Although he didn’t coin the phrase, Horace Greeley popularized it in the 1860s:

"GO WEST, YOUNG MAN, GO WEST"

And people did, both men and women. They headed there to homestead, to look for gold and silver, and, eventually, to become movie stars! To those heading west, it seemed to be a place where dreams would come true.

Today there’s no land left to homestead, gold and silver are no longer easy to find, and movie stardom isn’t always in the cards. But, the West continues to hold fascination. It’s a place where a photographer – young or old – can go to enjoy the open spaces, revel in the scenery, and stop occasionally to press the shutter. That’s what this exhibit is about.

The images are not from any particular state or national park. Rather, they cover a broad region known as the Intermountain West, the area west of the Rockies and east of the Sierra Nevadas and Cascades. Although most are landscapes, some include people or show the impact of western life.

If you’ve never headed west, I hope this inspires you to travel there. If you’ve been there once, twice, or dozens of times, I hope these images bring back fond memories of your travels.