Adventure 003, Site 015-Tioga Pass Entrance Station

Gary and the Highway Marker

Tioga Pass Entrance Station, and Gary and Flag

Capture California, the Game-2013

Adventure: 003, Site 015-Tioga Pass Entrance Station

National Registry ID: 78000372

Team: YOLT

Date:  June 27, 2013

Location:

Coordinates: 37°54′39″N 119°15′27″W

Address: Tuolumne Meadows/Tioga Pass

Description:

Date Built: 1931

Sherri and Gary decided that when our son Steven came along to restock us at Tuolumne Meadows, we would head on down to Lee Vining and take a room for the night before returning to the Trail. Along the way, we exited from Yosemite via Tioga Pass. We knew there was an old guard station there, and sure enough, it was on the NRHP.



So what makes a park entrance station and its restroom and the two pillars—which have been removed—historic? First, it was a product of the Civilian Conservation Corps. It is a good example of their work in the high Sierra's. It is a product, and in some ways a fore running of the Yosemite rustic look. Buildings made from local materials, designed to blend in and be harmonious to its surroundings. It was the first in the area, and set the tone for other buildings such as the Tuolumne Meadows ranger and comfort station.

Tioga Pass Entrance Station

This is a building which the people of the United States got its $3,900 worth in 1931. The guard station could sleep 1 to 4 people. The comfort station located to the south of the guard station was built three years later for $2,737. The original pillars supported a gate and were removed in 1999. Later in 1940 an entrance kiosk was built. The NRHP application termed is as “non-harmonios”. We cannot say that the replacement kiosk is much better, though one would suspect it is a bit more comfortable. Except fot the paving of the road, removal of the pillars and gates and updating of the kiosk, not much has changed to this eastern entrance to Yosemite since 1940.

An older picture of the entrance

References:

• Wikipedia
  
• National Registry of Historic Places: Documentation and Pictures
  
• Library of Congress – From the American Historic Engineering Record
  
• NoeHill
  
• HMDB – plaque commemorating the road
  

Overall Landmark References:

• National Registry of Historical Places (NRHP)
  
• NoeHill (NOE)
  
• Historical Marker Database (HMDB)
  
• Historic American Buildings Survey