As part of the library’s, “The West Where We Are” series, local historian, Tom Blanchard, will explore the role stories play in daily life that reinforce a sense of place and community identity using Idaho and local history as illustrations. Stories can be self-fulfilling prophesies that have unintended consequences, which cast shadows on our future.
Tom Blanchard received his graduate training in history with emphasis on U.S. and Western history at San Francisco State University. Since moving to Idaho in 1977, Blanchard has focused on Idaho history, doing projects and research in Idaho for the past thirty years. He taught U.S. and Idaho and the Pacific Northwest history for the College of Southern Idaho and served on the board of the Idaho Humanities Council. He currently is Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Idaho State Historical Society. In addition, Blanchard served three terms as County Commissioner from Blaine County and five years as a city administrator adding a very contemporary public policy perspective to historical issues which shade our lives.
