Great Lodges of the National Parks
Grand Lodges: Old Faithful Inn
Lodge | Setting | Trivia
Lodge
The Old Faithful Inn is among the largest log hotels in the world. But beyond the colossal scale and dramatic location, the Inn is remarkable in many other ways.
Design
In a revolutionary move, architect Robert Reamer designed his building to complement the landscape.
Every aspect of the Inn reflects the simplicity of the Arts and Crafts Movement then in vogue, emphasizing artistic handwork, and the use of local motifs and building materials.
While the Inn featured all the amenities expected by wealthy travelers of the day (e.g., indoor plumbing and steam heat) it was the first hotel to project a Western sensibility of grandeur. It is both primitive and magnificent.
Construction
The Old Faithful Inn was built in 1903-04, just west of an old pine tree where President Arthur had camped in 1883. The lobby was built first, to provide winter shelter for laborers, and fireplaces for cooking and warmth.
In severe winter cold, nails became brittle, shattering when struck with a hammer. But heavy snows made it easier to haul timber and stone to the building site. The 500-ton rock chimney was built of volcanic rhyolite quarried a few miles away.
Most of the timbers are lodgepole pine, harvested 8 miles south of the Inn. Odd pieces of gnarled wood were hand-selected by the architect, for use as decorative accents.
There have been three major renovations, to add guest rooms. Today, preservation and restoration of the Inn are nearly continuous efforts.
The Architect
Robert Chambers Reamer (1873-1938) was just 29 when he designed the Old Faithful Inn. This self-taught architect set off a trend in American 'park-itecture' that continues to this day. After the Inn, Reamer designed a variety of other structures for the Yellowstone Park Company:
- Roosevelt Arch
- Fishing Bridge Visitor Center
- Gardiner Railway Depot
- Mammoth Springs Hotel
He continued his career in Seattle, designing several significant buildings. Even the official literature for Walt Disney World cites Reamer's design for Old Faithful Inn as the primary inspiration for their Wilderness Lodge.
Visitors
Before cars were allowed into Yellowstone, visitors rode trains to a Park entrance. From there, guests piled into 36-passenger "tally-ho" coaches for the ride to various lodgings.
The Old Faithful Inn was a first-class establishment, and one of the first hotels in America to use electric lighting. A steam generator supplied electric power, as well as steam for radiators, and hot bathing water.
Entertainments included card parties, piano music, singing, lectures and speakers, and after-dinner dancing.
Today, most guests arrive by car. Modern accommodations at the Inn range from luxury suites (still no TV), to rooms that preserve the ambience (and plumbing) of the early years.
Visitors interested in learning about the Inn can join the free daily tours, hosted by "chambermaid-historians."