Archives West Finding Aid

Myrtle Shipe's diary of her visit to Yellowstone National Park with her mother was written on stationery of the Shaw and Powell Camping Co. of Livingston, Montana. It chronicles their six-day trip through the park. Day one was spent viewing the geysers and pools en route from Livingston to Old Faithful where they camped. The entire second day was spent on the geyser basins around Old Faithful. Day three they proceeded through the mountains to the Yellowstone Lake region. On day four they passed through the Hayden Valley to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone spending the night there. Day five sent them through Silver Gate to Mammoth and on day six they toured through Norris Basin ending the tour at (West) Yellowstone, Montana. Most of the descriptions of this tour are of the geysers and pools including their names and geological facts about them, the scenery of the Grand Canyon and the difficult climb down Uncle Toms' Trail as well as the waterfalls, mountains and valleys encountered along the tour. There is little discussion of wildlife, a short passage about the good and pleasant accommodations, staff and traveling companions and a brief recounting of their earlier travels through the Northwestern states. A photocopy and transcription of the diary are included for the convenience of researchers.