Picture postcard of Yellowstone hot spring, 1902. Photofile. National Parks — Yellowstone, Folder 3. University of Wyoming, American Heritage Center.

The days are getting longer and warmer, unviersity classes are over and the K-12 schools will soon be closing for a couple of months–must be summer!  By now, most of us have started to daydream about which destinations we’ll choose to visit this summer, and some of you have more than likely planned your entire journey.  If anyone is contemplating a trip to Yellowstone or Grand Teton National Parks, or Devil’s Tower National Monument, we offer up for your enjoyment some scenes from these areas.  Enjoy!

Photograph of a group of people near Yellowstone Falls, ca. 1880.   University of Wyoming American Heritage Center, Photofile: National Parks and Reserves – Yellowstone, Negative Number 22958.

Some historian (or even a picnicker in the photograph!) has painstakingly labeled the photograph in glorious detail. Label on the front: “Upper Falls of the Yellowstone. Scenery of the Yellowstone National Park. F. Jay Haynes, Publisher, Fargo. D. T.” Written on the back: “Taken by Haynes, about 1880, at the upper falls of Yellowstone. Back Row — Reverand Crittendon, Middle Row George Moss, Charley Wright Stone, Mrs. George Dickson (Emma Street), Pearl Dicson, Mrs. George Moss (Emma Stone), Front Row — Sally Christman, Miss Jones, Two Neighbor Teachers, Leonard Stone, Wilda Stone (Wilda Swan), Very Front — mid day lunch kit.”

Postcard of three bear cubs at the window of a car visiting Yellowstone. Photofile: Yellowstone–Wildlife. University of Wyoming, American Heritage Center.

Don’t feed the bears!  If you feed a bear, they’ll want to hitch a ride home with you!

Devil’s Tower National Monument, W.B.D. and Annette B. Gray papers, Coll. #1053, Box 14. University of Wyoming, American Heritage Center.

Now, whether you’ve caught the travel bug or will be an armchair traveler enjoying the comforts of home this summer, we wish you all happy travels, wherever they may take you.  If you  happen to be traveling on good ol’ I-80 through Wyoming, do stop in and see us!

–Rachael Dreyer, Reference Archivist