By Billie J Olson
In 1912, the legendary “Cowboy Artist” Charles M. Russell walked into the newly opened Elks Lodge in Great Falls, Montana, with a rolled- up canvas under his arm. He tossed it onto the bar, told the members “there you go,” and promptly ordered a beer. That canvas, an oil painting titled “The Exalted Ruler,” would become one of the most significant pieces of Western art in American history.
Russell, a member of Lodge 214, didn’t just paint a wildlife scene; he painted a fraternal roadmap. The central bull elk represents the Exalted Ruler (the Lodge President). To the right, a bull ascending the hill signifies the Leading Knight (the future leader), while an elk disappearing over the ridge represents the Past Exalted Ruler.
Perhaps most impressive was Russell’s “prognostication.” In 1912, the Elks was an all-male organization. Yet, Charlie painted a herd filled with female elk with focus on the three bull elk. Members today note that he clearly saw the writing on the wall, predicting the inclusive future of the Order nearly a century before it became a reality.
For seventy years, the painting hung near the Lodge’s front windows so passersby could enjoy it. However, its history took a dramatic turn in June 1982. During a late-night prank, members attempted to hang the painting upside down. The heavy frame slipped, crashing onto a table and chair and punching three holes through the canvas.
The incident caught the attention of insurance adjusters, who were stunned to find a multi-million dollar masterpiece in a local social club. After a meticulous restoration in Billings, the “Exalted Ruler” was moved to the C.M. Russell Museum for professional preservation.
In the 1990s, when the painting faced a potential $3 million sale that might have sent it out of state, the Great Falls community rallied. The “Inch for the Ruler” campaign allowed local schools, veterans, and businesses to “buy” the painting, one square inch at a time. They raised $1.2 million to keep the original in the museum permanently.
To ensure the Lodge wasn’t left empty- handed, artist JoAnn Flesch spent weeks at the museum, studying Russell’s original brushes and strokes to create a flawless reproduction. Today, her work hangs in the Lodge, a tribute to a community that refused to let its history walk away.