Glacier National Park - Where I grew up 1960 - 1969
by TJ Tjernlund
(Lakewood, CA)
My father, being a poor school teacher, looked at some sort of summer work to supplement the feeding of a family of 5.
A fellow teacher suggested the National Park System and as luck would have it, Glacier National Park was the only park that offered a position - as camptender at Many Glacier Campground.
This was in 1960, when I was 10 years old.
When I was 16, I was the youngest person hired at Lake McDonald Lodge (1966) and finished the summer as dishwasher at the Coffee Shop. Only Donna Hummel was younger and her father was President!
Asked back after getting that coveted "Christmas Card" from Glacier Park Inc the next summer, I was a busboy/waiter in the dining room. Could only work the last third of the summer of 1968, again in the dining room.
The Summer of 69 found me as head waiter in the Coffee shop for one of the greatest summers of my life.
Hiking, swimming, West Glacier's 19th Hole and Frieda's, it was just the best experience.
I'm still in touch with my dorm roommate Larry White and dorm-mate George Gallagher. Friendships that last.
I would encourage any college student to take at least one summer to explore this heaven on earth and make friendships that will last a lifetime.
