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I'm working on catalog records for two maps of Glacier National Park
which are both undated. They are both bird's-eye-view pictorial maps
which refer to themselves as "aeroplane map," published by the Great
Northern Railway. I have found information on the construction of the
hotels which appear on both maps, indicating that both were published
no earlier than 1915. The extent of roads appearing on the map differ
greatly, and I'm hoping to come up with approximate dates for the maps
by using these differences.
 
The older map has a mountain goat pictured on the cover panel, and the
map shows sky on the horizon. The roads are as follows: on the west side
of the park, the only road goes from Belton to the lower end of Lake
McDonald; on the east, the main road extends from Glacier Park Station
to Many Glaciers Chalets, side roads connect to Two Medicine Lake and
Cutbank Chalets. The park appears not to be connected to anywhere by
road on this map, with roads only going into the park from the two
railroad stations.
 
The newer map has a 1910s-20s era torist bus on the panel, and does not
show the horizon. Roads on the west side: the main road now extends north
to just beyond Kintla Lake, and south off the edge of the map toward
Kalispell; side roads go to Lewis Hotel at the upper end of Lake McDonald
and to Bowman Lake. On the east side: the main park road to Many Glaciers
is the same; same side roads are depicted; main road now extends southward
from Glacier Park Station; finally, there is a road going east from the
main road toward "Great Falls, Helena, & Yellowstone Park."
 
If anyone has access to a map of known date or written information which
would help me to determine when the later roads were built, it would be
a tremendous help.
 
Mark Crotteau
Washington State University
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