In the late 1800s, Alaska’s top tourist attraction was Muir Glacier. Ladies in ankle-length dresses and gentlemen in neckties and fedora hats strolled a boardwalk at the foot of this natural wonder.

Map of northern part of Muir Glacier. Source: National Archives. Within a year of the Alaska Expedition, E. H. Harriman's railway empire stretched 25,000 miles, from Illinois to California.

"Near the front of the Muir glacier, only recently uncovered ... in a boat chartered by the party at Juneau, the capitol of Alaska, Glacier Bay with its unchartered rocks and shoals presents ...

Alaska, photographed in June, 1899 by C. Hart Merriam. The expeditioners spent five days exploring Glacier Bay. One highlight was the overnight hike to "Howling Valley," which, according to Muir ...

A view of Muir glacier, Alaska, in 1941 and 2004: In recent years there have been signs of a seasonal shift - spring arrives earlier and winters tend to be less severe. These seasonal changes ...

A view of Muir glacier, Alaska, in 1941 and 2004: In recent years there have been signs of a seasonal shift - spring arrives earlier and winters tend to be less severe. These seasonal changes ...

In the 88 years between these two photos of Alaska's Pedersen Glacier, the icebergs disappeared and the lake on which they were floating has filled in with sediment and grasses.