Initial construction period 1891.E2.80.931907 Fort Yellowstone

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.