Establishing the Park Around the turn of the century, people started to look at the land differently. Rather than just seeing the minerals they could mine or land to settle…
GLACIER PARK HISTORY TIMELINE
Early Human Habitation — 10,000 years
Evidence of human use in this area dates back to over 10,000 years. By the time the first European explorers came, several tribes inhabited the area. The Blackfeet Indians controlled the vast prairies east of the mountains, while the Salish and Kootenai tribes lived in the western valleys, traveling over the mountains in search of game and to hunt the great herds of buffalo on the eastern plains.
1800s Mountain Men
In the 1800s, mountain men were first westerners to arrive. Duncan McDonald carved his name on a tree by Lake McDonald (then Lake Terry) in 1878. People kept calling it McDonald’s Lake until the name was changed.
1900 Efforts to turn area into national park
By the late 1800s, influential leaders like George Bird Grinnell, pushed for the creation of a national park. In 1910, Grinnell and others saw their efforts rewarded when President Taft signed the bill establishing Glacier as the country’s 10th national park.
Late 1800s Adair Ranch and Store Established
The first store in the Glacier region was established by the Adair family, who would sell the store and their ranch property to the government in 1910 and establish the Polebridge Mercantile in 1912.
Late 1800s Smuggled Chinese
Smugglers brought Chinese from Canada over Flattop Mountain to the Lake McDonald area to work as laborers.
1912 Polebridge Mercantile
Having sold their first ranch and store to the government in 1910, the Adair Family built the Polebridge Mercantile in the North Fork. The historic building still stands and still overs explorers awesome baked goods and equipment.
1895 Snyder Hotel Established
Previously a base for fur trading, the Snyder Hotel was established for travelers. Lake McDonald Lodge now claims the site.
1882 Belton is established
First erected as a railroad survey crew camp.
1892 Apgar Village Established
Milo Apgar arrived near what would become Glacier Park pushing a two-wheeled cart containing all his belongings. Soon he’d built a few cabins, which he rent out. His operation grew and eventually became what is now Apgar Village.
1890s South Fork Ferry
In the 1890s, Columbia Falls established the first ferry to cross the South Fork of the Flathead River.
1890s: First North Fork Residents
By the late 1800s, a few people, mostly mountain men and those fleeing the law, began to take up residents in the North Fork area of what would become the Park.