Who or what is Sasquatch? Why are sightings in Washington the highest in the nation?
This exploration of the Sasquatch story focuses on the Pacific Northwest environment which has created a rich setting for the traditional beliefs that have grown up around this being. The relationship of Northwesterners to the land, particularly its deep forests and imposing mountains, has led explorers and travelers further into the depths of our region.
How have scientists attempted to explain and investigate the Sasquatch phenomenon? Physical evidence collected in the field by anthropologist Dr. Grover Krantz will be on display. Discovery Channel expert and Bigfoot author, Dr. Jeffery Meldrum of Idaho State University has contributed to the exhibit recently gathered field evidence including special foot and hand casts.
Supposed hoaxes and popular cultural interpretations of Bigfoot are featured in the exhibit including memorabilia from the Sasquatch Music Festival, Bigfoot Ale, Sasquatch Press, and the Seattle SuperSonics Squatch Collection.
Worldwide and across time, tales of larger-than-life creatures have been told. Tribal artifacts and artwork will convey Native cultural beliefs. On loan from the Maryhill Museum of Art is a prehistoric, ape-like Stone Head found in the Columbia Basin. Created especially for the exhibit is a full size mural of the legendary Dzoonokwa or “Basket Women” of the forests. Carved masks by Native artists are featured in the gallery. From werewolves to wild men, stories of beings both animal and man have been told across time. Some of these legends are explored in the exhibit. Also featured is artwork by cryptid illustrator Rick Spears.Join the History Museum to discover the unique Northwest connection to Sasquatch. To support this special exhibition, we are hosting a number of programs that connect to the Sasquatch story.
SASQUATCH Programs for 2010
THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE!
January 21, 2010
6:30 pm
BEHIND THE HAIRY CURTAIN: SASQUATCH SNEAK PEEK
Are you a Squatch Watcher? Do you yearn to know the truth behind the tales of Sasquatch? Then join us for this special “Behind the Scenes” walk-through with the curators of Giants in the Mountains: The Search for Sasquatch. You’ll be amazed by prehistoric stone heads, native masks, footprint casts, and the world map of Sasquatch-like beings. Are you a believer?
GHOSTS OF THE GREAT HALL: ICONS OF WASHINGTON
February 6 < 1–3 PM February 18 < 6:30 PM
Tours commence every half hour
Interact with iconic Washingtonians in this program that brings historical figures to life. Meet Ronald Debs Ginther, an artist who painted life during the Great Depression; rock out with Jimi Hendrix; search for Sasquatch with Dr. Grover Krantz; and work on a railroad with Anna Lind, a logging camp cook for Northern Pacific Railroad. This program is FREE with Museum admission.
GHOSTS OF THE GREAT HALL: UNSOLVED MYSTERIES
March 6 < 1-3 PM
Tours commence every half hour
Uncover some of Washington's unsolved mysteries with characters from the past. Hunt for lost treasure with D. B. Cooper, a Washington skyjacker who disappeared with his loot; hear a ghost story from Percy Buck, sole survivor of the Andelana shipwreck; search for Sasquatch with Dr. Grover Krantz, and question William H. Gilstrap, the Historical Society's first curator and secretary who was locked away during the "Great Tozier Heist." This program is FREE with Museum admission.
SASQUATCH DAY
June 5 < Times TBD
Bob Gimlin & Dr. Jeffrey Meldrum
Of special interest is the appearance in western Washington of two giants of the story of Sasquatch: Bob Gimlin and Dr. Jeffrey Meldrum.
One of the most famous pieces of Sasquatch evidence is the Patterson-Gimlin film made in northern California. This film features a female Bigfoot striding next to a sandy creek. Scientists world-wide have studied this film and remain divided upon its authenticity, however, the filmmakers Bob Gimlin and the late Roger Patterson have stood by their photographic evidence. Expedition partner and outfitter Bob Gimlin will join us for an audience discussion about his experience on the Bluff Creek expedition and the famous encounter on the trail, made immortal in the 24 feet of film images Patterson recorded.
Dr. Jeffrey Meldrum of Idaho State University and author of Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science will also be discussing his collected evidence. Dr. Meldrum is frequently seen on the Discovery Channel, the History Channel, and the National Geographic Channel among others. His book is the companion volume to the highly successful Discovery Channel documentary of the same name. A professor of anatomy and anthropology, his work encompasses the evaluation of hominid footprints, including those attributed to Sasquatch, both in the lab and the field. The exhibit features casts made by Dr. Meldrum in Eastern Washington.
A BIG thank you to illustrator Rick Spears for the pictures accompanying this blog post.
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