About this episode
National Park Service Rustic, also known as “parkitecture,” was the dominant architectural style of national parks from roughly 1916 to 1942. Many early examples of the “rustic” style were commissioned by private railroad companies, such as the Fred Harvey company, in order to lure tourists out west to fledgling national parks. The style came to be characterized by harmony with the natural environment, locally sourced materials, and vernacular features.
On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan and Sebastien begin by synopsizing the early history of the National Park Service. They then discuss famous examples of National Park Service Rustic such as the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone, Desert View Watchtower in the Grand Canyon, and the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite. Particular attention is paid to the work of Mary Colter, one of the first female architects, who is notable for designing her buildings to harmonize with both the natural environment and the cultural heritage of the places she built them. The episode concludes with an examination of how car-oriented development caused the National Park Service to abandon the style after WWII.
Links:
Pinterest Board: https://www.pinterest.com/silentgeneration/national-park-service-rustic/
Architecture in the Parks: A National Historic Landmark Theme Study: Old Faithful Inn
Inside Yellowstone's Old Faithful Inn
Inside Yellowstone’s Old Faithful Inn — “The Beginning of Rustic Architecture in National Parks” by Kate Daniel
Mary Colter and Her Buildings at Grand Canyon
Mary Colter's Bright Angel Lodge
Mary Colter and the Grand Canyon - Parkography Podcast
Mary Colter: The forgotten architect of the US Southwest by Erin Van Rheenen
Mary Colter, Builder Upon the Red Earth by Virginia Grattan
Mary Colter’s ”Geologic Fireplace”
The Architect Behind Parkitecture by Teresa Bitler
Building History: Mary E. J. Colter at Grand Canyon - Linda Reeder
On The Trail: Grand Canyon Architecture
Tracing the Yosemite Valley Railroad
Post Cards Related to the Yosemite Valley Railroad
Parkitecture: A Rustic Back-to-Nature Architectural Aesthetic
19: Parkitecture and Historic Hotels - Exploring the National Parks
America’s National Parks at 100 (2016)
Artwork:
Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite NP, 1960
Recorded on 8/7/2026
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