Press Release
Contact: Susan Rohrer, State Capital Museum, srohrer@wshs. wa.gov,
360/586-0166
Giants in the Mountains; The Search for Sasquatch
A new exhibit at the State Capital Museum
Opening October 6, 2007
State Capital Museum and Outreach Center
211 21st Avenue SW
Olympia, Washington 98501
(360) 753- 2580
WashingtonHistory. org
Opening is free and open to the public
(Olympia, WA--) Who or What is Sasquatch? Why are sightings in
Washington the highest in the nation?
This exploration of the Sasquatch story focuses on the Pacific
Northwest environment which has created a rich setting for the
traditional beliefs that have grown up around this being. The
relationship of Northwesteners to the land, particularly its deep
forests and imposing mountains, has led explorers and travelers
further into the depths of our region.
A year-long exhibit, opening on Saturday October 6, 2008 with a day
and evening program of special events and activities. See the
schedule below.
How have scientists attempted to explain and investigate the Sasquatch
phenomena? Physical evidence collected in the field by anthropologist
Dr. Grover Krantz will be on display. Discovery Channel expert and
Bigfoot author, Dr. Jeffery Meldrum of Idaho State University has
contributed to the exhibit recently gathered field evidence including
special foot and hand casts.
Supposed hoaxes and popular cultural interpretations of Bigfoot are
featured in the exhibit including memorabilia from the Sasquatch Music
Festival, Bigfoot Ale, Sasquatch Press, and the Seattle SuperSonics
Squatch Collection. Squatch himself will be on-hand to greet
children and tour the exhibit.
World-wide and across time, tales of larger-than- life creatures have
been believed. Tribal artifacts and artworks will convey Native
cultural beliefs. On loan from the Maryhill Museum of Art is a
prehistoric, ape-like Stone Head found in the Columbia Basin. Created
especially for the exhibit is a full size mural of the legendary
Dzoonokwa or Basket Women of the forests. Carved mask by renowned
Native Artist Pete Peterson, Sr. and artwork by Sean Peterson are
featured in the gallery. From werewolves to wild men, stories of
beings both animal and man have been told across time. Some of these
legends are explored in the exhibit.
Discover the unique Northwest connection to Sasquatch and Bigfoot. A
display of rare, early images of Washington’s old growth forests
compliment student learning. Designed to introduce children to the
connection between our environment and regional culture, students can
explore the mysteries of the Pacific Northwest through hands-on
activities.
Of special interest is the appearance in western Washington of three
giants of the story of Sasquatch. Dr. Robert Michael Pyle, Dr.
Jeffrey Meldrum, and Mr. Peter Byrne.
Dr. Meldrum of Idaho State University and author of Sasquatch: Legend
Meets Science. Dr. Meldrum is frequently seen on the Discovery
Channel, the History Channel, and the National Geographic Channel
among others. His book is the companion volume to the highly
successful Discovery Channel documentary of the same name. A
professor of anatomy and anthropology, his work encompasses the
evaluation of hominid footprints, including those attributed to
Sasquatch, both in the lab and the field. The exhibit features casts
made recently by Dr. Meldrum in eastern Washington.
http://www.bigfootf orums.com/ media/Sasquatch. pdf
Dr. Robert Michael Pyle, a world-renowned naturalist, wrote the
definitive study of Sasquatch in the northwest in his book Where
Bigfoot Walks, Crossing the Dark Divide. In this work Dr. Pyle
chronicles his own personal story of searching for Sasquatch in the
Cascade Mountain range near Mt. St. Helens and his essays have
provided the inspiration for this exhibit. He writes on page 17:
“If we manage to hang on to a sizeable hunk of Bigfoot habitat, we
will at least have a fragment of the greatest green treasure the
temperate world has ever known. If we do not, Bigfoot, real or
imagined, will vanish; and with its shadow will flee the others who
dwell in that world. Looking at that tangled land, one can just about
accept that Sasquatch could coexist with towns and loggers and hunters
and hikers, all in proportion. But when the topography is finally
tamed outright, no one will anymore imagine that giants are abroad in
the land.â€
http://books. google.com/ books?id= HJDC79NbiQsC& dq=robert+ michael+pyle+ bigfoot&printsec =frontcover& source=web& ots=6etpI2MC2Q& sig=fi4UOcCutjM0 fNPmd84CMRrT7F4# PPP1,M1
Special guest is Mr. Peter Byrne who has led two expeditions to hunt
for Bigfoot in the Northwest, one in 1960s. The second in 1990 was a
full-scale monster search, complete with helicopters, infra-red
sensors and 1-800-BIGFOOT phone number. Today, Byrne is semi-retired
in the Bigfoot field and continues his tourist/adventure work around
the world. Famous for his on-going search for Yeti in Nepal Mr. Byrne
will speak about his adventures searching for Sasquatch and Yeti. He
is featured in the film Sasquatch Odyssey, The Hunt for Bigfoot which
is an important part of the museum’s exhibit.
http://www.sasquatc hodyssey. com/hpeter. html
Exhibit Opening Schedule, Saturday, October 6, 2007. 11 AM to 8 PM
Events are free and open to the public, donations appreciated.
11 AM: Hands on Explorative Activities for Children
1 - 2 PM: Meet Squatch of the Seattle SuperSonics
2 to 3 PM: Native Storytelling with Harvest Moon of the Quinault tribe
2 to 3:30 PM: Book signing and informal author conversation with Mr.
Peter Byrne, Dr. Jeffrey Meldrum, and Dr. Robert Michael Pyle
3:30 to 4 PM: Presentation by Mr. Peter Byrne
4 to 5 PM: Sasquatch, Legend Meets Science- Presented by Dr. Jeffrey
Meldrum
7 to 8 PM: Where Bigfoot Walks; Crossing the Dark Divide- Presented by
Dr. Robert Michael Pyle
The State Capital Museum is located in Olympia six blocks south of the
Capitol Building at 211 21st Avenue South West. The State Capital
Museum is a division of the Washington State Historical Society. The
museum presents exhibits, programs, and events that bring to life the
stories of Washington's history. For more information, please call the
State Capital Museum at 360-753-2580, or visit us on the web at
Washington State History Museum - Discover the stories of Washington's ...
Exhibit photos and author photos available upon request.
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