Woman pens first book in series on Glacier Park history

By HEIDI DESCH / Hungry Horse News

Sharon Midkiff Randolph has a want for knowledge.

That drive has taken her on a 17-year quest to learn about the history of Glacier National Park and the area.

Randolph, of Polebridge, began researching about Glacier's history and that of westward expansion to this area purely for enjoyment. But after several years of research and cataloging her material she realized she had the makings of the book.

"It started as a hobby, I had no intention of writing a book," she said.

Randolph recently published the first book in her "Connecting Us to the Sun" series. It's a four-volume set that chronicles travelers as they make their way to the Northern Rockies and Montana and later through the creation of Glacier Park and settlement of area towns. It follows the history up until the end of World War II.

The first book, titled "Trails Leading to Montana," traces the history up until 1900 as settlers moved west into Montana and Minnesota.

Connecting Minnesota into the book might seem a bit strange, but Randolph said that settlers of that state had many connections to Montana and its history.

Randolph's fascination started simple enough. She was eager to learn about the origins of the names of the towns in the area. Then she wanted to know more about how each was created and the happenings after.

So she began spending time researching at the Park library and also in books to find her answers.

Although she's not an author by trade, Randolph works as student development coordinator at Flathead Valley Community College; she found herself with the makings of a book.

So after much more time researching and writing, she has put together the story of the area.

Randolph self-published the books through Scott Publishing Company in Kalispell.

Part of the reasoning for splitting the works was to keep her costs down, but also because she realizes that someone might want to focus on certain areas of the history.

The books are written to be read individually or as a set. Randolph expects the second book to be released soon.

Although the project started as a hobby and turned professional, Randolph has gone to great lengths to keep her research and writing pure.

"I keep my opinion out of the work," she said. "I do not interpret anything. It's a real history of what's going on."

"Trails Leading to Montana" sells for $13.95 and should be available at local bookstores soon.

Randolph said she takes issue with books that insert opinion because often that opinion gets changed to fact later on.

Randolph sees her book as serving as an educational book and also a reference book, but most of all she would like it to open up dialogue between many people.

"I intend for people who haven't had an interest in history and also for someone who knows a lot about history," she said.