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| Louis Warren Hill, Sr. |
After the first transcontinental railroad was completed in
1869, there was phenomenal growth in railway development. Railroads began to connect the dots not only
from the Pacific to the Atlantic, but to destinations that would link people to
the wonders that lie inside our continent.
Louis Hill, president of The Great Northern Railway, saw the trend of
other railways being built to destinations such as Yellowstone National Park
and the Grand Canyon, and decided that he too wanted to bring passengers to a destination
unlike any other—to “The Crown of the Continent.”
Although the Great Northern Railway was a portal for
passengers to travel from the East to the West, there would be great need for
an extensive tourist development project in the Park in order for visitors to
move about the park. Glacier Park Lodge symbolized the entrance into Glacier
Park, connecting guests from the Great Northern Railway, and as the gateway
into the vast roads, trails, and vistas through the transportation of the red
buses. In March of 1912, work began on the Glacier
Park Hotel site. The building was inspired by the Forestry Building constructed
for the 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland, Oregon.
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| Construction of Glacier Park Lodge in 1913 |
The Great Northern commissioned Samuel L. Bartlett of St.
Paul, Minnesota as the architect for the Glacier Park Lodge, but Hill
controlled every major aspect of the design, having temporarily stepped down
from the presidency of the Great Northern to oversee the Glacier hotel projects. The
large 40-ft Douglas Fir trees used for the interior columns were transported by
train from the Pacific Northwest, where the 500-800 year-old trees were
harvested. The trees had to be imported because trees rarely grow to that size
in Montana.
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| 48ft-Colonades that were imported from the Pacific Northwest |
Glacier Park Hotel was originally built with 61 guest rooms,
beauty and barber shops, a plunge pool in the basement, steam heat, and few
private baths. Just one year after the
initial opening, in the winter of 1913-1914, the Great Northern Railway built
the Annex, now named the Great Northern Wing, adding 111 bedrooms. The nine
hole golf course was added in1928, becoming the first golf course in Montana. In 1960, the Great Northern Railway divested
itself of hotels and sold Glacier Park Lodge to Glacier Park, Inc., then
operated by Don Hummel. Hummel then sold Glacier Park, Inc. to Dial Corporation
in 1981. (VIAD Corp spun off from Dial in 1996)
On June 15th 1913, Glacier Park Hotel opened its
doors to the public for the first time, and guests began arriving to explore
the furthest reaches of Glacier National Park.
It wasn’t until a week later, on June 22nd, that a party was
thrown to celebrate the opening of the hotel.
The event entailed a free meal at the hotel, entertainment by local
Blackfeet, and dancing to music by the Kalispell Elks Club band. Exactly one hundred years later, (known now
as) Glacier Park Lodge, shared their centennial anniversary with the public in
similar fashion.
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| Hundreds gather for the rededication ceremony in the front lawn of GPL |
The rededication ceremony began in the front lawn of Glacier
Park Lodge, where the Flathead Valley Community Band greeted guests as they began
to trickle in from the lodge, buses, and their vehicles. The flag raising ceremony was performed by
four United States Veterans of War and the Star Spangled Banner was performed
by Darel H. Porter II, who is a porter for Glacier Park Lodge for over 20 years
and sings the Star Spangled every morning at the lodge. The “Welcome to Glacier Park Lodge” song was
performed by three prior Glacier Park Lodge employees circa the 1960s and 70s
and then Amy Croover, official from Senator Jon Tester’s office, spoke on his
behalf in sending his celebration wishes.
Joe Fassler, Board
Chairman for Glacier Park Inc.(GPI), and Ron Cadrette, Vice President of GPI, outlined
the history of the lodge over the last century. They also detailed the contributions that GPI
has made in order to create the same atmosphere and experience to the guests as
the first guests who walked through the doors 100 years ago. We were also joined by Jim Kipp, Blackfeet Member,
who then shared his words on the “Oral History of the Ceded Strip.”
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| Guests await to enter the Great Northern Dining Room |
The crowd was then welcomed to the Great Northern Dining
Room, where a complimentary barbeque lunch was being served and musical
entertainment was provided by Four Roses & a Thorn and a woodwind quintet. Other activities in the lodge included, Christine
Barnes, author of Glacier Park Lodge: Celebrating 100 Years, who offered book
signings in the lobby, old jammer stories were told at the fireplace, and historic
tours were provided around the property to guests. An edible cake replica of the lodge was
served in the lobby and BrassWerks soon followed with their performances.
A private dinner was offered to 155 guests who were served the
exact menu that was used in J.J. Hill’s seventy-fifth birthday party, held in
Glacier Park Hotel in September of 1913.
The menu included,“Going-to-the-Sun” canapés, mountain trout meuniere, parisienne
potatoes served with claret, Montana beef tenderloin with fresh mushrooms, and
stuffed bell peppers. While guests enjoyed their meals, Jack Gladstone,
Blackfeet Nation Singer and Poet, crooned the crowd with songs about American
Indian mythology and history.
Glacier Park Lodge’s Centennial Celebration marks the
beginning of a series of similar centennial celebrations for GPI. Next year, Lake McDonald Lodge will celebrate
their centennial and Many Glacier turns 100 in 2015. The National Park Service also celebrates
their centennial anniversary in 2016, when the Going-to-the-Sun road
reconstruction is projected to be completed.
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