Role of Historic Visitor Service Structures in the Interpretation of Natural and Scenic National Parks: Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite

Abstract

Historic buildings and visitor service infrastructure constructed in national parks may change the interpretive themes associated with those parks whose initial significance statements initially stated preservation of the area because of natural beauty. The sites selected for this study were Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Yellowstone National Parks with results identifying five key themes: Connections to Visitors and Inhabitants from the Past, Democracy in the Parks, Rustic Architecture and Use of Native Materials, Development and Resource Preservation in the Parks: A Complex Relationship, and Promoting Awareness and Stewardship. It also considered how the diverse meanings associated with visitor service structures may help to establish deeper connections between the parks and visitors today. The results could help managers at national, state, and local parks with historic infrastructure better plan for visitor experiences and resource appreciation.