09/21/2026
Hey! It's History Friday!
This week, we're featuring a photo of a group of Blackfeet men on a cliff along the shores of St. Mary Lake near Going-to-the-Sun Point in Glacier National Park, circa 1910. Remarkably, the rock formations remain virtually unchanged today, as you can see in the 2026 photo, where people are still enjoying the view from the cliff.
Before it became Glacier National Park, this area was part of the traditional homeland of the Blackfeet people. If you're interested in learning about the region through an Indigenous perspective, consider taking a tour with Sun Tours. Founded in 1992, Sun Tours is the longest-running Native American-owned tour operator in the United States. Their guides are all members of the Blackfeet Tribe and share the history, culture, and deep relationship the Blackfeet people have with this landscape. Sun Tours guides teach visitors that the Blackfeet, who call themselves the Niitsitapi ("The Real People"), have lived on and cared for this land for generations. It has long served as a place for hunting, ceremonies, prayer, and community life.
According to the Sun Tours website, the Blackfeet people are working to reconnect community members with their heritage while strengthening the local economy through tourism. Their efforts reflect a growing interest among park visitors in learning authentic Indigenous histories and supporting Native-owned businesses. Many Blackfeet leaders view tourism as an important way to preserve cultural traditions, educate future generations, and create economic opportunities within their homeland.
Did you get to see any grizzlies or black bears around the St. Mary Lake area? Share your bear photos in the comments!
Photo: Blackfeet warriors at a Glacier National Park overlook, 1913 (Roland Reed/Getty Images). 2026 photo taken by Library staff member Liz Camarillo.
Source: About Us - Sun Tours https://www.suntours.co/about-us/
For more Montana history, check out the 978.6 section of the library!