You Can Schedule a Presentation by Rick Just For Your Group

In-person or online presentations typically last about an hour, including questions. Rick charges $100 plus travel (if outside of the Treasure Valley). Call or text 208-362-9892 or send an email. 

• The Morrisite War and its Effect on Early Settlement in Idaho
  In 1863 a small group of impoverished immigrants came into the newly formed Idaho Territory under military escort. They had recently been on the losing side of the Morrisite War in Utah, a three-day siege with religious overtones. Their spiritual leader, Joseph Morris, and several of his flock were killed. The destitute Morrisites settled in a place of promise along the Oregon Trail near a famous carbonated water spring. Rick Just, a descendent of those Morrisites, will tell the little known story of the Morrisite War and how it became the defining moment for many pioneer Idaho families

Idaho's State Park System: An Accidental Treasure
In 1908, Idaho’s first state park was created by an Act of Congress. It was named for Sen. Weldon B. Heyburn, who famously said “[state parks] are always a subject of political embarrassment.” This presentation traces the roots of the system from the Harriman Alaska Expedition in 1899, through the war years of the Farragut Naval Training Station, to the brilliant gift deed Gov. Robert E. Smylie arranged with Roland and Averell Harriman to create a dedicated park agency resulting in today’s system of 30 state parks.

Idaho Snapshots: Historical Vignettes 
Rick produced the official radio series celebrating Idaho's Centennial. This talk is based on that series and more recent research. No two presentations are alike, because they are based on the preferences of the host. Choose 12 to 15 readings from dozens of topics ranging from the Bear Lake Monster to Mary Hallock Foote. Many of the topics are illustrated with historic pictures. 

Marking History
Quirky Idaho monuments and gravestones and the stories behind them. This presentation will take the audience from the border graves of people who did not want to be buried in Idaho to the new gravestone of a black man who made Idaho voting history, with stops along the way to learn about Betsy Ross, the native American woman who kicked off the first gold rush in the territory, a notorious but beloved drunk, and a monument to a massacre that did not take place. Note: This presentation can be scheduled through the Idaho Humanities Council. 

Fearless: Farris Lind, the Man Behind the Skunk
Rick Just wrote the biography of Idaho's quirkiest gas station marketer. Learn the daring days of Lind's youth, his service as a fighter pilot instructor in WWII, his crash-plagued crop-duster business, and all about his famous Stinker signs. His marketing genius was behind the signs going up. A First Lady was behind their demise. Farris Lind was a rough and tumble man until polio put him in an iron lung. He ran Idaho's most successful gas station chain for 20 years after becoming a quadriplegic, winning a national award from the president. 

Symbolic Idaho
Idaho has 17 state symbols, from an official state dance to a long-extinct horse. When were they created? Why? Who keeps coming up with these? We're on the low end for state symbols, with some states claiming 60 or more. Rick will walk you through the creation of each, including the one where he played a minor role. He'll also make a case for adding one more symbol: a shark!

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