Historical NoteMajestic Glacier National Park soars high up in the Rocky Mountains, on Montana's border with Canada. 20,000 years ago, the park's namesake glaciers covered the entirety of the park, for a period of almost 10,000 years. For thousands of years after the glaciers began to recede, people of the Blackfeet, Salish, Pend d'Oreille, and Kootenai tribes called the lands of the park home. European trappers arrived in the park in the 18th century. By the close of the 19th century, the Great Northern Railway had constructed a route just south of the park, opening the area up to curious tourists. Great Northern sponsored the construction of Swiss-style lodges in the area, including the Many Glacier Hotel. The tireless efforts and advocacy of leaders such as George Bird Grinnell were rewarded in 1910 when Glacier was formally established as the nation's 10th national park. In 1932, Canada and the United States jointly designated Glacier and Waterton Lakes park as Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park and World Heritage Site.
About Our CollectionsThe Montana History Portal website contains collections from institutions all over the state of Montana. We have gathered hundreds of items to use on the Glacier National Park exhibit page. A significant portion of this content comes from our collaboration with Glacier National Park Archives, and the University of Montana, but we also recognize the dozens of other Montana institutions that have provided invaluable content on this important national park. Please be aware that other items in our online collections may contain small or tangential references to the park – we encourage you to use our powerful search feature to discover them.Contributing InstitutionBillings Public LibraryC.M. Russell MuseumGlacier National Park ArchivesGrant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic SiteMontana Historical Society Research CenterUniversity of Montana Mansfield Library
!["Chief Two Guns" sightseeing launch on Swiftcurrent Lake, Grinnell Point in background](/img/placeholder.gif?1692060699 ""Chief Two Guns" sightseeing launch on Swiftcurrent Lake, Grinnell Point in background")
