LINCOLN – Lincoln has become a destination for loggers, miners, back-packers, sled dog racing fans and most recently, patrons of the fine arts.
On the edge of Lincoln, you’ll find a place like no other in the state — the Blackfoot Pathways Sculpture in the Wild.
The award-winning sculpture park full of large timber installations created by artists from all over the world.
“Last year, we had 30,000 people through here. We have a counter so we can monitor how many people are coming and going — and that’s a big deal for the little town of Lincoln,” board president Becky Garland said.
She added that after six years, the sculpture park is beginning to run out of space with the last planned regular installation being slated for 2020.
“That that’s kind of where our future is. We grew so fast I think we’re going to give ourselves some time to let the roots dig down deep and then see where it goes,” Garland explained.
But that doesn’t mean sculpture in the wild is going to stop growing. This year they’re introducing live events every Thursday from July 4 to Aug. 15 — including music and even Shakespeare.
Garland said she’s always known the sculpture park would be something big, but never expected it to be as popular as it is with visitors for all over.
“It’s really wonderful to have the international flair to it. It makes it desirable to so many people to come and see what the international environmental artists are up to,” Garland told MTN News.
If you ask the residents of Lincoln what they think of the sculpture park, they’ll tell you it represents them.
It represents logging, mining, tourism and character all wrapped up together in the wild.
“Every year it gets better. Every year people come to Lincoln and love the place. And so It’s proving itself over and over again and it is a magical place,” Garland concluded.
-John Riley reporting for MTN News
