National Historic Landmark

Many Glacier Hotel Historic District

Babb, Glacier County, Montana
Listed
September 28, 1976
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
76000173

About this property

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.

Location

Babb, Glacier County, Montana
48.79864, -113.65471

Categories

ARCHITECTUREPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTENTERTAINMENT/RECREATIONLANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURECOMMERCE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Many Glacier Barn and Bunkhouse
Industrial
0.5 mi
Swiftcurrent Ranger Station Historic District
Industrial
0.9 mi
Swiftcurrent Auto Camp Historic District
Listed
1 mi
Many Glacier Campground Camptender's Cabin
Industrial
1.1 mi
Sherburne Ranger Station Historic District
Industrial
3.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Many Glacier Hotel Historic District listed on the National Register?

Many Glacier Hotel Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 28, 1976.

What type of historic resource is Many Glacier Hotel Historic District?

Many Glacier Hotel Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Many Glacier Hotel Historic District a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Many Glacier Hotel Historic District has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Many Glacier Hotel Historic District?

The period of significance for Many Glacier Hotel Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Many Glacier Hotel Historic District?

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