We've always been fond of the Craftsman era lodges. This was a time when the west was really being promoted by the railroads, and the land developers.Some of the western lodges were built before that time, but all have a unique, luxurious feel to them. The logs used to build them are larger than you will ever see after that era, there is more hand crafted work involved. . . carvings on bannisters, evenly paired, but natural, forked limbs used as supports, that sort of thing. The three lodges we visited in Glacier all are good examples of that period.
On the west side of Glacier, on the northwest shore of Lake McDonald is the beautiful McDonald lodge.
Charlie Russell, the famous western artist, had a cabin at the side of this lake. He named it Bullhead Lodge.
He and his wife entertained other artists and interesting people of the time here, and he and his wife often dined at McDonald lodge with their friends. He would sit and tell stories by the hour, they say. For this reason, the dining room is now the "Russell Dining Room".
The lodge has a definite western/wildlife/Native American tone, judging by the artworks hanging in the hallways and by the decor in the lobby.
The motifs on the lamp shades, hanging above the seating area in the lobby, are Native American, and the mounted heads of local wildlife, interspaced between western themed paintings really set the atmosphere.
The lodge is one of the locations from which the red 'jammer buses' leave, and there was one loading passengers just as we arrived, so we were able to chat with the driver.
She informed us that the fleet of "jammers" consists of 33 busses, all fully restored, and with new natural gas engines. The Ford Motor company restored them as a gift to the park. It seemed like everywhere we went we ran into several of them, so they must all be in use every day.
On our way to the second half of our stay we took Highway 2 southeast around the southern end of the park and through the settlement of East Glacier (which is actually outside the park), past the elegant Glacier Park Lodge.
This one of the grandest lodges of the era, and has extensive grounds that are beautifully maintained. It overlooks the train station, where many of it's guests arrive.
The lodge was built in 1913 by the Glacier Park Company, a subsidiary of the Great Northern Railway. It was the first of a series of hotels built in and near Glacier National Park by the Great Northern to house visitors brought to the park by the railroad. The connection with the railway is carried over in the decor and the uniform of the bell hops - they dress like old fashioned train engineers, in striped coveralls!
The grounds of the lodge are beautiful, with lush gardens and flowers in bloom everywhere. The interior of the lodge displays Native American themed art, amazing woodwork, and a general air of elegance.
Charlie Russell, the famous western artist, had a cabin at the side of this lake. He named it Bullhead Lodge.
He and his wife entertained other artists and interesting people of the time here, and he and his wife often dined at McDonald lodge with their friends. He would sit and tell stories by the hour, they say. For this reason, the dining room is now the "Russell Dining Room".The lodge has a definite western/wildlife/Native American tone, judging by the artworks hanging in the hallways and by the decor in the lobby.
The motifs on the lamp shades, hanging above the seating area in the lobby, are Native American, and the mounted heads of local wildlife, interspaced between western themed paintings really set the atmosphere.
The lodge is one of the locations from which the red 'jammer buses' leave, and there was one loading passengers just as we arrived, so we were able to chat with the driver.She informed us that the fleet of "jammers" consists of 33 busses, all fully restored, and with new natural gas engines. The Ford Motor company restored them as a gift to the park. It seemed like everywhere we went we ran into several of them, so they must all be in use every day.
On our way to the second half of our stay we took Highway 2 southeast around the southern end of the park and through the settlement of East Glacier (which is actually outside the park), past the elegant Glacier Park Lodge.
This one of the grandest lodges of the era, and has extensive grounds that are beautifully maintained. It overlooks the train station, where many of it's guests arrive. The lodge was built in 1913 by the Glacier Park Company, a subsidiary of the Great Northern Railway. It was the first of a series of hotels built in and near Glacier National Park by the Great Northern to house visitors brought to the park by the railroad. The connection with the railway is carried over in the decor and the uniform of the bell hops - they dress like old fashioned train engineers, in striped coveralls!
The grounds of the lodge are beautiful, with lush gardens and flowers in bloom everywhere. The interior of the lodge displays Native American themed art, amazing woodwork, and a general air of elegance.
On the East side of Glacier, at the end of a rather rough 12 mile drive, is the grand Many Glacier Hotel.
This alpine style lodge has a beautiful setting on Swiftcurrent Lake.
It must be the setting that inspired it, as the theme here is less wildlife and Native American, and more alpine influence. The feeling is a bit different as this lodge is more remote, and everyone moves a bit slower that in other areas of the park. The lobby area is smaller than that of Glacier Park Lodge, but still very beautiful and comfortable. The view of beautiful Swiftcurrent Lake helps! This lodge is arranged in a long, somewhat curved configuration to take full advantage of the lake front exposure, and a panorama shot was the only way to capture it.
A short distance from the lodge the road crosses Swiftcurrent creek, which soon turns into a fairly impressive waterfall on the opposite side of the road. It's a beautiful area, and a peaceful setting for a very comfortable and unique lodge.Several very unique design features caught my eye. Among them, the artwork around a series of windows, custom carpet in the main lobby is another. It was a unique pattern of pine branches and cones.
The wonderful thing about visiting all these lodges is that the are all open to the public whether you are staying as a guest or just visiting the area. Everyone can enjoy the undique art and ambiance. We certainly did!
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