Many Glacier Hotel

Many Glacier Hotel Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark District Contributing Property
Many Glacier Hotel in 2019
Nearest city	Babb, Montana
Coordinates	48°47′48.53″N 113°39′27.95″W
Built	1914
Architect	Thomas D. McMahon
MPS	Glacier National Park MRA (AD)
NRHP reference No.	76000173
Added to NRHP	September 29, 1976

Many Glacier Hotel is a historic hotel located on the east shore of Swiftcurrent Lake in Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana. 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 sawed in Swiss jigsawed 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.

History

This hotel was first built in 1914 near Glacier National Park. It was closed due to COVID-19 in 2020. It opened again on June 4, 2021. This hotel includes 2 suites, 7 family rooms and 205 guest rooms offering lakeside, deluxe, standard and value lodging options. All of the rooms have private bathrooms, telephones, king and queen beds or standard double or twin beds. Guest and hotel facilities are all non-smoking.

See also

• List of Historic Hotels of America
• Lake McDonald Lodge at West Glacier, Montana within Glacier National Park
• Prince of Wales Hotel within Waterton Lakes National Park

References

• "Many Glacier Hotel Historic Structure Report" (PDF). National Park Service. July 2002. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
• "Many Glacier Hotel". Glacier Park Inc. 2011. Archived from the original on October 5, 2011. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
• Harrison, Laura Soullière (1986). "Great Northern Railway Buildings". National Park Service: Architecture in the Parks. National Park Service. Archived from the original on October 10, 2012. Retrieved April 21, 2006.