Fort Yellowstone lIistoric I)istrict Tour Guide

The Army Years 1886-1918 History

a guardhouse, and a headquarters building on the front row; a barracks on the second row; a stables on the third row; and two non- commissioned offi- cers' quarters in the final row. An almost identical set of build- ings was finished in 1897 to house a second troop.

Yellowstone turned to the In 19°9, Scottish stonemasons and a U.S. Army for help. In 1886, men from force of other-workers began constructing Company M, First Cavalry, seven large sandstone buildings using Fort Custer, Montana Territory came to standard military plans in the Colonial Yellowstone under the command of Captain Revival style. The buildings provide the Moses Harris. They began what would be fort with a distinctive and substantial 32 years of military presence in the park. character, They represent the Army's attempt to live up to a substantial com- At first, the soldiers lived in temporary mitment and to provide a model post.for frame buildings at Camp Sheridan at the visitors. The chapel, built of sandstone foot of the Terraces. in 1913, was the final building construct- After enduring five cold, harsh winters, ed during the Army's tenure. The stone the Army realized there was no end in for these buildings was obtained from a sight to this assignment. Therefore, in quarry between the and 1890, Congress appropriated $50,000 the Mammoth Campground. for a permanent post.

The first buildings of Fort Yellowstone, Photo above: at the far end of the street from today's Soldiers drilling in front of Albright Visitor Center, were finished by Bachelor Officers' Quarters, 1910. late 1891: two duplex officer's quarters, Cover: Fort Yellowstone, 1895. Law and Orders

SOME SOLDIERS CONSIDERED YELLOWSTONE "December 3, 1898 ... Left here One can buy nothing here and as to be a good duty station. The men of the for the Post [Fort Yellowstone] the the troop has not been paid for "snowshoe cavalry" liked their rough life Sunday before Thanksgiving .... two months I have no money or I in the remote recesses of the mountains I made 26 miles the first day, stay- would send it to you to spend with and some applied freely for service at ing all night at Norris Station. The my compliments. Love to all the these outposts. The life was demanding next morning it was 22° below family and Mable, and regards to and often isolated, rugged, and dangerous -and very different from what most of zero, but I pulled out for the Post, friends, Edwin." them had known in other postings. But which I reached about two p.m. Most of the recruits came here from dusty, Fort Yellowstone's facilities were better after a cold hard ride of 20 miles. dry, hot duty in the Southwest or western In 1910, at the height of the Army's than most and discipline was more relaxed It is not so much sport riding when plains. Yellowstone's weather was quite a presence in Yellowstone, there were 324 than at other Army posts-especially in the snow is so deep that your horse change for them, and a relief in many soldiers here-plus some families and the field. Duties were varied and interest- has to work all the time. Stayed at ways. Some had never seen mountains or numerous civilian employees. These ing ... and the scenery couldn't be beat! snow, and they had much to learn. Ten the Post for Thanksgiving dinner troops staffed Fort Yellowstone and the different cavalry units served at Fort and it was a beaut. The cook more park's outposts. From these outposts, the Yellowstone during the 30 years-troops cavalry patrolled the park on skis during than threw himself. Turkey, roast from the First, Third, Fourth, Fifth, the winter, stopping at patrol cabins pork, sweet spuds, cranberry Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Eleventh, and along the way. sauce, oyster stew, chocolate, Thirteenth cavalries as well as an experi- These buildings remind us of the long three kinds of cake, pie, pickles, mental unit of men selected because of history of our first national park and of nuts and apples-how's that for their particular skills in mountain living. the important role the Army played in soldiers? ... There is something George Anderson, the third military preserving it for the future. They remind about life in the wilderness that superintendent of the park, wrote in 1897: us that the resources we find within fascinates me. I saddle my beast, Yellowstone's boundaries are not only "As a consequence of their good and go off on long rides through natural ones, but cultural as well. work, the beauties of the park are the forest where everything is so Our interactions with this wilderness no longer defaced; no fires have quiet that one can almost hear the continue to shape our idea of what a ravaged the forests; poaching has national park should be, just as they solitude .... Don't suppose you will Edwin Kelsey, who served in Yellowstone diminished to a small percentage of did during the days of Fort Yellowstone. hear from me again before Xmas, in 1891, later became the editor of the what it was ten years ago; and more so I'll wish you all a Merry one- Photo above: San Francisco Chronicle. Private Kelsey's than all, order exists everywhere." Fort Yellowstone Chapel, Photo at right: letters to his niece describe a difficult am sorry that I have no chance 1915. Guard duty at but very enjoyable life: to send you my remembrance. Photo above: President Roosevelt's Camp in Visitors pause in Iront 01Liberty Cap, 1903. Yellowstone, 1903. Fort Yellowstone Historic District

,. • $ • ...... - •••• •• • -13 ...... -. .. - • r>: \ " • , 15 .- .-. 5 MOST OF THE BUILDINGS CONSTRUCfED ...... - ~\ . during the Anny era are still standing • and used by the as .- 4 ••••••• its headquarters. Many of the interiors ...... - ~ . have been modernized, while the exteriors have been maintained and/or restored . ...~... ~ .....~.... The walking tour will take you through the major parts of the fort. This map ...... •...... shows how the fort buildings were used ~ .... 1 •• - in 1916, just before the National Park Service was established and took over ~--1••••••• • the park's administration. Some of the buildings are gone, and others have been constructed since that time--however, ,,-.~~ much of the fort remains intact today. the Fort Yel/owstone Historic District are employee residences and are not open to the Legend public. Please respect the privacy of residents Paved Road Walking Tour by staying on the paved route and treating /iving areas with courtesy. • Fort Yellowstone Buildings • Tour Exhibits 1. Bachelor Officers' Quarters 10. New Guardhouse Built in 1909, this building had a mess or club, Built in 1911, this building still serves as the jail. kitchen, sitting room, and apartments for six single 11. Granary officers. Temporary visitors were housed here too. Completed in 1891 to store grain for horses. It is now It is now the Albright Visitor Center. a residence. 2. Captain's Quarters 12. Quartermaster Storehouse Built in 1909 to house two apartments-each with Built in 1891 to store supplies such as clothing, kitchen, living room, dining room, 6 bedrooms, 2 blankets, and equipment. It is now a residence. baths, pantry, and laundry. The finished attic was 13. Commissary Storehouse used for a children's playroom or maids' quarters. Built in 1891, troops acquired their rations here. 3. Field Officer's Quarters Both commissioned and non-commissioned officers' Built in 1909 to serve as the residence of the acting families were authorized to buy groceries here. It is superintendenVpost commander of the park. Today now a residence. it houses Yellowstone's superintendent. 14. Cavalry Barracks 4. Double Officer's Quarters The first of these wooden barracks no longer exists. The two at the far end (built in 1891) were among the The northern-most barracks (built in 1897) is now the first Fort Yellowstone buildings. The later two (built in Yellowstone Center for Resources. Originally built to 1897) were designed for captains but were often used house 68 men, a basement was built in 1909 under for officers of lesser rank. one wing so the building could house 100 men. 5. Post Headquarters 15. Post Exchange Built in 1891 as the office for the post commander/ Built in 1905 in the Colonial Revival style, this acting superintendent, the post adjutant and the building housed a gymnasium, reading room, can- sergeant major. As the post grew, a new administra- teen, and barbershop. tion building was established and this became a 16. Double Cavalry Barracks storehouse. It is now a residence. Built in 1909, this structure once housed two cavalry 6. Guardhouse troops (200 men). The largest building in Fort Built in 1891, the guardhouse could hold 15 prisoners Yellowstone, it is now the Administration Building. and 10 guards. Every visitor had to check in at this 17. U.S. Engineers' Offices building after entering the park from Gardiner, Built in 1903 to house the Army Corps of Engineers, Montana. A new guardhouse replaced it in 1911. which had responsibility for construction of the park 7. Chapel roads. The nationally known architectural firm of Reed Built in 1913, the chapel was the last building com- and Stem received $750 for the building plans. New pleted during the Army era. Built of native stone with York City's Grand Central Terminal and Livingston, a slate roof and oak furnishings, it is still used today Montana's Northern Pacific Depot are among the and is the best-preserved building-inside and out. firm's other work. The bell was added in 1928, and two stained glass 18. Blacksmith Shop windows were placed in 1939. 19. Calvary Stables 8. Hospital Annex Built in 1909 as quarters for personnel assigned to 20. Drill Field hospital duty, it is now a residence. Three hospitals were built at Fort Yellowstone in 1887, 1894, and 1913; all were demolished. 9. Hospital Steward's Quarters Photo above: Built in 1894. Fort Yellowstone, 1914. Top: The lirst administration building, erected 1879 and razed 1909. Middle: Firing the cannon on Capitol HIli, 1916. Bol1om: Fort Yellowstone viewed Irom Capitol HilI. Life at the Fort

Children usually went to school at the Market. ... Clothing and house- "Most any kind of entertainment fort. Teachers were found among the hold items were usually ordered by is interesting these long winter soldier ranks when possible. Otherwise, families with children paid the expenses catalog and some things through nights." of a civilian teacher. In 1910, when no the PX. Whittaker's store near the teacher could be found, the children Mammoth Hotel had novelties and were sent to relatives and friends to many smaller items and they also attend school. had the Post Office. There was no One of the challenges of fort life was delivery, so we would either walk, keeping supplies on hand. The wife of or ski over in the wintertime, to Captain F. J. Arnold wrote: pick up our mail."

"We ordered staples, meats, Enlisted men spent their free time in a canned goods, bread, etc. from the number of ways. Most weren't married- Commissary and the order would the Army discouraged marriage among As soon as the first heavy snow fell, the enlisted men and seldom provided TOURIST SEASON PROVIDED COMPANY be delivered and put in the entire community donned skis. Some allowances or rations for their families- for the officers, who entertained visitors kitchen. For special occasions sidewalks were kept shoveled, but anyone and friends andhouseguests. Carriage so they had plenty of free time and few wishing to go elsewhere had to ski. The in the winter, we would put in a rides and picnics took place during the ways to spend it. They could visit the gym porches of the officers' quarters were special order for turkey and then warm months, and sleigh rides and ice or bowling alley, or play cards. As early lined with graduated collections of skis- skating were favorite pastimes during hang it outside to keep it frozen as as 1903, moving pictures were shown on from long to medium, short to very the cold months. There was much social- we only had a large icebox on the Thursday evenings. Despite the breaks short-and the officers bought new skis izing, particularly among the officers' back porch .... The soldiers cut when the reel was changed, attendance regularly for their children, just as they was good, especially in the winter. One families; lunches and dinners together the ice in the winter up on Swan did new shoes. soldier wrote: were common. With domestic help, these Lake Flat, then stored it in the social events weren't a problem for the Pictured at far lell: icehouse dug into the side of high-ranking officers-but a lot of work Cap!. Bloomburg and his son, 1917. Capitol Hill .... The four-horse for the wives of lower-ranking officers Lell: Soldiers relaxing in the Posf Exchange. who could not afford help! The isolation freight wagons hauled hay and Above top: A visitor poses for the camera. of the fort was softened in the summer coal up from Gardiner, and many Above: Soldiers on ski patrol. by this busy social schedule. other supplies came on the market wagon. There were some fresh foods available at Hall's Grocery store and the Van Dyke's Meat A Job Well Done

CHARLES DUDLEY WARNER, CORRESPON- In 1916 when Congress created the Clippings from The Anny and Navy Journal DENT FOR Harper's New Monthly Magazine National Park Service, the Army turned report on post social life in those days: wrote in 1896: Fort Yellowstone over to the new agency. Local resistance made this transition "Capt. and Mrs. Arnold received "The Interior Department made difficult, and the Army returned in 1917. the officers and ladies of the stringent rules, with adequate The park was fully under National Park post at noon on New Year's. penalties for their infraction, and Service control in 1918, and the Army Eggnog and refreshments were the military arm in command has departed. The fort has served the park enjoyed .... The Post Exchange enforced them splendidly. The well, both as administrative headquarters is open again for basketball and good citizen rejoices that there is and as a constant reminder of the debt the nation owes the officers and enlisted [roller] skating. A railing has been at least one spot in the United built around the gymnasium, pro- men of the for pro- States where law is promptly tecting and preserving Yellowstone tecting the heaters and lending enforced. In this respect Yellow- National Park for future generations. assurance to the skaters .... stone Park is a moral lesson of the To celebrate the holidays, the highest value to the United States Photo above: Officer of the Oay ceremony. soldiers gave a dance at the Post ... the whole country will have Below: Troop F posing in lront of the double calvary barracks, 1913. Exchange, which was attractively reason to be proud of the Yellow- decorated with Christmas trees stone Park and its condition." and flags."

Photo top: Calvary drill, 1911. Middle: Soldier horsing around, 1909 or 1910 Below: Soldiers with bison heads captured from a poacher in 1894. For more information Visit YNP's official website at www.nps.gov/yell

These publications are available at park visitor centers:

The Yellowstone Story Volume II by Aubrey Haines Yellowstone, A Wilderness Besieged by Richard A. Bartlett Old Yellowstone Days edited by Paul Schullery A Yellowstone Album: A Photographic Celebration of the First National Park by Lee H. Whittlesey and the Yellowstone Park staff Yellowstone Place Names: Mirrors of History by Aubrey Haines Yellowstone's Ski Pioneers: Peril and Heroism On the Winter Trail by Paul Schullery The Yellowstone National Park by Hiram Martin Chittenden

Special thanks to the Yellowstone Park Foundation, and especially Ed and Harriet Spencer, for providing funding for the development of the Fort Yellowstone Historic District Tour Guide and the self-guiding tour exhibits.

This guide is published for your use by the Yellowstone Association in cooperation with the National Park Service. The Yellowstone Association is a nonprofit organization serving the park and its visitors. Your donation will be used to reprint this tour guide. For information about membership, educational programs for visitors, and to view our online store, visit our YELLOWSTONE ASSOCIATION website at www.yellowstoneassociation.org or call 307-344-2293-

Printed on recycled paper Revised November 2000