Located 10 miles
inside Glacier National Park 's west entrance on the
Going-to-the-Sun Road, Lake McDonald lodge is nestled on the shore
of the park's largest water basin. Tranquility is the key word whether staying
in the lodge, rustic yet comfortable cottages or in the motor inn rooms.
Lake McDonald Lodge is a
historic lodge located within Glacier National Park, on the
northeast shore of Lake McDonald. The lodge is a three and a half
story structure built in a Swiss chalet style. The first floor walls
are built of stone, with a wood frame superstructure. The central
lobby is a large, open space that extends to the third story. It has
a massive fireplace and a concrete floor scored in a flagstone
pattern, with messages in several Indian languages inscribed into
it.
The lodge was built in 1913 by John Lewis, a land speculator from
Columbia Falls, Montana. He bought the land and had the hotel built
during a period when the Great Northern Railway was building other
hotels and backcountry chalets, including Many Glacier Hotel,
Granite Park Chalet, Sperry Chalet, and Two Medicine Store. This
movement was part of a trend by railroads during that time to build
destination resorts in areas of exceptional scenic value. Railroads
wanted to attract tourists and create resorts that were equal to the
scenery, and private operators like John Lewis had to build equally
impressive facilities in order to keep up.
In 1930, the Great Northern Railway acquired the hotel through its
subsidiary, the Glacier Park Hotel Company. Today, the lodge
maintains its historic character. The hotel also includes a number
of small cottages located nearby, as well as a motor inn. In 1987
the main lodge was listed as a National Historic Landmark.
