Historic Photos from Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park, along with its neighbour Yoho, were both established at the same time (in 1886), making them the second oldest national parks in Canada, just behind Banff. The Canadian Pacific Railroad was completed the year prior, but the dramatic scenery provided by the mountainous regions in Alberta and British Columbia suggested large tourism potential to the railway. Lodges and hotels, include the Glacier House, were built to entice visitors to areas of the country that had previously been uncharted wilderness just a few short years prior.

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The Loop on the main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway, Selkirk Mountains, British Columbia, 1900

Rogers Pass, named after its discoverer, Major A.B. Rogers, Engineer-in-Chief for the railway, lies at the heart of Glacier National Park. Today the pass is designated as a National Historic Site of Canada due to its importance as an essential link in the completion of the railroad.

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Canadian Pacific Railway, Mountain Subdivision, mile 84.5, Rogers Pass, British Columbia, 1915
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Glacier House and Illecillewaet Glacier, British Columbia, 1890s
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Illecillewaet River and Mount Cheops, British Columbia, 1890
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Glacier House, British Columbia, 1910
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Canadian Pacific Railway loops, Selkirk Mountains, near Cambie, British Columbia, n.d.
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Glacier National Park, British Columbia, 1905-1906
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Illecillewaet River Valley just west of the Rogers Pass summit, British Columbia, 1886
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Selkirk Range and Canadian Pacific Railway tracks, British Columbia, 1889
Canadian Pacific Railway train at Glacier House in Glacier National Park, British Columbia, 1885-1888
Glacier House, British Columbia, 1910
Mount Sir Donald, British Columbia, 1930s
Illecillewaet Glacier, British Columbia, 1910
Canadian Pacific Railway, Mountain Subdivision, mile 87, British Columbia, 1915
Canadian Pacific Railway, Mountain Subdivision, mile 90-94, British Columbia, 1915

For similar posts featuring historical photos from Canada’s western national parks, please visit these previous stores: Kootenay National Park, Yoho National Park, Waterton Lakes, Rogers Pass, Jasper National Park, Lake Louise, and Banff’s Cave and Basin.

Mount Cheops from the Loop, British Columbia, 1910

The photos above were collected from the Glenbow Archives. Additional information can be found for each photograph on the Glenbow website by searching the identification number that is printed on each photo. There is also the option to purchase a high resolution copy. Stay tuned for additional posts featuring historical photos from Alberta. We’d love to know what you think in the comment section below.

About Tyler Dixon 230 Articles
Tyler is originally from Saskatchewan, and yes he cheers for the Roughriders, but don’t hold that against him as Calgary has been his home for the past eight years. He is a teacher working at a wilderness- based treatment program for youth working to overcome addiction. Tyler is also a volunteer with the GOT Parks initiative, which aims at reconnecting Canada’s youth with our national, provincial, and territorial parks. During his time away from work, Tyler enjoys outdoor activities, such as hiking, biking, and snowboarding, team sports, travelling, photography, spending time with good friends, and being at home with his wife and German Shepherd, Rome.