Glacier Park Company
Encyclopedia
The Glacier Park Company, a subsidiary
of the Great Northern Railway (GN), constructed and operated hotels, chalets, and other visitor facilities in Glacier National Park, Montana
and Waterton Lakes National Park
, Alberta
from the 1910s through 1960. Operating as a concessionaire of the National Park Service
, the company operated from a summer base in East Glacier Park, Montana
, near the company's flagship Glacier Park Hotel
; winter headquarters were in St. Paul, Minnesota. Originally known as the Glacier Park Hotel Company, the corporate name was shortened to Glacier Park Company in 1943.
During the early years of the Glacier Park Company's operation, its facilities were primarily geared to serve tourists who arrived in Glacier on the Great Northern's passenger trains, which stopped at a station adjacent to Glacier Park Hotel. From there, horse and motorcoach tours connected to the company's other hotels and chalets. The largest of the company's facilities was the Many Glacier Hotel
, which opened in 1915. The landmark Prince of Wales Hotel
in Waterton was completed in 1927, and in 1930 the company was contracted to operate the privately-constructed Lake McDonald Hotel
.
The hotels were supplemented by a network of smaller lodging complexes called "chalets," some accessible only by trail. A total of nine such properties were constructed during the 1910s, four of which survive today in whole or part: the Belton Chalets
, Sperry Chalet
, Granite Park Chalet
and the Two Medicine Store
. Two additional locations, Swiftcurrent and Rising Sun
, were developed in the 1930s and 1940s to serve Glacier's increasing numbers of automobile travelers.
After the 1960 operating season, the company's Glacier and Waterton operations were sold to Don Hummel
, a Tucson, Arizona
businessman who formed "Glacier Park, Inc." to operate the concessions.
The Glacier Park Company continued to exist as a real estate subsidiary of the Great Northern, and later the GN's corporate successor Burlington Northern
. As of 1990, it was a subsidiary of Burlington Resources
.
The company is now a wholly owned subsidiary of ConocoPhillips
.
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
of the Great Northern Railway (GN), constructed and operated hotels, chalets, and other visitor facilities in Glacier National Park, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
and Waterton Lakes National Park
Waterton Lakes National Park
Waterton Lakes National Park is a national park located in the southwest corner of Alberta, Canada, and borders Glacier National Park in Montana, USA. Waterton was Canada's fourth national park, formed in 1895 and named after Waterton Lake, in turn after the Victorian naturalist and conservationist...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
from the 1910s through 1960. Operating as a concessionaire of the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
, the company operated from a summer base in East Glacier Park, Montana
East Glacier Park Village, Montana
East Glacier Park is a census-designated place in Glacier County, Montana, United States. The population was 396 at the 2000 census.-Geography:East Glacier Park is located at ....
, near the company's flagship Glacier Park Hotel
Glacier Park Lodge
Glacier Park Lodge is located just outside the boundaries of Glacier National Park in the village of East Glacier Park, Montana, United States. The lodge was built in 1913 by the Glacier Park Company, a subsidiary of the Great Northern Railway...
; winter headquarters were in St. Paul, Minnesota. Originally known as the Glacier Park Hotel Company, the corporate name was shortened to Glacier Park Company in 1943.
During the early years of the Glacier Park Company's operation, its facilities were primarily geared to serve tourists who arrived in Glacier on the Great Northern's passenger trains, which stopped at a station adjacent to Glacier Park Hotel. From there, horse and motorcoach tours connected to the company's other hotels and chalets. The largest of the company's facilities was the Many Glacier Hotel
Many Glacier Hotel
Many Glacier Hotel is a historic hotel located within Glacier National Park, on the east shore of Swiftcurrent Lake. 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...
, which opened in 1915. The landmark Prince of Wales Hotel
Prince of Wales Hotel
The Prince of Wales Hotel is located in Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada, overlooking Upper Waterton Lake, near the Canada-United States border. Constructed between 1926 and 1927, the hotel was built by the American Great Northern Railway to lure American tourists during the...
in Waterton was completed in 1927, and in 1930 the company was contracted to operate the privately-constructed Lake McDonald Hotel
Lake McDonald Lodge
Lake McDonald Lodge is a historic lodge located within Glacier National Park, on the southeast shore of Lake McDonald. The lodge is a -story structure built in a Swiss chalet style based on Kirtland Cutter's design. The foundation and first floor walls are built of stone, with a wood-frame...
.
The hotels were supplemented by a network of smaller lodging complexes called "chalets," some accessible only by trail. A total of nine such properties were constructed during the 1910s, four of which survive today in whole or part: the Belton Chalets
Belton Chalets
The Belton Chalets are a group of historic hotel buildings in the village of West Glacier, Montana, near the western entrance to Glacier National Park. The chalet buildings were built in 1910-11 by the Great Northern Railway as the first component of the railroad's ambitious program of hotel,...
, Sperry Chalet
Sperry Chalet
Sperry Chalet is located about seven miles east of Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana. The chalet was built in 1914 by the Great Northern Railway and is a National Historic Landmark contributing property, being one of five structures in the Great Northern Railway...
, Granite Park Chalet
Granite Park Chalet
Granite Park Chalet is located in the heart of Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana. The chalet was built in 1914 by the Great Northern Railway and is a National Historic Landmark contributing property, being one of five structures in the...
and the Two Medicine Store
Two Medicine Store
Two Medicine Store, formerly part of Two Medicine Chalet, is a historic building in Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana. The chalet was originally built in 1914 by the Glacier Park Company, a subsidiary of the Great Northern Railway, as part of the railway's extensive program of...
. Two additional locations, Swiftcurrent and Rising Sun
Rising Sun (Montana)
Rising Sun is located along the Going-to-the-Sun Road, from the east entrance into Glacier National Park, Montana, U.S.. Rising Sun is a wayside area that has a National Park Service campground, and a camp store, restaurant, motel and guest cabins which are managed by the park's concessionaire...
, were developed in the 1930s and 1940s to serve Glacier's increasing numbers of automobile travelers.
After the 1960 operating season, the company's Glacier and Waterton operations were sold to Don Hummel
Don Hummel
Don Hummel was an American businessman and politician. Don Hummel served as the mayor of Tucson, Arizona from 1955 through 1961, where he is remembered for pushing an aggressive annexation program that helped encourage the city's rapid growth...
, a Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
businessman who formed "Glacier Park, Inc." to operate the concessions.
The Glacier Park Company continued to exist as a real estate subsidiary of the Great Northern, and later the GN's corporate successor Burlington Northern
Burlington Northern Railroad
The Burlington Northern Railroad was a United States-based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1996....
. As of 1990, it was a subsidiary of Burlington Resources
Burlington Resources
Burlington Resources, was an American oil and gas company. Their headquarters were in Houston, Texas. The company was acquired by ConocoPhillips in 2006....
.
The company is now a wholly owned subsidiary of ConocoPhillips
ConocoPhillips
ConocoPhillips Company is an American multinational energy corporation with its headquarters located in the Energy Corridor district of Houston, Texas in the United States...
.