Leasing one option to preserve historic cabins

Imagine leasing an historic cabin on the shores of Lake McDonald, taking in the expansive views of the Continental Divide.

That's one possibility the Park is exploring as a way to preserve some of the historic cabins it owns along the lake. The Park owns about 18 structures there, most of which have been acquired through the years from Park inholders. Not all are cabins - some are old horse barns and garages - but most are livable structures, though they need some tender loving care.

Earlier this year, the Park Service held a public meeting on what to do with the cabins. Comments ranged from tearing them all down to allowing the public to buy them to creating museums out of others.

One unique facet the Park is exploring would be a long-term historic lease program for some cabins that date back more than a century. At that time, settlers built cabins along the shore of the lake to attract tourists.

Many of those cabins still exist today. With an historic lease program, a lessee would be required to maintain the historic integrity of the building as part of the lease agreement, explained Mary Riddle, Glacier Park's environmental and protection specialist.

"We're seriously looking at it," Riddle said.

Riddle said the program could be a good fit for some structures but not all. Horse stables and garages are not exactly vacation-home material.

Before the Park can start the program, however, it needs assessments and appraisals for the structures, and there's no funding for that, Riddle said. It could take three to four years to complete the process.

In the meantime, nature is taking its toll on some of the older cabins. Wood is beginning to rot, railings are coming off, and some have noticeable slumps. Park crews have stabilized some cabins, and they made minor repairs on Park-owned structures at Kelly Camp last year. But without long-term care, the wind, snow, rain and trees all take their toll.

For more information, visit online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/LakeMcDonaldCabins.