The Lake McDonald area in what is now Glacier National Park was a tourist destination long before the national park was created. In 1895, George Snyder constructed his Snyder Hotel on the shore of the lake. Since there were no roads along the lake, tourists would travel to Apgar at the foot of the lake and then by steamboat to the hotel.
In 1906, George Snyder sold his Glacier House hotel on Lake McDonald to John E. and Olive Lewis who owned the Gaylord Hotel in nearby Columbia Falls, Montana as well as the J.E. Lewis Fur Company which traded with local trappers and Indians. There are a number of different stories about the transfer of the deed. According to one version, Snyder had gotten drunk and lost the hotel to Lewis in a poker game. In another version, Snyder had simply gotten tired of the isolation of Lake McDonald and had sold the facility to Lewis for $1,500. The Lewises renamed the facility the Glacier Hotel.
In 1910, Glacier National Park was created which included Lake McDonald. The Great Northern Railway, which had advocated the formation of the park, created a subsidiary company, the Glacier Park Hotel Company, to build an extensive network of hotels and chalets in the Park. This meant that the Lewises’ rather austere Glacier Hotel would have to compete against the new hotels operated by the railway. In order to compete, they hired a prominent architect from Spokane, Washington, Kirtland Cutter, to design a new, Swiss-inspired hotel. One hundred years ago, on June 14, 1914, the Lake McDonald Lodge opened with a gala event attended by 500 people.
![photo DSCN3829_zps0fe1d1f1.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/DSCN3829_zps0fe1d1f1.jpg)
Shown above is the 1914 opening of the Lodge. The exterior featured balconies, clipped gables, and log columns. The interior of the Lodge featured massive cedar logs, a large stone fireplace, and gnarled log handrails. Much of the wood used in the construction of the facility was logged from the local area. It is generally reported the Louis Hill and his Great Northern Railway were not pleased at having a fine hotel in the park which they did not own. However, the Great Northern brochures promoting Glacier National Park mentioned the hotel as a stopover between Belton and Sperry Chalets.
Originally, guests arrived at the Lodge by boat, but with the opening of the Going-to-the-Sun Road in 1932, guests began arriving at the backdoor. The architect had intended the rear of the hotel to be used as a staff entrance and so the Lewises added balconies on the back and changed the lobby to accommodate the automobile tourists.
The Lewises eventually sold the hotel and the surrounding property to another subsidiary of the Great Northern Railway in 1930 for $275,000. The railway then sold the hotel and property to the National Park Service for half of their purchase price and a twenty-year lease on the property.
Between 1956 and 1966, the National Park Service, as a part of their Mission 66 program, upgraded and improved visitor facilities within the park. The National Park Service advocated the demolition of the Lake McDonald Lodge so that it could be replaced with modern motel units. However, Glacier Park, Inc., the concessioner resisted and as a result the interior of the Lodge was remodeled.
![photo DSCN3867_zpsac9c0eb3.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/DSCN3867_zpsac9c0eb3.jpg)
![photo DSCN3861_zps85612fea.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/DSCN3861_zps85612fea.jpg)
The Lodge:
![photo DSCN3812_zpsf5de1db1.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/DSCN3812_zpsf5de1db1.jpg)
![photo DSCN3854_zps6a9c7d5a.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/DSCN3854_zps6a9c7d5a.jpg)
![photo DSCN3819_zps34d96e40.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/DSCN3819_zps34d96e40.jpg)
![photo DSCN3816_zps78bbd0df.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/DSCN3816_zps78bbd0df.jpg)
![photo DSCN3821_zps5de45526.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/DSCN3821_zps5de45526.jpg)
![photo DSCN3822_zps0409fc8e.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/DSCN3822_zps0409fc8e.jpg)
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![photo DSCN3825_zps6ed0914f.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/DSCN3825_zps6ed0914f.jpg)
![photo DSCN3832_zps304992e5.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/DSCN3832_zps304992e5.jpg)
Pictographs around the fireplace:
The pictographs around the fireplace were done by noted artist Charles Russell who had a cabin on Lake McDonald. The pictographs illustrate a Blackfoot legend.
![photo DSCN3830_zps8735d8b0.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/Pictographs/DSCN3830_zps8735d8b0.jpg)
![photo DSCN3831_zps1961311b.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/Pictographs/DSCN3831_zps1961311b.jpg)
![photo DSCN3833_zpsa8e8b725.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/Pictographs/DSCN3833_zpsa8e8b725.jpg)
![photo DSCN3834_zpsa0ae7718.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/Pictographs/DSCN3834_zpsa0ae7718.jpg)
The Cabins:
Shortly after acquiring the hotel, the Lewises constructed 13 cabins to the north of the hotel. These cabins are still in use.
![photo DSCN3838_zps75f39349.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/Cabins/DSCN3838_zps75f39349.jpg)
![photo DSCN3841_zps8cd46c00.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/Cabins/DSCN3841_zps8cd46c00.jpg)
![photo DSCN3842_zpsa34e56f4.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/Cabins/DSCN3842_zpsa34e56f4.jpg)
![photo DSCN3843_zps7abffa60.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/Cabins/DSCN3843_zps7abffa60.jpg)
The Creekside Reading Room:
Located just across Snyder Creek from the Lodge, the Creekside Reading Room provides a space for relaxing and has many historic photographs of the Lodge.
![photo DSCN3875_zps5b3d42cc.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/Reading%20Room/DSCN3875_zps5b3d42cc.jpg)
![photo DSCN3857_zpsc97a002c.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/Reading%20Room/DSCN3857_zpsc97a002c.jpg)
![photo DSCN3869_zpsde214ffa.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/Reading%20Room/DSCN3869_zpsde214ffa.jpg)
![photo DSCN3871_zps14c32a59.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/Reading%20Room/DSCN3871_zps14c32a59.jpg)
![photo DSCN3874_zpsbf2ed213.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/Reading%20Room/DSCN3874_zpsbf2ed213.jpg)
The Auditorium:
The National Park Service uses the auditorium for its evening programs.
![photo DSCN3683_zps5dbfc1b6.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/DSCN3683_zps5dbfc1b6.jpg)
![photo DSCN3686_zpsb4a0695f.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/DSCN3686_zpsb4a0695f.jpg)
![photo DSCN3689_zpsbb56d2fa.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/DSCN3689_zpsbb56d2fa.jpg)
Shown above is Blackfeet singer, poet, and songwriter Jack Gladstone preparing for a concert on the 30th anniversary of the Native America Speaks series.
The Grounds:
![photo DSCN3880_zps8c5d7e2b.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/DSCN3880_zps8c5d7e2b.jpg)
![photo DSCN3881_zps403b0061.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/DSCN3881_zps403b0061.jpg)
![photo DSCN3681_zps0f15afec.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/DSCN3681_zps0f15afec.jpg)
![photo DSCN3813_zpsf620fe73.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/DSCN3813_zpsf620fe73.jpg)
![photo DSCN3879_zps38341c79.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/DSCN3879_zps38341c79.jpg)
The Jammers:
In 1914 Louis Hill made arrangements with the White Motor Company to provide bus services in the park. The red jammers which transport tourists in the park today were originally built by White and more recently upgraded by Ford. The jammers now run on propane to reduce the carbon footprint in the park.
![photo DSCN3668_zps23ba8339.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/DSCN3668_zps23ba8339.jpg)
![photo DSCN3670_zpsdb9039f0.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/DSCN3670_zpsdb9039f0.jpg)
![photo DSCN3671_zpsd952606e.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Glacier%202014/Lake%20McD%20Lodge/DSCN3671_zpsd952606e.jpg)