Saint Mary Ranger Station, Historic ranger station in Glacier National Park, Montana.
Saint Mary Ranger Station is a log building with rounded timber walls and beaded interior panels, located beside Upper Saint Mary Lake. The complex consists of two main structures arranged across a sloping meadow with additional outbuildings.
The station was built in 1913 by the district's first resident ranger, predating the National Park Service itself. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986, marking its importance to early park conservation efforts.
The log buildings reflect how park rangers built structures suited to mountain conditions with simple, functional designs. Walking around the complex, you notice how the materials and layout still show the practical approach of early park workers who lived and worked in this remote location.
The site sits in an accessible location in the park's eastern area where you can easily find your way around. Staff members at the buildings provide maps, trail information, and park guidance, and the sloping meadow around the buildings is easy to walk through.
The complex includes an old barn that was relocated here in 1977 and now serves as a living history exhibit. This building replaced an earlier structure and shows how the park preserves and reuses its historical facilities.
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