Guide to the Rainier National Park Mountain-Glacier Wonderland Photograph Album
ca.1923-1931

Hikers standing in an ice cave in Paradise Glacier, Mount Rainier National Park, ca. 1925. Special Collections, UW Libraries, UW14013

Historical Note

Congress established Mount Rainier as a national park on March 2, 1899, at which time Mount Rainier became the fifth national park in the country. In the early 1900s, local guides, familiar with the rough mountain terrain, began to operate out of a tent camp at Paradise Valley leading groups of people to the summit. With the opening of the highway to Paradise Valley in 1915 and the creation of the Rainier National Park Company in 1916, a more formalized guide service was established in 1917.

The Rainier National Park Company was founded by prominent members of Seattle and Tacoma society for the purpose of developing recreational and tourist facilities in the park. The Rainier National Park Company was responsible for the construction and operation of Paradise Inn which was completed in 1917. During the 1920s and 1930s, the park drew thousands of hikers and mountaineers from all around the world to the mountain's major attractions, including summit climbs and excursions to its famous glaciers and ice caves. Touring the park in "auto stages" on the newly developed scenic roads was another popular pastime and wildlife viewing, including feeding the animals, was encouraged. Additional public campsites and picnic areas were soon added, as well as new tourist enticements such as dog sledding, tobogganing, and horseback tours, with guides outfitted as cowboys.

The album containing this collection of photographs was probably used by the Rainier National Park Company as a promotional tool to draw tourists to Mount Rainier National Park. On the inside of the album is stamped "Ranapar Studio, Rainier National Park Company, Tacoma, Washington." Rananpar Studio was founded by Seattle photographer Asahel Curtis.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of promotional photographs which document the various tourist activities associated with Mount Rainier National Park. Also included are photographs of Paradise Inn and numerous scenic views of the mountain itself and the surrounding parkland. Most of the photographs appear to be from the 1920s-1930s.

Alternate Forms Available

View the digital version of the collection

Acquisition Info

Donated by the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Dec. 20, 1956 [on album cover].

Processing Info

Processed by Rebekah Dalby, 2002.

The photograph album originally containing the images was no longer intact, and the photographs were therefore removed and housed separately. The album cover and the order of the photographs within the album have been retained.

Inventory

Box	Item															Date
1	cover		Album cover
	1		Avalanche lilies in Upper Paradise Valley
					No. 2698 appears in lower right corner of image.
	2		View of Tatoosh Range and Mt. Adams from Timberline Ridge
					No 5784 appears in lower right corner of image.
	3		Success Peak seen from west side of Rainier National Park
	4		Stevens Peak and the Cascades in distance
	5		"The Castle" and Pinnacle Peak reflected in Paradise Lake
	6		Mt. St. Helens seen from Rainier National Park
	7		Mirror Lake in Indian Henry's Hunting Ground
	8		View of Spray Park and Mt. Rainier
	9		Winter toboggan chute at Longmire Springs
	10		Three women falling off a toboggan in Paradise Valley
	11		Three women tobogganing in Upper Paradise Valley
	12		Ice cave in Paradise Glacier
	13		Group in ice cave in Paradise Glacier
	14		Group "nature gliding" at edge of Paradise Glacier
	15		Group on the Nisqually Glacier
	16		Group horseback riding on Skyline Trail
	17		Large black bear and cubs with Pinnacle Peak in distance
	18		Close-up of horseback riders on Skyline Trail
	19		Man on horse on shore of Reflection Lake, Rainier National Park
	20		Summit party at edge of large "bergschrund" near the summit
	21		Summit guides with full equipment
	22		Small party of climbers at top of Pinnacle Peak
	23		Reconstructed government highway
	24		Highway at Ricksecker Point
	25		Lane Peak from Inspiration Point
	26		Group waving flag on summit of Mt. Rainier
	27		Party on horseback crossing snowfield on Skyline Trail
	28		"Auto-stages" leaving Paradise Inn for Seattle and Tacoma
	29		Paradise Inn and buildings in Paradise Valley
	30		Large Douglas firs between Nisqually Entrance and Longmire Springs
	31		Mt. Rainier and forested foothills
	32		Women dancing at edge of Fairy Lake
	33		Group of buildings and bungalow tents in Paradise Valley
	34		Paradise Inn and Paradise River
	35		South side of Rainier National Park from edge of Nisqually Glacier
	36		Field of blue lupine in Paradise Valley
	37		Woman diving in an ice cave of Paradise Glacier
	38		Alaska dog team near Paradise Inn
	39		At timberline in Sunset Park overlooking South Mowich Canyon
	40		Little girl with wildflowers near the snow
	41		Cars on highway seen from Inspiration Point													1923
	42		The Castle and Pinnacle Peak with snow
	43		Upper Paradise Valley and Mt. Rainier in winter
	44		Group climbing glacier near summit of mountain
	45		A group in ice cave in Paradise Glacier
	46		Feeding a bear from car along the highway
	47		View of Mt. Rainier seen from alpine meadow near Paradise Inn
	48		View of mountain from the "Lone Pine Vista,"													1923
	49		Mt. Rainier reflected in Fairy Lake, Paradise Valley
	50		The Castle and Pinnacle Peak seen from Paradise Valley
	51		Mt. Rainier seen from small lake
	52		Mirror Lake
	53		Mt. Rainier seen from the side of Mt. Ararat
	54		Field of blue lupine
	55		Hikers on Picture Rock overlooking Paradise Valley and the Tatoosh Range
	56		Beginning of Skyline Trail horseback trip
	57		Alaskan husky team in front of Paradise Winter Lodge													1931
	58		Hikers on Glacier Vista Ridge
	59		Group investigating skylight of cave on Paradise Glacier
	60		Climbers at edge of large crevasse in Nisqually Glacier
	61		A small cottage at the National Park Inn at Longmire
	62		Paradise Campground with Mt. Rainier
	63		Group at foot of Pinnacle Glacier, overlooking Paradise Valley
Subject Terms
	Organizations:
		Rainier National Park Company.
		Ranapar Studio.
	Subjects:
		Glaciers--Washington (State)--Mount Rainier National Park --Photographs.
		Horseback riding--Washington (State)--Mount Rainier National Park--Photographs.
		Mountaineering--Washington (State)--Mount Rainier National Park--Photographs.
		Mountaineers--Washington (State)--Mount Rainier National Park--Photographs.
		Mountains--Washington (State)--Photographs.
		Tourists--Washington (State)--Mount Rainier National Park --Photographs.
	Geographic Names:
		Mount Rainier National Park (Wash.)--Photographs.
		Rainier, Mount (Wash.)--Photographs.
	Genre Headings:
		Landscape photographs.