Eight National Park Lodges Join Historic Hotels of America
DENVER, Colorado - Eight national park lodges have joined Historic Hotels of America� (HHA), a program for the National Trust for Historic Preservation�. The hotels are located in Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Death Valley, Zion and Crater Lake National Parks.
El Tovar - Sometimes described as a cross between a Swiss Chalet and a Norwegian villa, El Tovar opened January 14, 1905. It was built at a cost of $250,000 and was operated by the Fred Harvey Company. The 78-room hotel was designed by architect Charles Whittlesey. The hotel has undergone many renovations but still retains its rustic charm.
Phantom Ranch - Built in 1922, Phantom Ranch is the only lodging facility located below the rim. Originally built for mule riders, its bunk-style cabins are a welcome respite for hikers, mule-riders and river rafters today. The multi-functional main lodge building serves as a registration office, restaurant, store, post office and gathering place. Both the Bright Angel Lodge and Phantom Ranch were designed by famed Fred Harvey Company architect Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter, whose architectural creations throughout the West are still lauded by historians and architects today.
Bright Angel Lodge & Cabins - Listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1982, Bright Angel Lodge features panoramic vistas of the Grand Canyon. The park's oldest building, the "Red Horse Cabin" recently reopened after an extensive refurbishment. The two-room cabin was built in 1890 and was moved to the Grand Canyon 22 years later to serve as a tourist hotel and post office. It was incorporated into Bright Angel Lodge as guest accommodations in 1935 by Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter.
Lake Yellowstone Hotel - Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1991, this elegant structure features a massive sunroom overlooking Yellowstone Lake. The hotel was constructed in 1889. Although there have been expansions and renovations over the years, the hotel has retained the look and feel of a grand historic hotel.
Old Faithful Inn - One of the best known national park lodges, this massive structure has been a National Historic Landmark since 1987. A partnership of the Yellowstone Park Company and Northern Pacific Railroad, the Old Faithful Inn was constructed of logs and stone during the winter of 1903-04. Some 40 craftsmen built this architectural masterpiece under the direction of architect Robert Reamer.
Crater Lake Lodge - Originally opened in 1915, Crater Lake Lodge has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1981. The deteriorating lodge was closed by the National Park Service in 1988 and reopened in 1995 after a massive renovation that restored it to its original elegance.
Inn at Furnace Creek - This gracious inn opened in 1927 with 12 guest rooms that cost $10 per night. Tourism boomed when Death Valley was designated a national monument in 1933, and another 56 rooms were eventually added.
Zion Lodge - Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1987, Zion Lodge was designed in the 1920s by architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood and built by the Union Pacific Railroad.
"These properties are so much more than overnight accommodations as they provide special and unique experiences," said Andrew N. Todd, president and CEO of Xanterra Parks & Resorts, operator of the lodges. "They are part of our social fabric, they were around during our grandparents' time, and they will be creating lifelong memories for our grandchildren and beyond."
"Historic Hotels of America is pleased to be partnering with Xanterra Parks & Resorts," said Thierry Roch, executive director of Historic Hotels of America. "We are delighted to be able to promote these historic accommodations located in the national parks, our nation's great historic treasures."
by Mark Thompson
, EDGE Style & Travel Editor
A long-term New Yorker and a member of New York Travel Writers Association, Mark Thompson has also lived in San Francisco, Boston, Provincetown, D.C., Miami Beach and the south of France. The author of the novels WOLFCHILD and MY HAWAIIAN PENTHOUSE, he has a PhD in American Studies and is the recipient of fellowships at MacDowell, Yaddo, and Blue Mountain Center. His work has appeared in numerous publications.
