 Our Historic Wooden Boats | |
Boats played a significant part in the development of Glacier. As far back as the first decade of this century, ferry service on Lake McDonald connected camps at the head of the lake with the train at West Glacier and other services at Apgar. Great Northern Railway spared no expense when developing "America's Little Switzerland." Their idea of "Seeing America First" was one that they plunged into with an eye toward the classic luxury that travelers from the East were accustomed to in the early 1900's. Their tours included every sort of transportation available in that day. People rode out from the East on the Great Northern train, rode horseback throughout the Park, stayed at the spectacular chalets and lodges, and took tours on the wooden boats. To this day, the boat tours remain an integral part of the Park experience. | |
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J. W. Swanson was a renowned builder of wooden boats in the nearby Flathead Valley. He prided himself on his fine craftsmanship and attention to detail. Many of "Cap" Swanson's creations floated the waters of Flathead Lake, as well as the lakes of Glacier Park. Great Northern Railway commissioned Swanson to build several of the boats that Glacier Park Boat Co. now owns and operates. |
| The Little Chief and the Sinopah are sisters built in 1925 and 1926. They are both 45 feet long and will carry 49 passengers. Little Chief is
currently in service on St. Mary Lake. The Sinopah has been on Two Medicine Lake since her launch in 1927. The DeSmet was built in 1930 and launched on Lake McDonald where she still runs today. She is 57 feet long, carries 80 passengers, and has never left Lake McDonald. In 1945, Swanson joined Art Burch in Kalispell to build the 45-foot Morning Eagle which operates on Lake Josephine in the Many Glacier area of the Park. Rounding out our fleet of wooden boats is the Chief Two Guns, a 45-foot, 49 passenger vessel, which plies the waters of Swiftcurrent Lake at Many Glacier. Chief Two Guns was built in 1961 by Glacier Park Boat Builders. All of our boats spend the winter in boat houses built specifically for them on their respective lakes. In most cases, the boats are winched into their boathouses on the same wooden cradle on the same narrow rail tracks the "Cap" Swanson and Art Burch used 3 generations ago.
For more interesting information about the historic people and places of Glacier National Park. We suggest these Web sites: | |
Many Glacier - Lake McDonald - St. Mary Lake - Two Medicine - Apgar
| Glacier Park Boat Co. P.O. Box 5262 Kalispell, MT 59903 (406) 257-2426 E-mail: info@glacierparkboats.com Boat Tours & Rentals |
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