Building Glacier National Park

Oil on Barnwood
46″ x 19″
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Petersen Ranch
The only clue to the scene in the photograph is the hand-written words on its back, “Taking boiler across McDonald Lake. G.N.P.”

The area was heavily forested. In fact, White Fish was known as “Stump Town,” for one had to drive one’s vehicle over tree stumps which were left in lieu of a normal road. To get a large piece of equipment, such as this boiler needed for the construction of one of the park buildings took a Herculean effort. Waiting until McDonald Lake was frozen, building a giant sled on which the equipment could ride, pulling the sled across the lake with work horses and man power was a brilliant solution, an American solution.

In 1895 the Blackfeet sold what is now the eastern slope of the park to the federal government for $1.5 million. The Great Northern Railway wanted to develop tourism to the area designated as Glacier National Park in 1910 by President Taft, but there were no roads into the area. Consequently they spent $1.5 million to build a series of huge lodges and chalets, along with camping sites. These structures were one-day horse rides apart, and the Great Northern created a one week’s vacation itinerary utilizing them. It is probably likely this boiler was the heating furnace for one of these fine buildings.

Alternately, this boiler may have supplied heat for the famous Lake McDonald Lodge, located at the end of the lake. It was built in 1914, and supposedly Charles Russell, who had a cabin nearby, created the pictographs around the lodge’s fireplace.

Its exact usage probably never will be known, but from this painting, we can truly appreciate the monumental task of carving out Glacier National Park and take pride in its accomplishment.