St. Mary Lodge History

St Mary Lodge & Resort, has played an interesting role shaping Glacier National Park history. St Mary Lodge & Resort got its start back in the 1920's when the proprietors, Hugh and Margaret Black, met for the first time in Glacier National Park. Hugh had moved to the area from Michigan and found work as a seasonal ranger, fighting forest fires and helping with early park development. Margaret James came to Glacier in 1928 as the Executive Secretary for the Park Company, which was then owned by the Great Northern Railroad. This beautiful lady met the dashing and handsome ranger, and a budding romance quickly developed.

The couple married in 1932 and together started St. Mary Lodge and Resort (the original name). He obtained a lease on the property with $1,000 and a month's paycheck, and immediately began building one-room cabins as fast as he possibly could. They even went so far as to rent the cabins at noon while the carpenters were still working on them, hoping to have them ready for guests that evening. Meanwhile, Margaret played a major role in the operation of their first restaurant, The Curly Bear Café, while also taking care of all the bookwork for the rapidly growing operation.    

Development continued, then almost shut down completely when World War II gas shortages all but stopped visitor traffic in the park. To make ends meet, Hugh supplemented the resort's income by running cattle and cutting ice from frozen lakes for the Great Northern Railroad. This ice was used on hot summer days to keep products cool, prior to the advent of the refrigerated car.    

The Lodge resumed growth, and was remodeled in 1975 with the addition of a lounge area and gift shop. In 1989, the restaurant was expanded and remodeled to what you see today. A number of impressive renovations have taken place since then, including the addition of dozens of luxury rooms, suites and cottages, a lobby expansion and more. In all, the resort has certainly earned its reputation as "superior to the other facilities in and around any of the National Parks" as noted by The New York Times.    

St Mary Lodge & Resort is located within the Blackfeet Indian Nation, which is comprised of approximately 7,500 members. The Tribe has inhabited the areas now known as the State of Montana and the province of Alberta for hundreds of years.