Camp Curry

Camp Curry, now known as Curry Village, was established in 1899 at the base of Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park. Developed as an alternative to the first-class Sentinel Hotel, it offered a more affordable, rustic lodging experience. The camp became an iconic part of Yosemite's history, known for its family-oriented atmosphere, nightly campfires, signature tent cabins, and the reinstitution of the Yosemite Firefall. Camp Curry’s success helped lay the foundation for modern park accommodations and had a lasting influence on the development of national park concessions.

The resort is southeast of Yosemite Village, at an elevation of , and occupies a central position in the Yosemite Valley. It lies on a talus cone of debris from old rockfalls. In 1970 the community changed its post office name to Curry Village. The village was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 1, 1979.

History

Founding

Camp Curry was founded in 1899 by David A. Curry and Jennie Etta Foster, later known as Mother Curry. The couple, former teachers with experience running western camping tours in Yellowstone, introduced a new approach to park accommodations by using tents and tent cabins. Their first camp, located at the base of Glacier Point, began with just seven tents, a cook, and a team of college students who worked in exchange for room and board.

At the time, the only other lodging option in Yosemite Valley was the Sentinel Hotel, part of the Washburn Brothers' transportation and accommodation monopoly. The Currys sought to provide a more affordable and rustic experience, where visitors could enjoy nature without sacrificing the comfort and community of a well-managed resort. The camp quickly proved successful, hosting 292 guests in its first summer despite logistical challenges, including reliance on a two-week freight wagon supply route from Merced.

The Currys emphasized informal hospitality, with nightly campfire entertainments and the revival of the Yosemite firefall, a tradition originally introduced by James McCauley of the Mountain House. They advertised "a good bed and clean napkin with every meal" for $2 a day, equivalent to $ in dollars.

The opening of the Yosemite Valley Railroad in 1907 significantly increased accessibility to the park, fueling Camp Curry's growth. By 1915, automobile travel brought even more visitors, enabling the camp to host 1,000 guests. Over time, Camp Curry expanded to include 500 tents and 200 cabins and bungalows.

In 1917, David Curry unexpectedly died from blood poisoning caused by a foot injury, leaving management of Camp Curry to his wife and a son.

Roaring Twenties

Between 1917 and 1929, Camp Curry in Yosemite underwent significant expansion and development under the leadership of Foster Curry, who took over after his father's death in 1917.
Foster sought to transform the camp by replacing tents with permanent structures, including bungalows, a bowling alley, and a social hall. His efforts were backed by a five-year lease from the National Park Service. The camp's iconic Firefall attraction was reinstated during this period. Meanwhile, the Sierra Club raised concerns about the camp's expanding boundaries, which were encroaching on the LeConte Memorial Lodge. In response, the Currys funded the relocation of the lodge to its current site.

By 1921, Camp Curry saw further improvements, including the introduction of a Kiddie Kamp and electric-powered facilities. However, tensions with the Park Service and management disputes led to Foster Curry's departure in 1923, with his brother-in-law, Don Tresidder, taking over.

In 1925, the Curry Camping Company merged with the Yosemite National Park Company to form the Yosemite Park and Curry Company (YP&CC), which was run by Tresidder. This consolidation, which was encouraged by the Secretary of the Interior, streamlined operations, enhanced visitor services, and became the foundation for the single concessionaire model used in the park today.

The completion of the All-Year Highway in 1926, linking Merced to Yosemite Valley, sparked a 690% increase in visitation, bringing year-round guests and driving demand for winter sports. Under Dr. Don Tresidder's leadership, Camp Curry responded by expanding its offerings to include an ice rink, toboggan slide, and ski jump.

The Depression and Post-War Years

Curry faced challenges from the Great Depression and World War II, leading to a focus on maintenance rather than expansion. The Yosemite Park & Curry Company introduced economy rates to attract budget-conscious visitors, while making essential upgrades to infrastructure, such as electrical systems and sanitation facilities. Despite the rise in visitation, particularly after the war, no significant new developments occurred, and proposed expansions were postponed. The company’s efforts were centered on maintaining and improving existing facilities to accommodate growing demand. Post-war, demand surged, with 77,720 arrivals recorded in 1952.

Mission 66

From 1956 to 1970, Camp Curry underwent significant changes under the Mission 66 development plan. Aimed at accommodating the post-war surge in visitors, improvements included expanded dining areas, upgraded parking, and new restroom facilities. The National Park Service and the Yosemite Park & Curry Company worked together to remodel and modernize the camp, replacing outdated structures with new lodging options and guest services.

In 1968, the Firefall attraction was permanently discontinued due to environmental concerns, and the camp was renamed Curry Village to avoid confusion with nearby campgrounds. Despite ambitious plans to expand and enhance the park's infrastructure, many projects were delayed or altered, reflecting ongoing challenges with balancing development and preserving Yosemite’s natural environment.

Trademark Dispute

In 2016, the name was temporarily changed to Half Dome Village due to a trademark dispute between the National Park Service and a private concessions company, Delaware North. The name was restored in 2019 along with others in Yosemite, upon settlement of the dispute.

Features

Curry Village, originally Camp Curry, offers rustic lodging near Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park. The complex, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, includes cabins, dining facilities, a store, a lodge, a mountaineering school, and a post office. The buildings are designed with a low profile, featuring gabled or hipped roofs with wide overhanging eaves and a uniform dark color, except for the tents. This design was intended to help the structures blend into the natural environment while preserving a sense of primitiveness that enhances the camp’s overall character. It also features numerous tent cabins, a low-cost lodging option with framed bases and tented roofs, introduced in the early 20th century.

Key historic structures at Curry Village include the 1914 entrance sign, the 1904 Old Registration Office, and the 1913 dance hall, now the Stoneman House, which has been converted into guest lodging. Other notable buildings are the 1916 Foster Curry cabin and the 1917 Mother Curry Bungalow. The surrounding landscape, offering views of Glacier Point and Stoneman Meadow, has remained largely unchanged, continuing to define the camp’s setting. The layout of Curry Village, with distinct areas for lodging, services, and recreation, has been preserved, though adjustments have been made over the years to address safety concerns, such as rockfall hazards.

Tent Cabins

Many of the original tent cabins remain in Curry Village, retaining the rustic charm that defined the camp’s early appeal. The "Canvas Cabins" at Curry Village come in two sizes: 2-bed units (9'10" x 11'10") and 4-bed units (11'10" x 14'). These cabins feature wood frames, platforms, and heavy canvas covers. Originally, the cabins lacked doors, but wooden frames with doors were added in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The tent-style accommodations have been part of Camp Curry since its inception. This style of canvas cabin was also commonly found in Yosemite's High Country camps.

Bungalows

Between 1918 and 1922, 48 bungalows with baths were built at Curry Village, consisting of 2 fourplex and 46 duplex units, all remaining on their original sites. Designed in a rustic style, these bungalows are smaller, simpler versions of Mother Curry’s Bungalow and the Foster Curry Cabin. They feature half-log frames with diagonal tongue-and-groove siding in herringbone patterns, split-log gable ends, and wood-shingled roofs with overhanging eaves. The units also have casement windows, wooden porches, and river run stone foundations. The bungalows are well-maintained, structurally sound, and have been recently refurbished with updated bathroom facilities.

Disaster Management

Curry Village has faced a series of natural disasters and safety challenges, including fires, floods, rockfalls, and a deadly hantavirus outbreak.

Fire

In the 1970s, Camp Curry was targeted by arsonists, resulting in the destruction of several key structures. Fires destroyed the Spencer dining room in 1973, the original gift shop and half of the old cafeteria in 1975, and the cobblestone bathhouse in 1977.

Floods

Curry Village faced significant challenges from flooding throughout the 20th century. Major floods in 1950, 1956, and 1997 caused disruptions to the camp's operations, although no direct structural damage occurred. In response, services and facilities from other flooded areas were temporarily relocated to Curry Village. These recurring floods underscored the vulnerability of the camp’s location along the Merced River, prompting ongoing adjustments to infrastructure and park management.

Rockfalls

A deadly rockfall in 1980 prompted safety overhauls and plans to phase out operations in high-risk areas. The 1980 General Management Plan called for a reduction in the camp’s footprint and tent density, though progress was slow due to legal battles and public opposition.

In 1999, another rockfall resulted in rock debris impacting the talus slopes below, some of which extended into areas near Curry Village.

Another rockfall occurred in Yosemite National Park on the morning of October 8, 2008, near Curry Village. Park officials estimated the rockfall volume at approximately , from a release halfway up the granite face above the village. Three visitors received minor injuries, and were treated and released. The rockfall destroyed two hard-sided visitor cabins and three tent cabins; three others were partially damaged. The Park Service evacuated visitors to Curry Village. Following a study by geologists, in November 2008, the park permanently closed 233 visitor accommodations and 43 concessioner-housing units at the site, about one third of the total units available in Curry Village. 36 units were reopened.

Following a three-year study at Curry Village, the National Park Service announced in August 2011 that it would remove 72 buildings located within the rockfall hazard zone. The mostly hard-sided structures, including the Foster Curry Cabin, were to be documented and historic materials were salvaged. Replacement tent cabins were added to the site out of the hazard zone.

Hantavirus outbreak

In August 2012, the National Park Service confirmed three cases of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and identified one probable case among visitors who stayed in June at Yosemite's Curry Village. Two people had died from the virus, prompting concerns for the estimated 10,000 visitors potentially exposed during their stays.

Officials traced the outbreak to the park's recently constructed Signature Tent Cabins, built to replace accommodations lost to a rockfall. The double-walled design, featuring insulation between the walls, was found to harbor deer mice, whose droppings were believed to have caused the outbreak through airborne transmission. The National Park Service immediately closed all 91 Signature Tent Cabins but continued operations at its 300 single-wall tent cabins.

See also

* Yosemite Park & Curry Company
*National Register of Historic Places listings in Yosemite National Park
*National Register of Historic Places listings in Mariposa County, California

References

External links

*
VirtualGuideBooks.com
- Panoramic Photo of Camp Curry Accommodation
*
*

{{Authority control

Hotel buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in California
National Register of Historic Places in Mariposa County, California
National Register of Historic Places in Yosemite National Park
Historic American Buildings Survey in California
Historic American Landscapes Survey in California
1899 establishments in California
Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in California