It’s an iconic part of Yosemite National Park. But it’s not El Capitan, Yosemite Falls or Half Dome. I’m talking about the park’s grand hotel: The Ahwahnee. We hear its story, today on KVPR’s Central Valley Roots.
Situated in a meadow nestled close to Yosemite Valley’s granite walls, the Ahwahnee’s site was once a Miwuk village. Ahwahnee was their name for the Valley, meaning gaping, mouth-like place.
In 1925, Park Service chief Stephen Mather convinced the two rival Yosemite concession companies to merge, forming the Yosemite Park and Curry Company. The new contract required the company build a year-round, fireproof hotel that would draw wealthy tourists.
They hired architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood to design it. When you think of it, he had a challenging job. How could a man-made creation compete with the marvelous glacial architecture of Yosemite Valley? Underwood’s solution was to complement the natural landscape. His design took great care to blend in with Yosemite’s beauty. Underwood used weathered stones to give the building a natural look. Concrete beams were designed and colored to look like they were natural wood.
Inside, Native American inspired motifs, stained glass and murals that resemble medieval tapestries lend the space a special flair. Ansel Adams once wrote that entering the Ahwahnee “one is conscious of calm and complete beauty echoing the mood of majesty and peace that is the essential quality of Yosemite.
The hotel opened in 1927. Its guests have included Queen Elizabeth, Ronald Reagan, and John F. Kennedy. Today it’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
