Historian pens book on Glacier Park Lodge

Christine Barnes, author of the popular “Great Lodges of the National Parks,” the companion book to the PBS television series, released a smaller book this summer. “Glacier Park Lodge: Celebrating 100 Years” examines the history of the grand lodge in East Glacier Park.

Sparing no expense, Louis Hill, son of Great Northern Railway founder James J. Hill, brought in massive Douglas-fir timbers from the Pacific Northwest to build the great lodge. He employed a core crew of 75 men who worked through the seasons to complete the sprawling lodge in 15 months. Over the ensuing years, the lodge welcomed guests from around the world, including movie stars, presidents and other dignitaries.

“Louis Hill fell in love with the region that would become Glacier National Park,” Barnes said. “He built Glacier Park Lodge on the east side of the park as his Gateway to Glacier.”

When first proposed, the Glacier Park Lodge was estimated to cost from $100,000 to $200,000 to construct. It ended up costing four times that amount. Shortly after the 61-room was completed, Louis Hill ordered an expansion, adding a four-story annex and 111 more rooms. Hill, a hands-on manager, once ordered an eagle his son had shot to be stuffed and mounted in the lodge’s grand lobby.

Barnes writes in a lively style complemented by an abundance of rich color photographs and intriguing historical images. A former newspaper editor and graduate of Northwestern University, she is a two-time winner of the Benjamin Franklin Award for best history book.

Softcover, “Glacier Park Lodge” is available at local bookstores and gift shops or from Farcountry Press by calling 1-800-821-3874 or online at www.farcountrypress.com.