Facilities Fort Yellowstone

1 facilities

1.1 initial construction period 1891–1907
1.2 later construction period 1908–1913
1.3 remote facilities

facilities

bachelor officers quarters

fort yellowstone constructed between 1891 , 1913 on eastern edge of mammoth hot springs terraces, southeast of present mammoth hotel, @ cost of approximately $700,000 ($16 million in 2013 dollars). 1905, 3 more troops of cavalry had been added original company m contingent of 50 soldiers, , during period fort facilities continuously expanded meet requirements of park administration, ordinary cavalry training, , growing numbers of visitors.

the initial wave of construction between 1891–97 representative of typical army posts of period. other western military posts, earliest buildings erected @ fort yellowstone constructed according quartermaster general standardized plans. in design, of spartan appearance few colonial revival style domestic elements, described army cottage style .

sandstone blocks, double captain s quarters

the buildings of 1 two-and-a-half stories in height, , of frame construction drop siding , stone foundations, evenly spaced double-hung sash windows , prominent porches.

a second phase of building , upgrades started in 1908 resulted in prominent architecture visible @ fort yellowstone in 21st century. built locally quarried sandstone, these buildings defined fort yellowstone. prominent of structures built in later period horace albright visitor center bachelor officers quarters (bldg 1). each historic building in fort , park assigned official number, original bachelor officers quarters being building number 1. architects reed , stem , robert reamer along u.s. army office of chief quartermaster, department of dakota participated in design of many of facilities. engineer facilities , landscaping designed captain hiram m. chittenden of u.s. corps of engineers.

initial construction period 1891–1907

original guardhouse

the first building constructed @ fort yellowstone guardhouse (bldg 9) @ southwest corner of fort. in 1891, visitors traveled lower mammoth road through main residential area park personnel. guardhouse first building encountered in mammoth area , there sentry on duty check visitors entering park. building private residence. original fort administration building (bldg 8) located next guardhouse , private residence. of twelve buildings constructed in 1891, prominent 2 of 4 double officers quarters (bldgs 6 , 7) front old parade ground. other buildings constructed in 1891 included 60-man barracks, commissary storehouse (bldg 10), quartermaster storehouse (bldg 11), granary (bldg 12), bakery (bldg 24), stable (bldg 25) , first 2 of 4 non-commissioned officers (nco) quarters (bldgs 30 , 33). these nco quarters became known soap-suds row because many of nco wives former army laundresses supplemented husbands income doing laundry post personnel.

cavalry barracks built in 1899

a number of significant buildings added fort 1893 1899 including 10-bed hospital, quarters hospital personnel (bldg 14), , large hay shed (bldg 20) constructed in areas behind officers row in 1894. of these structures, hospital quarters building remains , used private residence. significant building constructed in 1895 u.s. commissioner s office, included jail , residence u.s. marshal (bldg 49). first commissioner judge john w. meldrum served army , national park service until 1935 building. located west of rest of fort, first stone building within fort. one-and-a-half-story rock-faced sandstone dwelling gable-on-hip roof, through-the-cornice dormers , full-width porch. ground floor of house contained jail, office, , living quarters while bedrooms situated on second floor. structure used today private residence. building funded passage of lacey act of 1894. sponsored u.s. representative john f. lacey, lacey act act protect birds , animals in yellowstone national park, , punish crimes in said park, , other purposes.

construction during period included 2 double officers quarters (bldgs 4 , 5) completed officers row in 1893. 2 nco quarters (bldgs 31 , 32) added soap-suds row in 1897 , distinctive cavalry barracks (bldg 27), houses administrative offices, constructed in 1899.

engineer s office

captain hiram m. chittenden u.s. army corps of engineers senior engineer in yellowstone 1899–1906. corps had been responsible road , other infrastructure construction within park since 1883. in 1901, in cooperation captain john pitcher, acting park superintendent, began series of projects improve quality of life @ fort. chittenden had reservoir built in 1901 provide consistent supply of water irrigation, human consumption , fire fighting. engineers oversaw project during 1901 cleared, manured , seeded area in front of officers row create grassy parade ground , seeded areas around various buildings reduce perennially dusty summer conditions. fort yellowstone transitioned oil electric lighting in 1902 after chittenden completed 100-kilowatt powerplant 300 yards (270 m) east of fort. powerplant , reservoir no longer exist, of grassy areas around fort yellowstone chittenden planned remain.

fort yellowstone canteen, post exchange

in 1903, captain chittenden oversaw design , construction of second stone building in yellowstone, engineers headquarters (bldg 39), called pagoda because of design. structure in prominent isolated location north of fort. in 1918, after national park service began administration of park, engineer s headquarters building became first official park headquarters.

another prominent yellowstone landmark, roosevelt arch, constructed in 1903 under supervision of chittenden. north entrance station , gate near gardiner, montana, first suggested captains wilber wilder , oscar brown in 1899. not until 1903 chittenden , then-acting superintendent major john pitcher able gain approval arch. ground breaking arch coincided two-week vacation visit of u.s. president theodore roosevelt park. roosevelt u.s. president visit yellowstone during army era. on last day in park, april 24, 1903, roosevelt participated in cornerstone laying ceremony , arch completed later year. in 1904, major john pitcher recommended construction of several new buildings accommodate growing contingent of soldiers. structure approved new post exchange located south of double cavalry barracks. striking colonial revival styled structure completed in 1905, replacing smaller post exchange had been built in 1894. functions national park service canteen.

later construction period 1908–1913

double barracks modern park headquarters

the second wave of major construction started in 1908 when largest structures in fort built, including three-story double barracks (bldg 36), houses park superintendent s office , used modern park headquarters. large building bachelor officers quarters (bldg 1), constructed west, fronting parade ground. iconic building anchors northwest corner of main fort area , houses horace albright visitor center, museum, theater , yellowstone association gift shop. officers row completed construction of double captains quarters (bldg 2) , field officers quarters (bldg 3) south of bachelor officers quarters. cavalry stables (bldgs 34 , 38), double stable guardhouse , blacksmith shop (bldg 37) built behind these residences. these buildings used national park service administrative offices, maintenance facilities or residences.

the chapel constructed in 1913 last structure built army @ fort yellowstone.

the increasing size of army contingent required more up-to-date guardhouse original. acting superintendents major benson , colonel brett wanted new guardhouse constructed of stone. war department not justify expense, in 1911 guardhouse built concrete.

the last building constructed @ fort yellowstone chapel, located south of original guardhouse. army policy did not mandate army forts provide places of worship. however, @ insistence of park superintendent pitcher, u.s. commissioner meldrum , wyoming state senator francis e. warren, congress appropriated funds construction of chapel in 1909 , building finished in january 1913. on september 19, 1914, katharine piercy edmunds , captain albert ady king, 1st u.s. cavalry, first couple married in new chapel. reverend pritchard, episcopalian missionary, traveled fort emigrant, montana perform ceremony.

remote facilities

to provide shelter small detachments of soldiers on overnight patrols, army constructed soldier , snowshoe cabins in remote , isolated spots , @ popular tourist locations. of these structures no longer exist, similar, more modern cabins maintained national park service throughout park.

west thumb soldier station in 1904

the first soldier cabins built in 1886 part of camp sheridan , of these later removed. cabins built @ lower geyser basin, upper geyser basin, grand canyon of yellowstone, riverside , @ soda butte. more outposts needed on years cabins constructed @ lake outlet (1887), snake river (polecat creek), west thumb , riverside (1892), mud geyser (1895), norris , thumb bay (1897), lake (1899), snake river (1902), gardiner (1903), west thumb, syvan pass , soda butte (1904), tower (1907), crevice mountain (1912), snake river (1914), , aster creek, cabin creek, harebell, , thorofare (1915). snowshoe cabins in existence in 1899 included small structures @ astringent creek, bartlet, boundary creek, coulter creek, hellroaring creek, lewis river, park point, proposition, trappers creek, trout creek , willow creek. while none of aforementioned structures still in existence, 4 remote structures remain. include buffalo lake snowshoe cabin (bldg 234) , norris , bechler river soldier stations (bldgs 111 , 231). norris soldier station houses museum of national park ranger. additionally, bechler river barn (bldg 232) still in existence.