McKinley Park Hotel
McKinley Park Hotel
Mount McKinley National Park was established by President Woodrow Wilson on February 26, 1917. Initially, the area was designated a game preserve. By 1923 tourists began visiting the area and tent lodging was provided by private concessionier.
In 1937 the National Park Service began construction of the McKinley Park Hotel near McKinley Station. Final construction and ownership was turned over to the Alaska Railroad in 1938. The hotel opened June 1, 1939 with accomodations for 200 guests.
During World War II the park closed down its conventional operations and basically became an Army recreation center. The hotel also was controlled by the U.S. Army who used it as a place for R&R for the troops.
In 1953 the Alaska Railroad pushed the debt-ridden hotel off to the National Park Service who in turn contracted its operations to a private concessioner. In 1954, the U.S. Department of the Interior seized control of the government-owned McKinley Park Hotel because of the unsatisfactory operation record of the concessionaire.
The hotel burned down on September 3, 1972, but was quickly replaced. Several old Alaska Railroad sleeping cars were also used outside the hotel for lodging.
Construction of hotels just outside the park began in the 1970s and today over 1,000 rooms are located within a mile of the park entrance. Thus the need for the park hotel was gone and in September of 2001 it closed for good. The current plan is to demolish the hotel and use the location for a new two-story visitor's center and realted service buildings.
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Prior to construction, enlargement of tent area |
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Under construction in 1938 |
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Interior 1938-1939 |
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Interior |
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Interior 1938-1939 |
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Exterior 1939 |
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Dining room |
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McKinley Park Hotel |
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McKinley Park Hotel |
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McKinley Park Hotel |
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McKinley Park Hotel |
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Construction of the McKinley Park Hotel |
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Page created 1/5/05 and last updated 9/23/07
