(Lewiston, ID) The Lewis-Clark State College Center for Arts & History (CAH), located at 415 Main Street in Lewiston, will open two new exhibits from the Western Heritage Center in November and December.
Opening Nov. 19, the exhibit “Montana’s Black Gold: Underground Coal Mining Communities, 1880-1950″ features 49 historic photographs from private collections and public archives. The public archives displayed originate from the Montana Historical Society, Carbon County Historical Society, and the Roundup Record Tribune. Visitors will explore the stories of the early coal mining towns of Red Lodge, Bearcreek, Roundup, and Belt with an emphasis on the lives of both miners and their families. The exhibit will be on display in the CAH first floor galleries until March 1.
On Dec. 3, the center will begin displaying the exhibit “Ghost Towns: The Photography of Denes G. Istvanffy” in its second floor galleries. The exhibit showcases 30 images which Denes G. Istvanffy selected out of his extensive collection of Montana photos. The images selected capture the beauty and history of Montana’s ghost towns and mining camps. Areas showcased include Bannack, Virginia City, Elkhorn, Marysville, and Garnet. A closing reception will be held for this exhibit on Feb. 28 from 4-6 p.m. Refreshments will be served at the reception.
The Western Heritage Center is located in Billings, Montana, and features a collection of over 400 oral histories and 40,000 historic items and photographs.
CAH gallery hours are Tuesday-Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 12-4 p.m. Holiday closures for the center include Nov. 28-29 and Dec. 23-Jan. 1.