Camp Curry Historic District: Cultural Landscape Report, Yosemite National Park, National Park Service
Schaible D, Chapin P, Chilcott B. 2010. Camp Curry Historic District: Cultural Landscape Report, Yosemite National Park, National Park Service. Cultural Landscape Report. ISBN 1248998383. NPS Pacific West Regional Office. Pacific West Regional Office
This Cultural Landscape Report (CLR) provides historical background and treatment recommendations for the Camp Curry Historic District, a concessioner-operated commercial camping facility in the Yosemite Valley of Yosemite National Park. The district is perhaps the longest continuously operating facility of its kind in the National Park System. For 110 years it has provided visitors with food, lodging, and entertainment. Camp Curry, as it is now known, is a vast complex of guest and employee accommodations, residences, service structures, and landscape features clustered in a valley alcove at the base of the Glacier Point cliffs. The camp was established in 1899 by a pair of teachers, David A. Curry and his wife Jennie. During its long period of operation, the camp has faced challenges in areas of management, business competition, ownership, and supply resources. The most unpredictable constraint for managing the site has been the very thing that made it profitable: its physical location. The area is at risk of rock falls and river flooding from its natural surroundings. Congestion from vehicles, visitors, and employee housing are further threats to the district. These threats are evident in the history of Curry Village management plans by both the National Park Service and the concessioner. Essentially no significant new facilities expansion has occurred at the site since 1936. Historically, Camp Curry was a crowd-pleaser and a profitable venture. Park planners have tried to preserve these attributes, managing the site to balance profitability, enjoyment, safety, and resource integrity (both natural and cultural). The CLR is needed to help inform subsequent environmental planning and the creation of compliance documents that will provide long-term design solution for Camp Curry. The goal of this project’s research is to identify how personalities and events have shaped stages of the district’s physical development. This will help guide treatment recommendations, which include relocation and structuratl alterations or historic buildings.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Schaible, Daniel; Chapin, Patrick; Chilcott, Brian
- Date of Issue
- 2010
- Publisher
- NPS Pacific West Regional Office
- Units
- HIST , PWR , YOSE
- Keywords
- Bungalettes, Bungalows, Business, cabins, California, Camp Sequoia, Commerce, concessioner, Curry Camping Company, Curry Village, David Curry, ehistory, employee housing, Environmental Assessment, Firefall, Foster Curry, Guest Housing, Mariposa County, Orchard, Registration Building, Relocation, residences, rock falls, Yosemite Valley
- Subjects
- CRIS-CL: 725286: Camp Curry Historic District