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Going-to-the-Sun Road: An Engineering Feat
Glacier National Park, Montana
A Colonial Building Co. steam shovel east of Logan Pass National Park Service photograph, circa 1932 |
Haystack Creek Culvert, one of the oldest structures along the road, was built in 1926 and was designed to blend into the natural rock surrounding it. Drawing by Jessica Gibson-Withers & Tajda Ivanisevic, Historic American Engineering Record, NPS 1990 |
INSPECTING THE ROAD
In August of 1924, first Director of the National Park Service Stephen Mather and Glacier National Park superintendent Charles J. Kraebel were inspecting construction progress on the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Two other men accompanied the Director and the Superintendent as they examined the steep approach to Logan Pass on the west side of the Continental Divide. National Park service engineer George Goodwin had proposed a route for the Going-to-the-Sun Road which required 15 switchbacks to approach Logan Pass. Tom Vint, a National Park Service Landscape Architect opposed Goodwin's plan, so he lobbied Director Mather to approve an alternate route for the road. Vint's suggestion required only one switchback.
The group was divided in opinion, and Mather want.ed a solution. As the argument continued, Mather looked at Goodwin, looked at Vint, glanced at their horses, turned and stormed off toward another appointment. By the time vint and Goodwin assem.bled the horses; they never caught up with the Director. Two days later Mather resolved the conflict. He enlisted the Bureau of Public Roads, and they assigned Frank A. Kittredge to survey what became the present route. Today the Going-to-the-Sun road has only one switchback (called "the Loop") west of the Continental Divide. Tom Vint's suggestion had prevailed. But more importantly, Mather had forged a long-term agreement between the National Park Service and the Bureau of Public Roads to construct many park roads throughout the west.
| Introduction | Acadia | Blue Ridge Parkway | Chickamauga and Chattanooga | Colonial Parkway | Generals Highway | George Washington Memorial Parkway | Going-to-the-Sun Road | Great Smoky Mountains | Mount Rainier | Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway | Shenandoah's Skyline Drive | Southwest Circle Tour | Vicksburg | Yellowstone | Yosemite |
