FALL 2009

JOHN R. SILLITO, Weber State University, Professor of Libraries, Archivist and Curator of Special Collections

AND

SARAH C. LANGSDON, Weber State University Associate Curator Special Collections and Archives

IMAGES OF OGDEN

For more than 150 years, Ogden has played a important role in the commercial, agricultural, educational and religious history of Utah. As the “Junction City” it was an important railroad town, with goods and passengers flowing through Union Station bound for other destinations. Join us when John Sillito and Sarah Langsdon present a photographic look at local history based on their recently published book Ogden, which is part of Arcadia Publisher’s “Images of America” series. All but three of the images in the book come from the holdings of the Stewart Library, Special Collections department. Books will be available for purchase and signing.

Monday, September 21, 2009

7:00-9:00 pm

Weber State University Alumni Center

LECTURE IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Sponsored by: Weber State University Alumni Center, Weber Historical Society, Office of the Dean, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, WSU Department of History

Dr. William deBuys

 

“Welcome to the Anthropocene”

 

Anthropocene refers to the most recent period in the Earth’s history, beginning in the late 18th century, when human activity first began to influence global climate. The natural landscapes of the American West, for example, while seemingly timeless and unaffected, have experienced enormous change over the past century. These human-induced changes are becoming harder to predict, harder to live with, and for many, harder to accept. Left unchecked, a warming and increasingly variable climate promises to usher in a period of unprecedented impact.

 

William deBuys is the author of six books including Enchantment and Exploitation (1985) and River of Traps (reissued in 2008), which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 1991. An excerpt from his most recent book, The Walk, which is set in the same mountain valley as River of Traps, won a 2008 Pushcart Prize. A 2008-2009 Guggenheim Fellow, deBuys’s current book-length project is “A Great Aridness: Climate Change in the North American Southwest.” Long active in environmental matters in the Southwest, from 2001 to 2004 he served as the founding chairman of the Valles Caldera Trust, which manages the 89,000-acre Valles Caldera National Preserve in northern New Mexico.

 

 

Monday, October 26, 2009

7:00-9:00  p.m.

Weber State University Alumni Center

 

 

LECTURE IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

 

 

Sponsored by: WSU Honors, Weber Historical Society, WSU Alumni Center, WSU Environmental Issues Committee, Office of the Dean, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, WSU Department of History

 

The

WEBER HISTORICAL SOCIETY

presents:

 

W. L. (BUD) RUSHO

 

“The Disappearance and Discovery of Edward Ruess”

The year was 1934. Everett Ruess, a remarkable young adventurer, artist, and writer, left the town of Escalante, Utah, heading for the myriad canyon lands of the Escalante River. But Everett was apparently never seen again. He simply disappeared. Who was he?  And why do we pay so much attention to him? In fact, Everett has become a cult figure, an icon of the outdoor life with his escape from urban congestion and complexities and his sensitive, artistic response to wilderness scenery. For 75 years, people have studied his life, read his letters and poems, and conjectured about his fate. Then in 2008, some bones were found in Comb Ridge, south of Bluff, Utah. These bones were later tested to see if they matched the DNA of Everett nieces and nephews. Surprisingly, the tests showed POSITIVE! Everett had seemingly traveled around 90 miles, over incredibly rough country, from his last campsite in Davis Gulch. Some authorities, however, have questioned the accuracy of the DNA tests. This talk will center on Everett’s life and his travels, together with current news about the Comb Ridge bones.  Copies of his book, Everett Ruess—Vagabond for Beauty will be available for purchase and signing at the lecture.

 

Monday, November 16, 2009

7:00-9:00 pm

Weber State University Alumni Center

 

LECTURE IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

   

Sponsored by:   Weber State University Alumni Center, Weber Historical Society, Office of the Dean, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, WSU Department of History

 PREVIOUS LECTURES

Gene Sessions

Distinguished Professor of History, Weber State University

“The Second Coming of Jedediah Grant”

Dr. Sessions will present his revised second edition book first issued back in 1982, Mormon Thunder: A Documentary History of Jedediah Morgan Grant. This edition presents Jeddy Grant once again as the fire-eating, no-nonsense preacher of early Mormonism who fomented the Reformation of 1856-57 and left an indelible mark on Utah Society. Gene will discuss the man and the book, copies of which will be available for sale and autograph at the lecture.

Philip Barlow

Religious Studies/History, Utah State University

“Joseph Smith, the Bible, and the Modern Mormon Mind”

The Mormons have been one of the most studied American religious groups; still, no consensus exists about the essential nature of the movement or its place in American religion. In this study, Phillip analyzes the approaches taken to the Bible by key Mormon leaders, from founder Joseph Smith up to the present day. He shows that Mormon attitudes toward the Bible comprise an extraordinary mix of conservative, liberal, and radical ingredients. Exploring this unique Mormon stance on scripture, he takes important steps toward unraveling the mystery of this quintessential American religious phenomenon.

Frederick H. Swanson

“Dave Rust: The Man and the Biography”

Dave Rust, an early practitioner of adventure travel at a time when few Americans knew what wonders this region held and his life story, follows the development of southern Utah from a primitive frontier to a prized recreational destination. Fred will lecture about the man and the book, copies of which will be available for sale and autograph at the lecture.

Roy Webb

Multimedia Archivist, Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah

“If We Had a Boat: River Running on the Green River”

The story of the Green River from 1825 to the present, and the events that have shaped the river’s history. It is interwoven with the colorful personalities of the people who have shared the dangerous and thrilling exploration of the river, the excitement of the rapids, the beauty of peaceful parks and the mystery of dark canyons. Copies of Roy’s book will be available for sale and autograph at the lecture.

Contact Prof. Gene Sessions  or call (801) 626-6706 for more details concerning
Weber Historical Society activities and events.