West Thumb Concessions & Development
West Thumb: Lunch Station & Zillah: 1886 - 1916
West Thumb Concession & NPS Development: 1917 - 1980s
Copyright 2009 by Robert V. Goss. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced
or utilized in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by an
information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the author.
Click Here for Map of West Thumb Area - 1936 Haynes Guide
Ferry & Lunch Station
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The Zillah & Ferry Service
The Yellowstone Park Association (YPA) was granted a lease in 1886 to operate boats on Yellowstone Lake, but did not exercise that option until 1891. At that time a new road was being built over Craig Pass from Old Faithful to West Thumb. Ferry service would eliminate the tedious and dusty ride from the Thumb Lunch Station to the Lake Hotel. E.C. Waters, who had been manager of the National Hotel, accepted the offer to manage the ferry service. The Zillah, a 40-ton steamship, began running that route in 1891 and was licensed to carry 125 passengers. Waters would pay the stagecoach drivers fifty cents for each passenger convinced to take the ferry. When the park transportation system was motorized in 1917, the trip to Lake Hotel became much shorter and more comfortable, making the ferry service unnecessary.
[Barkalow Bros Postcard "Steamboats - Yellowstone Lake"] |
Thumb Lunch Station
Located along the shores of Yellowstone Lake at West Thumb, this building served as a lunch station for stagecoaches traveling the route from Old Faithful over Craig Pass to the Lake Hotel. The business opened in 1892 by YPA and replaced the lunch facilities that had existed at Trout Creek, located along the previous route to the Lake that traversed the Mary Mountain Road from Fountain Flats. Travelers to Lake Hotel could opt to board the ferry at the nearby boat dock, rather than ride in a stagecoach.
[FJ Haynes Postcard No. 208 - "Thumb Lunch Station"] |
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Although primarily serving as a lunch station, a few sleeping rooms were available for guests that wished to spend the night. The operation was also referred to as the Thumb Hotel. The operation began as tent facilities until 1904 when this building was erected. The operation closed down after the end of the 1916 season when the motorization of the transportation fleet decreased travel times and made this lunch stop obsolete. The buildings were torn down in 1923.
[YNP Archives #318711] |
Thumb Lunch Station
Located along the shores of Yellowstone Lake at West Thumb, this building served as a lunch station for stagecoaches traveling the route from Old Faithful over Craig Pass to the Lake Hotel. The business opened in 1892 by YPA and replaced the lunch facilities that had existed at Trout Creek, located along the previous route to the Lake that traversed the Mary Mountain Road from Fountain Flats. Travelers to Lake Hotel could opt to board the ferry at the nearby boat dock, rather than ride in a stagecoach.
[FJ Haynes Postcard No. 208 - "Thumb Lunch Station"] |
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Alternate view of the Thumb Lunch Station in the early 1900s. The area was variously known as West Thumb, Thumb Bay, Thumb of Lake, Thumb Basin, Thumb Geyser Basin, or just Thumb.
[Yellowstone Park Asso. brochure, 1905]
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View of the Thumb Lunch Station from the end of the boat dock. Note the close proximity to the Lake. Photo ca1890s.
[Stereoview (one-half) courtesy Bob Berry]
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MAP - Click Here
to view map of development changes at West Thumb.
The light dotted lines indicate the formerly developed areas and roads,
while the heavily dashed lines indicate current activity.
Hamilton Stores & Service Station
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West Thumb Area Map, 1936
Haynes Guide
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Thumb Lunch Station, ca1900s.
Photo YNP Archives, YELL22_039
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Log General Store, 1951
Photo YNP Archives YELL51-424 |
The Thumb Lunch Station was located near the Thumb Paint Pots, upshore from the dock (see photo above previous section)
The Camp Grounds were the NPS Auto Camp (bottom of map), and the Cabins, the housekeeping cabins of the Yellowstone Park Lodge & Camps Co. (left).
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Chas. A. Hamilton, owner of the general store at Old Faithful, remodeled the interior of this lunch station to establish his first store at the Thumb. According to Park Superintendent Horace Albright in 1919, “He is now engaged in building a fine new store at the Lake which will take the place of the boat company’s store . . . Mr. Hamilton expects to arrange for the maintenance of a store next year in the old lunch station of the Yellowstone Park Hotel Company at the Thumb of Lake Yellowstone where the south approach road joins the belt line system” In 1924, Hamilton built a new log store and abandoned the old Lunch Station, which was torn down three years later. As shown on the map, it was located west of the main loop road from Old Faithful to Lake Hotel.
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Hamilton Store, front view, 1930-40s. Notice at the left, the original single pump gas station.
(See below for enlarged version)
[Museum of the Rockies 25034]
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Hamilton Store in process of being remodeled 1953-54. The open front porch has been enclosed to create additional floor space.
[HABS Photo]
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Hamilton Mini-Store, built in 1924, located in the auto campground.
Photo undated, probably 1980s.
[HABS Photo]
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In 1932 a list was made of C.A. Hamilton Stores, Inc. facilities at West Thumb: One frame structure, one and one-half stories, 84 x 40 feet, with storehouse room, quarters for employees,. One gas station, frame construction, similar in type to that of store, with a 10,000 gallon gasoline tank buried in the ground in a concrete vault, one pump capacity.
Four years later he added a soda fountain and refrigerated meat case to his store. Thirty years after the opening of his store, he greatly remodeled and enlarged the store. The store was re-sided, the open porch (shown above) was enclosed, and a wing added to the chimney end. It was completed September 1954.
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Photo, Upper Left: Hamilton's new store in 1955
Photo, Lower Left: Hamilton store in 1983
Photo, Upper Right: Hamilton store in 1983
Photo, Lower Right: Interior Hamilton Store ca1983
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Hamilton's Gas Station
This may be the 1927 version or a remodeled 1917 buildling. Notice the fancy log work in front. This was probably torn down 1947-48 when the new station was built.
[Museum of the Rockies 25034 - cropped]
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Hamilton Gas Station, 1951
Hamilton first opened a small gas station in 1917 at Thumb. This one was built in 1948. It replaced the rustic log building. [HABS photo] |
Hamilton Gas Station, 1983
This gas station (and center photo) was built in 1948. |
Hamilton Gas Station Interior
ca1980s
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In the 1950s, the National Park Service developed the Mission 66 Plan that would improve and increase park facilities, both concessioner and NPS. Part of the plan also called for the removal of all facilities at West Thumb, with a new Village built by the 1980s, a few miles away at what would be called Grant Village. In advance of this project, the NPS in 1962 constructed a new auto camp at Grant and closed down the West Thumb auto camp that had been built in the early 1920s. A new Visitor Center opened in 1979 at Grant. In keeping with the plan, Hamilton Stores built a new 25,000 square-foot store at Grant that opened in 1983. The facilities included a 35-room employee dorm. A new gas station was also established at some point in time.
According to the 1983 Superintendent's Report, the US Government agreed to pay Hamilton Stores $492,000 for the loss of the facilities. The Thumb store was burned to the ground by the NPS in the fall of 1986. In due time, all of the buildings at West Thumb were removed, with the exception of the historic NPS Ranger Station/Information Station.
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Haynes Photo Shops
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The history of the West Thumb area in general is not well documented in the public record. And The Haynes Photo Shop at West Thumb is evven less documented and photographed. Jack E. Haynes, who took over the photo shop business from his father FJ Haynes in 1916, had a building from Fishing Bridge moved to West Thumb to a location just north of the Hamilton Store. He had previously operated inside of the Hamilton store.
The Photo Shop was remodeled in 1932 and an addition built in 1934. Sometime in 1938-1940, the shop was moved just south of the Ranger Station, near the main road junction. Jack Haynes died in 1926 and his wife Isabel ran the operation until 1967 when she sold all the Haynes Photo Shops to Hamilton Stores, Inc.
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A new Haynes Photo Shop building being moved from Fishing Bridge to West Thumb in 1931.
[NPS photo]
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Haynes Photo Shop in 1951,
located near the Ranger Station.
[YNP Archives YELL51-419]
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In keeping with the 1974 Master Plan for Yellowstone, this facility was scheduled for removal at the end of the 1987 summer season. In an agreement between Hamilton Stores, Inc., and the NPS, approval was granted for the continued operation of the West Thumb Photo Shop through the summer of 1990. For the privilege of operating the West Thumb Photo Shop, Hamilton Stores agreed to donate the Fishing Bridge Photo Shop to the government. The NPS would then be responsible for the removal of the store.
The Billings Gazette on Sept. 8, 1985, announced that the Hamilton store, photo shop and dormitory rooms at West Thumb would be removed during the next three years. The Jackson Hole News reported that the photo shop would open May 2, 1987. That may have been the last year of its operation. Apparently, any photo shop operation at Grant Village would be included with the Grant Hamilton Store.
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Wylie and Shaw & Powell Camping Companies
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In 1898 the Wylie Permanent Camping Co. was permitted to establish four night camps and two lunch stations in the park. One lunch station was at Gibbon Falls and the other West Thumb. It was located west of the West Thumb road junction. Unfortunately, the site lacked readily available water, which was about a mile away. It was also subject to dust from passing stagecoaches and wagons. For these reasons, the Wylie company requested that they be able to move their camp. The new camp was located to a point north of the soldier station (in the area referred to as ‘Cabins’ on the 1936 map). It also began offering night camping facilities.
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Wylie Camp tents at Thumb in 1890 [Haynes Lantern Slide]
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Wylie Camp building at Thumb, ca1917.
[YNP Archives YELL22-040] |
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The Shaw & Powell Company was permitted to operate 'movable camps' in Yellowstone in 1898. The firm was started by Amos Shaw and J.D. Powell (John D. Powell) with headquarters in Livingston, Montana. Shaw and Powell were given permission by Interior to build a permanent camp in 1912 at Willow Park, near the current Indian Creek campground. In 1913 permission was received to build permanent camps at all major locations. As did Wylie, Shaw & Powell operated their own stage lines to transport their customers around the park. In 1913 they established a lunch station at West Thumb, located just east of the thermal basin.
Left: Shaw & Powell camp buildings ca1913-196
[YNP Archives YELL22-039]
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In 1917, the Wylie and Shaw & Powell Camping Companies were merged together under the direction of the Dept. of Interior. The company became the Yellowstone Parks Camping Co. from 1917-1919, and the Yellowstone Park Camps Co. from 1919 to 1928. At that time the Yellowstone Parks Lodges & Camps Co. was created. There does not appear to be any concessionaire camp or lunch station operation at West Thumb from 1917 until 1928. Those operations will be covered in the following section.
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Yellowstone Park Lodge & Camps Company
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The Yellowstone Park Lodge & Camps Co. (YPLCCo) came into existence in September 1928 when Harry Child bought out the YP Camps Co. (Vernon Goodwin Co.). Child, who also owned the transportation, hotel and boat operations in the park, now completed his monopolization of all the lodging facilities in Yellowstone. Goodwin remained with the company as President of the new operation. The trend now was to focus on a lodge operation as opposed to tent facilities. The “Camps” at Mammoth, Canyon, Lake, and Old Faithful now became “Lodges, and new facilities built and existing buildings expanded or remodeled. Operations at West Thumb and Fishing Bridge remained “Camps,” due to their lack of formal lodge buildings and related services.
From 1917 until 1927, there seems to have been no concessioner camps operation at West Thumb. In 1927, the James T. Gratiot Camping Company of Dubois, Wyo., established a camp at Lewis Lake with housekeeping cabins. It was unsuccessful financially and the 76 cabins were obtained by the YPLCCo in 1928 and moved to West Thumb, probably on or near the old Wylie Camp. These were simple and inexpensive cabins and visitors were generally required to BYO bedding, etc. Tents were added to boost the capacity to about 100 guests. A cafeteria was built to serve the camp. In 1930, the camp at West Thumb Developed Area was enlarged by the YPLCCo, with twenty-seven permanent log and frame cabins and comfort station.
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Camper Cabins Office, West Thumb 1951
[YNP Archives YELL31899]
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Camper Cabins, West Thumb 1951
[YNP Archives Yell31900]
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Cabins Cafeteria, West Thumb 1951
[YNP Archives 51-421]
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Camper Cabins, West Thumb 1966
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| Some 50 cabins were moved in 1934 from Mammoth Lodge to West Thumb. The camp was closed from 1943-45 due to the ongoing WWII, reopening in 1946. In 1952-53 another 40 cabins were moved in from Canyon Lodge. A 1966 brochure described the cabins as “rugged,” offering “a wood-burning stove for cooking, but no utensils are furnished. Cabin furnishings include bed, table, and benches. Bedding, towels, and fuel are furnished in almost all cabins. Lighting fixtures are not wired for appliances. The cabins do not have running water; however, water taps and restrooms area in the area.” The nightly rental rates were priced accordingly: In 1963 a cabin for 1-2 persons cost $5.75, although for a $2 discount, one could get the cabin sans bedding and fuel.
In keeping with the Mission 66 program and the 1974 Master Plan for Yellowstone, the West Thumb camping cabins were scheduled for removal. According to Yellowstone Mileposts, by T.P. Bohannan, in 1970, 128 cabins were razed into the ground with bulldozers. 41 of the remaining cabins were used for employee housing for three years and then removed to other areas of the park. The grounds were eventually reclaimed and brought back to a more natural state. In 1979, the NPS terminated the Yellowstone Park Co. contract (which included YPLCCo) on October 31. The government purchased all of the properties of the General Host Co. and assigned them to TWA Services, Inc., who was granted a two-year interim contract authorizing them to conduct all concession activities and services previously covered by the Yellowstone Park Co. contract.
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West Thumb Ranger Station & Information Center
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A Soldier Station established at Thumb Bay by the Army in 1892.
Tents were used until a wooden frame building was erected in 1904.
L: [YNP Archives #31770] R: YNP Archives YELL14-126]
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In 1925, a new log station was constructed by the Park Service. It also served as a point for NPS information and interpretation at West Thumb. The historic building is the last vestige of the huge development that once existed at Thumb. It is currently staffed by employees of Yellowstone Forever, who provide visitor information.
[L: YNP Archives YELL13-077 R: YNP Archives YELL13-043]
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West Thumb Amphitheater
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An outdoor amphitheater with a capacity of 137 persons was constructed in 1937. These amphitheaters were the sites of evening “campfire programs” where National Park Service rangers presented interpretive programs to Yellowstone visitors. By 1957 the facilities had greatly deteriorated and the log benches were rotting. A new amphitheater was completed in mid-July.
[Photo courtesy YNP Archives YELL21-165, 18July1957]
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The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in West Thumb
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CCC Tent Camp at West Thumb, 1936
[YNP Archives YELL21025]
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CCC Crew at Work on Road Cleanup
[YNP Archives YELL9-054] |
CCC Tent Camp at West Thumb, 1936
[YNP Archives YELL21025]
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Funding for maintenance and improvements for national parks was scarce at that time. The CCC filled the void that the NPS was unable to accomplish. They were mainly responsible for the construction of lodgings and camping areas, as well as garages for the Yellowstone employees. Some projects included the Lamar Buffalo Ranch and the residential area just below Mammoth headquarters. They were performed basic maintenance of trails, constructed stone walls, bridges and culverts along roads, provided basic security, and environmental protection against forest fires, invasive pests, and overpopulation.
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A Few Notable Dates in the History of West Thumb
1891 Road completed from Lake Hotel to West Thumb.
1892 Road from Old Faithful to West Thumb is completed.
1897 Road from Thumb through South Entrance is opened up.
1898 Monida & Yellowstone Stage Co. erects facilities at West Thumb. The station include horse stables, barns and sleeping quarters for drivers and stock
tenders
1903 In 1902, the U.S. Fish Commission “authorized Mr. D. C. Booth, superintendent of the hatchery at Spear Fish, S. Dakota, to construct a building at the
West Thumb. A building was erected in 1903 and the fish hatchery started up at West Thumb, although eggs had been collected there since 1901 and
hatched in Spearfish, South Dakota.
1912 Aron “Tex” Holm also establishes camps at various locations that include cabins for dining rooms, kitchens, stables, and storerooms. The camps are
located at Sylvan, Lake, West Thumb, Norris, Upper Geyser Basin and Canyon.
1922 Public auto camps established.
1925 New auto camp built with modern facilities just north of the old camp.
1932 Yellowstone Park Fuel Company: One wooden compound enclosing wood for sale
1936 The Interior Department granted permission to establish the Thumb postal station which became a contract station July 1, 1936.
1962 WT auto camp is closed down and facilities open at Grant Village. The Thumb facilities were removed and the land rehabilitated.
1979 The Grant Village Visitor Center opened June 1 and closed September 22, 1979
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