Mammoth Hot Springs was known as Fort Yellowstone from 1886 to 1918, when the US Army managed the park from this collection of historic buildings. Elk regularly graze the manicured lawns of the campus-like historic and administrative centre, bringing traffic to a standstill, and the high-pitched cries of bugling elk echo around the region in fall.
f you’re particularly interested in park history, pick up the Fort Yellowstone Historic District Tour Guide brochure for a self-guided tour of the fort’s original buildings. The tour takes in the former jail, barracks, granary and stables, most of which have been converted to employee residences. The guardhouse at the end of the row once controlled all public access into the park. If you are here on a Sunday morning, pop into the lovely English-style church (1913), where the stained-glass windows depict Old Faithful and Yellowstone Falls. (You can even get married here if you like). Other notables include the green-tiled Chinese-style roof of the chief engineer’s office (nicknamed the ‘pagoda’) and the bear statues that guard the entrance to the historic post office.
Rangers lead hour-long history walks daily at 6pm, departing from the visitor center.
