Yellowstone Park Company Records, 1892-1963

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Yellowstone Park Company
Title
Yellowstone Park Company Records
Dates
1892-1963 (inclusive)
Quantity
34 reels microfilm
Collection Number
Mss 181
Summary
The collection contains records of Yellowstone National Park companies involved in the operation of the Park including lodging, transportation, and recreational activities.
Repository
University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University of Montana
32 Campus Dr. #9936
59812-9936
Missoula, MT
Telephone: 406-243-2053
library.archives@umontana.edu
Access Restrictions

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana--Missoula.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for creating this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historic Publications and Records Commission. Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Northern Pacific Railroad, its subsidiary Northwest Improvement Company, and various private parties owned many of the concessions and other businesses that provided visitor services in the earliest years of Yellowstone National Park. The Yellowstone Park Company was incorporated under Minnesota law in the 1880s, in association with the Northern Pacific Railroad. Though the organization of this concession has resulted in a number of associated company names (such as Yellowstone Park Transportation Company, Yellowstone Park Camping company, Yellowstone Park Hotel Company, Yellowstone Park Lodge and Camps Company) they fall under the umbrella of the Yellowstone Park Company.

In 1892, Harry W. Child, with partners Silas S. Huntley, L.H. Hershfield, Aaron Hershfield, and others, established the Yellowstone National Park Transportation Company to provide stagecoach travel in the Park. In 1901 Child, Huntley, and E.W. Back purchased the stock of the Yellowstone Park Association to consolidate their control of the concessions. Later that year, Huntley died, leaving Child to control both companies. Child also operated Child & Anceny with C. L. Anceny; that business dealt in real estate and cattle ranching. In 1909 Child, his wife Adelaide D. Child, and their son Huntley Child reorganized the Yellowstone National Park Transportation Company into its constituent parts, the Yellowstone Park Transportation Company and the Yellowstone Park Hotel Company.

Child died in 1931, and his son-in-law William M. Nichols took over the operation of the concessions. In 1936 Nichols merged the park's transportation, hotel, camping, and boating operations into the new Yellowstone Park Company. World War II brought a decline in the concessions as government services to all parks were curtailed and gas rationing curtailed tourist travel. Close to bankruptcy during the 1940s, Nichols was financially unprepared for the tourist boom of the early 1950s. To meet the need for improved and expanded facilities, the government initiated "Mission 66," a joint government and private financial of new facilities, the most ambitious of which was the new Canyon Village, completed in 1957.

Yellowstone Park Company continued to operate in Yellowstone National Park until the United States Government purchased all associated property of the company and their lease to operate was terminated in 1980.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The collection consists of the personal records of Harry W. Child and the records of the Wylie Permanent Camping Company, Green Meadows Farm, the Yellowstone Park Association, Yellowstone Park Transportation Company, Yellowstone Park Company, Yellowstone Park Hotel Company, and Yellowstone Park Camping Company. It provides documentation of park visitors, employees, services, and the financial health of these companies.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transferred to The University of Montana.

Preferred Citation

[Name of document or photograph number], Yellowstone Park Company Records, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana--Missoula.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is divided into eight series:

Series I: Harry W. Child, 5 volumes, 1893-1931

Series II: Wylie Permanent Camping Company, 1 volume, 1915-1917

Series III: Green Meadow Farm, 1 volume, 1919-1920

Series IV: Yellowstone Park Association, 1 volume, 1920-1921

Series V: Yellowstone Park Transportation Company, 29 volumes, 1892-1951

Series VI: Yellowstone Park Company, 5 volumes, 1900-1963

Series VII: Yellowstone Park Hotel Company, 22 volumes, 1905-1935

Series VIII: Yellowstone Park Camping Company, 17 volumes, 1918-1935

Location of Originals

Location of originals unknown.

Acquisition Information

The Yellowstone Park Company loaned the materials to The University of Montana in 1967 for microfilming. The originals remained in custody of the Company after microfilming was completed.

Processing Note

The materials were arranged before microfilming in 1967, and a finding aid was produced. In 2004, the materials were re-described.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I:  Harry W. Child, 1893-1931Return to Top

This series contains Harry W. Child's personal account books. These contain financial records for his numerous real estate holdings in Helena and Toston, Montana; Gallatin Gateway, Montana; Gallatin and Madison Counties, Montana; and La Jolla, California. Many of the Helena records concern construction of a root cellar. Many records deal with Yellowstone Park ventures, including Yellowstone Park Transportation Company and Green Meadow Farm. There are extensive records of the activities of Child & Anceny, which dealt in real estate and cattle ranching in Montana. The volume of deeds and agreements concerns property transfers, many with the Northern Pacific Railroad. There is extensive correspondence with his Bozeman attorney, Hartman & Hartman.

Container(s) Description Dates
Reel
1
1: Account book
1910-1928
1
2: Account book
1911-1917
1
3: Account book
1918-1920
1-2
4: Ledger
1928-1931
2
5: Deeds and agreements
1893-1926

Series II:  Wylie Permanent Camping Company, 1915-1917Return to Top

This series contains a voucher register for the Wylie Permanent Camping Company, which consists of records of supplies purchased.

Container(s) Description Dates
Reel
2
6: Voucher register
1915-1917

Series III:  Green Meadow Farm, 1919-1920Return to Top

This series consists of a voucher register for Green Meadow Farm, which contains records for supplies purchased.

Container(s) Description Dates
Reel
2
7: Voucher register
1919-1920

Series IV:  Yellowstone Park Association, 1920-1921Return to Top

This series contains a voucher register for the Yellowstone Park Association, with record of supplies purchased.

Container(s) Description Dates
Reel
2
8: Voucher register
1920-1921

Series V:  Yellowstone Park Transportation Company, 1892-1951Return to Top

This series contains the records of the Yellowstone Park Transportation Company, which provided first railroad and stagecoach service in the park, then automobile transport and services for visitors' automobiles. Filling station and garage records are for Mammoth, Old Faithful, Thumb, Lake, Fishing Bridge, and Canyon stations and show sales and the names of the operators. There is also a list of supplies and services available at these garages. The ledgers, journals, and voucher registers show operating expenses for the YPTC.

The last portion of the series consists of records of Park visitors from 1929 to 1951. The 1929-1930 book records visitors who entered the Park at West Yellowstone, Gardiner, and Gallatin Gateway by rail and lists them by state, town, and foreign country. The entrance registers, which run from 1946 to 1951, record visitors who entered the Park at Cody, Wyoming; Gardiner, Montana; Mammoth; Red Lodge, Montana; Gallatin Gateway, Montana; Victor, Wyoming; and West Yellowstone. Visitor information includes names, addresses, and fees paid for transportation or car rental.

Container(s) Description Dates
Reel
2
9: Filling station record book
1928-1929
2
10: Filling station record book
1929-1930
3
11: Filling station record book
1931-1932
3
12: Filling station record book
1933-1935
15
42: Ledger
1892-1906
15
43: Journal
1910-1923
15
44: Voucher register
1919-1921
15-16
45: Ledger
1920-1930
16
46: Journal
1923
16-17
47: Journal
1924
17
48: Journal
1925
17
49: Journal
1926
18
50: Journal
1927
18-19
51: Journal
1928
19
52: Journal
1929
19-20
53: Journal
1930
20
54: Journal
1931
20-21
55: Journal
1932
21
56: Journal
1933
3
13: Ledger
1933
21
57: Journal
1934
21-22
58: Journal
1935
4
14: Rail visitors
1929-1930
27-28
76: Entrance register
1946
29-30
77: Entrance register
1947
30-31
78: Entrance register
1948
31-32
79: Entrance register
1949
33-34
80: Entrance register
1950
32-33
81: Entrance register
1951

Series VI:  Yellowstone Park Company, 1900-1963Return to Top

This series contains records of the Yellowstone Park Company that do not fall under the purview of one of the subsidiary companies. It contains an employee register, fishing and boating records, a print shop inventory, and general ledgers. The employee registers list all YPC employees for the 1934 and 1935 seasons, their position, and whether they arrived by rail or automobile. There are both handwritten and typed versions of these records. Fishing and boating records show boat rentals and other types of sale at the docks at Lake, Fishing Bridge, Bridge Bay, and West Thumb. The general ledgers document purchases of supplies, construction materials, and telegraph and railway services, and document various other businesses operated in the Park.

Container(s) Description Dates
Reel
4
16: Employees register
1934-1935
4
17: Fishing and boating records
1939-1946
4
18: Print shop inventory
1963
4
19: Ledger
1900-1904
4
21: Ledger
1917-1924

Series VII:  Yellowstone Park Hotel Company, 1905-1935Return to Top

This series contains records of the Yellowstone Park Hotel Company, which provided lodging services to Park visitors. The series consists of financial records that record the details of the Company's financial health. There is also a 1931 employee pay book from Mammoth, which lists employees by name and occupation.

Container(s) Description Dates
Reel
5
22: Ledger
1905-1909
5-6
23: Journal
1910-1919
4
20: Operating results
1914
6
24: Journal
1921-1923
6
25: Summary of reports
1916-1923
6
26: Voucher register and cash book, hotel and transportation company
1921-1922
7-8-9
27: Ledger
1920-1930
9
28: Journal
1923
9-10
29: Journal
1924
10
30: Journal
1925
10
31: Journal
1926
10-11
32: Journal
1927
11
33: Journal
1928
11-12
34: Journal
1929
12
35: Appraisal inventory
1929
12-13
36: Journal
1930
13
37: Journal
1931
4
15: Mammoth pay roll book
1931
13-14
38: Journal
1932
14
39: Journal
1933
14
40: Journal
1934
14
41: Journal
1935

Series VIII:  Yellowstone Park Camping Company, 1918-1935Return to Top

This series contains the financial records of the Yellowstone Park Camping Company, which provided campgrounds to Park visitors.

Container(s) Description Dates
Reel
22
59: Certificates of stock
1923-1924
22
60: Journal
1918-1923
22
61: Voucher register
1918-1923
22
62: Voucher register
1923-1924
22-23
63: Ledger
1923-1930
23
64: Journal
1924
23
65: Journal
1925
23-24
66: Journal
1926
24
67: Journal
1927
24-25
68: Journal
1928
25
69: Journal
1929
25
70: Journal
1930
25-26
71: Journal
1931
26
72: Journal
1932
26
73: Journal
1933
26-27
74: Journal
1934
27
75: Journal
1935

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • National park concessions--Yellowstone National Park

Geographical Names

  • Yellowstone National Park

Form or Genre Terms

  • Business records--Yellowstone National Park

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Child, Harry W.
    Corporate Names
    • Yellowstone Park Association
    • Yellowstone Park Camping Company
    • Yellowstone Park Hotel Company
    • Yellowstone Park Transportation Company
    • Green Meadows Farm
    • Wylie Permanent Camping Co.