Featured City West Yellowstone

Photo: By Finetooth - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3343994

The small town of West Yellowstone sits near the border of Yellowstone National Park, the nation’s oldest national park. This picturesque community was first established in 1907.

The town was founded by a group of businessmen from Big Timber, Montana, who wanted to capitalize on the growing demand for accommodations for tourists visiting Yellowstone National Park. The first structure built in West Yellowstone was the Union Pacific Railroad depot, which opened in 1909. The depot was soon followed by a hotel, saloon, and post office.

The early years of West Yellowstone’s history were quiet, as the town served mainly as a stopover for visitors to the park. The population of West Yellowstone was quite small, with a total of only 250 people in 1910.

In the 1920s and 1930s several new businesses were established, including a restaurant, movie theater, and a tourist camp. A new schoolhouse was built, and the town continued to grow.

The 1940s were a time of growth and development for West Yellowstone. The road from Big Timber to West Yellowstone was improved, and the city of Bozeman was connected to the town. During this time, the Yellowstone Ski Club was founded, and the first ski lift was built.

Over the last few decades, the town of West Yellowstone has seen a resurgence in popularity with tourists. Many new businesses have been established, and the town has grown with modern amenities. Today, West Yellowstone is a vibrant community.