Montana’s forgotten millionaire and the danger of erasing history

I went for a stroll in Dublin, Ireland.  I stumbled upon a colorful statue of Oscar Wilde, reclining on a rock.

You probably have heard of him. Irish poet, writer, playwright, and social critic. His titles include “The Importance of Being Earnest” and “The Picture of Dorian Gray.”

He exposed hypocrisy and loved men.

In the 1800s.

He was jailed for “gross indecency.”

Turns out a man from Montana created one of the world’s greatest collections of Oscar Wilde works.

I could see a Montanan creating the world’s best collection of barbed wire. Or, bottles of beer.

But Oscar Wilde? Totally unexpected.

So, let me introduce you to a Montanan you should know: Born in Deer Lodge, a Butte lawyer and businessman. Had a mansion in Butte. He was one of the richest men in Montana.  Like a billionaire today.

Owned  Mowitza Lodge on Salmon Lake, a legendary lodge today.  He died there.

Any ideas?

He donated $200,000 to found the Los Angeles Philharmonic and covered its expenses for about 15 years. He helped create the Hollywood Bowl. He shaped the cultural life of Los Angeles. He created an amazing collection of rare books and manuscripts. More than 10,000. He donated his library and grounds to UCLA.  And a large endowment.

Among the gifted treasures,  his world-class collection of Oscar Wilde.

Any ideas who he is?

He holds an important place in queer history, American history, and Montana history

You know his name.  You probably just don’t know his story.

It’s called “queer erasure” — the removal, concealment, or reinterpretation of queer people.

His name: Will Clark; officially, William Andrews Clark, Jr., son of Sen. William Andrews Clark who was one of Montana’s U. S. Senators, 1899-1900 and 1902-1907.  You know, the Copper King; the founder of Las Vegas and the namesake of Clark County, Nevada.

You may have heard more of his half-sister, Huguette Clark.  She lived to be 104 and is immortalized through the book, “Empty Mansions.”  She owned a 15,000 square foot, 42-room mansion on Fifth Avenue in New York City. After she died in 2011, it sold for $54.8 million.

Will Clark has his own story.  It was hidden for generations.

Will’s partner was Harrison Post. In the day, they weren’t called “queer” or even “gay.” It was illegal. Criminal.

Post was his employee, secretary, confidant, protégé. Post was described by some as Clark’s “perverted disciple.”

They “lived” in mansions across the street in L.A. It provided deniability. They couldn’t marry.  They could not present themselves as a couple. Yet, together, they created a world-class library — something really special.

Painted on the ceiling of the library vestibule are 14 different men, all naked, bearing Harrison’s face.  And it is 100 years old, this year. Its centennial.

When Will died, personal correspondence was destroyed, especially between Will and his father. And, of course, his partner. It created an “archival silence.”

The absence of evidence can be evidence.

Erasure is a thing.

What we know: When the Copper King died, he left a substantial fortune to his son. He was not disinherited.

Will named his gift to UCLA after his father, the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library —a testament to their relationship.

Will was a philanthropist, a bibliophile, and a patron of the arts. He was creative force in one of America’s greatest cities.

And, he was a gay man from Montana.

His story teaches us about how our gay siblings lived 100 years ago. And, today.

Queer history is our history. Montana history.

We just don’t tell it very well.

Sadly, erasure isn’t an historical artifact.

It’s happening again.

There is a recent Executive Order: “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” Really. I won’t even mention who signed it. You know.

New erasures. Anything perceived as disparaging or ideologically “improper.” To whom?

Materials about slavery, Native Americans, LGBTQ history, and climate change.  Gone.

The National Park Service stripped references to transgender people from its website for Stonewall, a place synonymous with gay rights.

A judge ordered materials restored.

What uncomfortable part of our history will they try to erase next?

What has disappeared without notice?

This year, UCLA is hosting a celebration, “Private Passions, Public Legacies:  William Andrews Clark Jr. and the Making of Los Angeles.”

That’s right.  UCLA is celebrating the contributions of a gay Montana man to the City of Los Angeles.  Check it out.

Our history is about more than dinosaurs, mining, and the Unabomber. It includes gay people, Native Americans, women,  immigrants, a few criminals, and Will Clark and Harrison Post.

Our history is important, even the parts that may be uncomfortable to some.

People tried to sanitize and erase Will Clark’s history. It didn’t work.

Embrace our history, learn from it.

Our history is a public trust.

You can’t erase it.  Don’t even try.