11 Most Endangered
Historic Structures in Glacier National Park
Year Listed: 1996
Location: Montana
Current Status: Favorable
Threat: Deterioration, Neglect
In the early 1900s, the Great Northern Railway built a series of high-country chalets and sprawling hotels to lure visitors to the Glacier National Park. Among these getaways were the Sperry and Granite Park Chalets which were popular until they were forced to close in 1992 when significant deterioration and infrastructure problems made them unsafe for continued public use. And while the Many Glacier Hotel is still in service, it will be forced to close its doors for the same reasons. These three National Historic Landmarks were emblematic of the larger issue at Glacier and other national parks nationwide. Tight budgets, increasing demands on park staff and changing priorities have resulted in little or no maintenance of historic structures. As a result, the sites are left to rot, become safety hazards, are then closed to the public and eventually lost entirely.
Update
A new park General Management Plan, completed in 1999, places the preservation of Glacier’s cultural resources on par with the preservation of its natural resources. The Many Glacier Hotel and Granite Park and Sperry Chalets have reaped the benefits of this plan. Three phases of the Many Glacier Hotel exterior rehabilitation that addressed the buildings most immediate needs were substantially completed in 2005. The interior rehabilitation is in progress. Shortly after the Granite Park and Sperry Chalets were closed to the public in 1992 they underwent a $5 million rehabilitation and now provide a hiker shelter and full-service lodging, respectively. Of the Park’s 334 historic buildings 38% have been evaluated to be in good condition, more than double the 16.5% in 1998.
