Purpose/Need for the Project:

The Pincher Creek and District Historical Society proposes to compile and make available to the general public a historical comic book on the life and times of John George “Kootenai” Brown.  The purpose or need for this project includes:

01: Helping to preserve and promote i.e. market an important aspect of southwestern Alberta’s frontier history, that of “Kootenai” Brown.  The historic preservation comes through the compilation of an accurate and readable history comic book on Brown.  The promotion comes through making the publication available to the general public.

02: Currently, there is not an illustrated comic book on the life and times of John George “Kootenai” Brown particularly that deals with his frontier history.  This is a new format for presenting this history which is bound to have broad appeal with the public, families with children, educational groups and anyone who has an interest in Alberta’s history,

03: This publication will be a valuable and well utilized resource within the education program of the Pincher Creek and District Historical Society.

04: The comic book format is a different perspective on the history of John George “Kootenai: Brown that has not been tackled up until this time.

Project Objectives:

01: To organize, research, write, illustrate, print and make available to the public a historical comic book on the life and times of John George “Kootenai” Brown (1839 – 1916) who was a very colourful frontiersman from southwestern Alberta.  Brown was one of the area’s earliest settlers and was instrumental in establishing Waterton Lakes National Park.  We have his old cabin here as one of the 31 historical buildings at the Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village.

02: To use this historic comic book as an educational tool on an important aspect of southwestern Alberta’s history.  The Pincher Creek and District Historical Society, which operates the Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village, has a very active educational program, particularly for elementary school students.  The students come from the Pincher Creek area and all across southern Alberta.  We will be reaching new audiences i.e. school students through this historical comic book.

03: To make this publication publicly accessible through its retention in our museum archives and through our museum giftshop sales.

04: To broaden the public’s knowledge and appreciation of the historical significance of John George “Kootenai” Brown.

05: Tourists who visit Alberta and the Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village will be able to purchase copies of this publication and learn more about Alberta’s history.

The project benefits for Albertans are:

01: By broadening the public’s knowledge on an important aspect of Alberta’s history, that of John George “Kootenai” Brown.  The subject matter (southwestern Alberta’s premiere frontiersman) and the publication’s innovative design (highly readable comic book format) ensure wide public appeal.

02: By reaching out to new audiences i.e. school students with our historical comic books.  We have a very active educational program here with the Pincher Creek and District Historical Society and the “Kootenai” Brown Comic Book will be incorporated into our education program.

03: By utilizing this booklet with our historical driving and walking tours of the Pincher Creek and Waterton Lakes’ areas.  These are the areas in which Kootenai Brown resided, fished, guided, ranched, did business and socialized, each with many frontier tales to tell.  Such outreach programs are especially popular with seniors groups, educational programs, tourists and the general public.

04: By making this publication publicly available through reference copies accessible through our education programs, outreach programs (i.e. walking and driving tours), museum archives and through copies available for purchase in our museum giftshop.

The Pincher Creek and District Historical Society is its own organization incorporated under the Societies Act of Alberta and registered with Revenue Canada.  We have worked on this project on our own.  However, our Society and its Curator Farley Wuth have been long time members of the Historical Society of Alberta.  Enclosed with this application is a letter of support for this project from the Lethbridge Historical Society which is a chapter of the Historical Society of Alberta.  This is a very worthwhile project but we also live in difficult financial times.  We need this application to be successful in order for us to proceed with the project.

Previous Experience with Similar Projects:

The Pincher Creek and District Historical Society and its executive, staff and volunteers have extensive experience in historical preservation and promotion.  In addition to the overall operations of a museum, this experience includes education, outreach and tourism programs, researching and writing historical text and working with people.  Also on hand is the historical database and knowledge of our Historical Society and its executive, staff and volunteers.