Many Glacier Hotel

How to Get There

From West Entrance (3.4 miles): Head northwest on Glacier Rte 1 Rd/Going-to-the-Sun Rd toward Grinnell Dr. Turn right to stay on Glacier Rte 1 Rd/Going-to-the-Sun Rd. Turn left onto US-89 N. Turn left onto Rte 3. Continue onto Many Glacier Entrance. Continue onto Rte 3. Turn left.

Overview

Many Glacier Hotel is a historic hotel located on the east shore of Swiftcurrent Lake in Glacier National Park. The building is designed as a series of chalets, up to four stories tall, and stretches for a substantial distance along the lakeshore. The building has a Swiss alpine theme both on the outside and on the inside. The foundation is made of stone, with a wood superstructure. The outside is finished with brown-painted wood siding, and the window framing and balconies have wood sawn in Swiss jigsawn patterns. On the inside, the four-story lobby is surrounded by balconies, whose railings are patterned after Swiss designs.

Construction began at Many Glacier Hotel in 1914 and was finished in just 1 year on July 4, 1915. The Great Northern Railway was establishing a series of hotels and backcountry chalets in the park and the Many Glacier Hotel was the "Gem of the West". This was part of an effort by Louis W. Hill, president of the Great Northern Railway and son of James J. Hill, to establish Glacier National Park as a destination resort and to promote the area as the "American Alps". To this end, Hill chose a Swiss chalet style for the hotels and chalets. The Glacier Park Lodge (previously known as the Glacier Park Hotel) and the Many Glacier Hotel were intended to be the core structures, while the chalets and campgrounds were sited in the backcountry within an easy day's ride or hike from one of the hotels or another chalet. The chalets were intended to entice visitors to leave the hotels and see the backcountry in a more rustic manner. These chalets were especially used during the early 1900s when the hotel first opened, and the main attraction in the park was horseback riding.

Current status

Today, the hotel still maintains its historic character. Most rooms either have views of Swiftcurrent Lake or the surrounding mountain scenery. The hotel is a contributing property in the National Historic Landmark, Great Northern Railway Buildings district. Many Glacier Hotel is a member of Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Many Glacier Hotel", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0