Yosemite Historic Hotels and Camps

The collection of postcards in “Yosemite’s Historic Hotels and Camps” chronicles Yosemite’s accommodations from the 1900s to the 1950s. Author Alice van Ommeren notes “The park’s natural beauty attracted significant photographic interest and several photographers opened studios in the valley. They used the popularity of postcards in the early 1900s to their advantage by publishing and selling reproductions of their photographs.”

(left) A 1907 postcard, Camp Curry was founded in 1900 with a dozen tents at the base of Glacier Point.

“The completion of the year-round Ahwahnee Hotel led to increasing interest in winter sports” according to van Ommeren. “This 1930s vintage postcard is part of a series of postcards used to promote he completion of the year-round Ahwahnee Hotel led to increasing interest in winter sports,” according to van Ommeren. “This 1930s vintage postcard is part of a series of postcards used to promote winter activities in Yosemite. These cross-country skiers are on the south side of the hotel, where they have a stunning view of Yosemite Falls.” In her introduction to the book van Ommeren writes, “There are few photographs from before 1900, so images of many of the very early guesthouses were not captured. Most postcards were created to promote Yosemite as a tourist destination and therefore only the most attractive establishments were featured. The book nevertheless provides a comprehensive illustration of how vintage photographs document an important period in the history of Yosemite.”

(Above) The reason Glacier Point Hotel (1917-1969) was not open during the winter months.

Author Alice van Ommeren is a historian and postcard collector, as well as a frequent visitor and former season resident of Yosemite National Park. (She is also author of “Stockton in Vintage Postcards”) She has chosen more than 200 vintage postcards, the majority from her personal collection and some from private and public collections to give the readers a picture postcard glimpse into Yosemite’s Past.

for more information: https://mountainhomeshop.com/product/yosemites-historic-hotels-and-camps-book/