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Recapturing the Romance of Joe Cosley
My name is Brian McClung, President of Glacier Park Books
and Videos.com and author of several books on Glacier National Park and Waterton Lakes National Park: Belly River's
Famous Joe Cosley, Hooked for Good: The Passion for Fishing Belly River and
Hiking Bear Country. I started writing about Joe Cosley when I was a kid
growing up in Glacier National Park in Northwest Montana and Waterton Lakes
National Park in Southwest Alberta, Canada. These International Peace Parks
were the headwaters of my youth. Joe Cosley is still the most famous character
in Glacier and Waterton Parks and it is thrill to share our books and
experiences with you, our readers.
What made Joe Cosley a romantic character? He was a
Mountain Man, Trapper, National Park Ranger, WWI Soldier and War Hero, Indian
Fighter, Renegade, Trapper, Photographer, Poacher, Guide, Poet, Fancy Skater,
Writer, Tree Carver, Legend, and All Around Good Guy!
Joe Cosley was certainly a romantic who not only
gave his girl friends flowers, he composed poetry and named mountain lakes for
them. Joe bought a large diamond ring for his true love Elizabeth and when
rejected, he buried it in a tree and carve his initials to mark the spot. To
camouflage his treasure, Joe carved his name in many trees all over Glacier
and Waterton National Parks. One is featured in the Joe Cosley Exhibit now on display in Cardston, Alberta Canada. Click on our Joe Cosley Museum tab for more details
Joe loved flowers in general and roses in
particular. He even painted roses on the brim of his National Park hat. As a
talented artist he painted and did charcoal drawings that he gave to his
friends and loved ones. He also painted murals on friends' living room walls.
Joe often wrote to his friends. Some letters included a series of pictures or cartoon drawings with a story told in
each frame. One Cosley letter pictured him with a broken toe illustrating how he broke it and then walked around with it bandaged. It was full of humor.
Each person who received a Cosley Letter would show his or her friends and everyone would get a laugh out of the story told.
On January 23, 2024, Life Preservers Publishing sponsored a FREE DRAWING to celebrate the Romance of Joe Cosley and thank our readers on this website. Our Grand Prize Package included a beautiful bouquet of Cosley Roses, Hiking Bear Country by Brian McClung, and a box of Montana Huckleberry Cordials.
This year's winner is Joe Stevenson of Corvallis, Oregon. He is a retired Liberian who enjoys photography and hiking, especially in Glacier National Park. Joe purchased our Twin Book Special Package: Belly Rivers Famous Joe Cosley and Hooked for Good, Hooked for Life: The Passion for Fishing Belly River. Although he has read articles on Joe Cosley, he found that our books were the best, most complete source. Working for seven summers in St. Mary's, Montana, he is a huge fan of Glacier National Park and loves hiking there every summer.
We send our Congratulations and Best Wishes to Joe!
More information to follow.
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