly became an
  annual event
• Each country hosts the celebration in alternate
  years

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Dedication of Cairns 1947
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Cairns on Chief Mountain Highway
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Hands across the Border, 1947
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The Future

• Government
• There is an interest in expanding Waterton Park
  into the Flathead Valley in B.C.
• Proposal developed by Canadian parks group and
  timber company
• Jim Lopez, Vice President of Tembec, Inc.
  "This has the potential to be a win/win
  solution.

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Waterton Lakes National Park Proposed Expansion
www.peaceparkplus.net
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The Future

• Rotary
• Rotarians on both side of the border are
  proposing the establishment of a Peace Garden
  at the Peigan/Carway border
• Also more recognition for Rotary at other sites
• St Marys Interpretative centre
• Going to the Sun Road Centre
• Waterton Peace Park Pavilion Exhibit
• This has been proposed as a Centennial Project to
  celebrate 100 years of Rotary

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Goat Haunt
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Peace Garden site
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• WATERTON-GLACIER INTERNATIONAL
• PEACE PARK
• 77TH ANNIVERSARY ASSEMBLY
• SEPTEMBER 25-27, 2009
• Waterton