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Yosemite Stage and Turnpike Company

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Yosemite Stage and Turnpike Company
Company typePrivate
IndustryHospitality management
Founded1882
FounderEdward, John, and Henry Washburn
Headquarters
Wawona, California
,
U.S.
Area served
Yosemite National Park, Madera County, Mariposa County
Services
  • Transport
  • Travel Hospitality

The Yosemite Stage and Turnpike Company, established in 1882 by Edward, John, and Henry Washburn, was a 19th-century transportation enterprise that provided stagecoach services connecting the San Joaquin Valley to Yosemite National Park. The company played a significant role in developing Yosemite's early tourism infrastructure, including the Wawona Hotel, helping to make the park more accessible to visitors.

Today, the company's history is preserved at the Pioneer Yosemite History Center in Wawona, where the company's red stagecoaches are on display, highlighting its contribution to Yosemite's development as a public destination.[1][2][3][4]

History

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Yosemite stage routes, 1870s.

Before wagon roads, reaching Yosemite Valley required a grueling journey on foot or horseback. In the 1870s, growing interest in Yosemite's natural wonders spurred competition among three rival companies to build toll roads into the valley, aiming to profit from the increasing number of visitors.

The first road completed was the Coulterville & Yosemite Turnpike, which opened in June 1874. Shortly after, the Chinese Camp & Yosemite Turnpike, later known as the Big Oak Flat Road, began operations. In 1875, the Washburn brothers completed the Wawona Road—the third road to reach Yosemite and the most enduring—providing access from the south.[5]

That same year, the Washburn brothers purchased Clark's Ranch, a stage stop run by Galen Clark, and incorporated it into the Yosemite Stage and Turnpike Company.[6][7] This acquisition transformed Wawona into a central hub for Yosemite tourism. The Wawona Hotel, originally a modest stop for travelers, evolved under the Washburns into a grand Victorian mountain resort. Renowned for its elegance and proximity to Yosemite's natural wonders, the Wawona Hotel attracted visitors from across the globe, offering them both adventure and luxury in the heart of the Sierra Nevada.

At its peak, the Yosemite Stage and Turnpike Company operated 11 daily stagecoach runs, employing up to 40 drivers and maintaining a fleet of 40 stagecoaches and 700 horses.[8] Despite the challenging travel conditions—dusty roads and long hours—the company maintained a strong safety record, with no passenger fatalities reported.[8]

Madera-Mariposa Toll Road

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In 1881, the company opened its first long-distance toll road, the Madera-Mariposa Route—a 90-mile stagecoach line connecting Yosemite Valley to the Southern Pacific Railway in Madera and serving as a vital link between the Sierra Nevada and the San Joaquin Valley.[9] The route passed through Stitts, Green's, and Fresno Flats, climbing from the San Joaquin Valley, through the foothills, and into the Sierra Nevada.[10] Passengers stayed overnight at Wawona (then known as Big Tree Station) before continuing to Yosemite Valley the following day. The route's gentle grade eased the strain on stagecoaches, enabling four-horse teams to travel more efficiently compared to rival routes.[9] Stagecoaches operated regularly, accommodating up to 14 passengers.[9] Round-trip fares from San Francisco were (equivalent to $1,863 in 2023), while trips from Madera cost (equivalent to $1,421 in 2023). Coordinated train schedules ensured smooth connections, with express service arriving in Madera for next-day departures to Yosemite.[9]

Shortline railroad connection

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In 1886, the San Joaquin Valley and Yosemite Railroad was completed, extending 21 miles (34 km) from Berenda to Raymond, effectively bridging the gap between the San Joaquin Valley and the Sierra Nevada foothills by rail.[11] This development brought rail passengers closer to the Sierra Nevada, making Raymond a key transfer point where they transitioned to Yosemite Stage and Turnpike Company stagecoaches for the final 60 miles (97 km) journey to Yosemite Valley, greatly reducing the reliance on lengthy stagecoach travel. The stagecoach route from Raymond to Wawona covered 44 miles (71 km) and took approximately 10 hours, including a lunch stop at Ahwahnee. After an overnight stay at the Wawona Hotel, travelers completed the final leg with a six-hour, 20 miles (32 km) ride to Yosemite Valley.[8]

Highwayman robberies were a persistent threat on the Raymond route, as stagecoaches frequently carried money for businesses along the route, such as the Madera Sugar Pine Company, in addition to the cash and valuables of passengers.[6][12]

Wawona Tunnel Tree

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See also: Wawona Tree

The Wawona Tunnel Tree, a Giant Sequoia carved to allow stagecoaches to pass through, became a major tourist attraction for the Yosemite Stage and Turnpike Company. Images of the tree not only drew widespread attention but also boosted the Wawona route's popularity, giving it a distinct advantage in a crowded and competitive market.

The expansion of the Central Pacific Railroad in the late 19th century intensified competition among terminal towns like Stockton, Modesto, Merced, and Copperopolis. Each town promoted its own rail-and-stagecoach route into Yosemite, creating a confusing array of options for tourists. Northern and western routes struggled to stand out, but the Wawona Road, as the only southern gateway into Yosemite, had a clear business advantage. With the added marketing appeal of the Tunnel Tree, the Wawona route became the only one to ever turn a profit, outlasting its competitors as tourism evolved toward the turn of the century.[5][6]

Notable people

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Theodore Roosevelt riding through the Wawona Tree, 1903.

In September 1880, the company transported President Rutherford B. Hayes during his visit to Yosemite Valley.[13] In 1903, Edward and John Washburn hosted Theodore Roosevelt at the Wawona Hotel and transported him to the Mariposa Grove, including a ride through the iconic Wawona Tunnel Tree.[14]

The company employed notable drivers, many of whom were skilled locals from Mariposa County. Among them were Tom Gordon, Henry Hedges, Sam Uren, and Johnny White, who were celebrated for their expertise in navigating treacherous mountain roads.[8]

George F. Monroe, a skilled African American stage driver in the 1880s, was honored with the naming of Fort Monroe, a stage station along Wawona Road at 5,440 feet, near the Wawona Tunnel. He died from injuries after heroically stopping a team of runaway horses while riding as a passenger in another driver's stage.[15]

Decline and transition to automobiles

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The decline of stagecoach travel in Yosemite National Park began with the arrival of the Yosemite Valley Railroad in 1907, which provided a more efficient means of transportation. This shift away from stagecoach travel accelerated as automobiles gained popularity and were officially permitted in the park in 1913. John Washburn, president of the Yosemite Stage and Turnpike Company, supported the transition, advocating for automobiles on the Wawona Road as long as it had the approval of U.S. secretary of the interior Franklin Knight Lane.[16] In 1914, the Wawona Road was opened to automobiles.[8]

Legacy

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In 1932, the federal government purchased 2,665 acres from the Washburn family, including the historic Wawona Hotel and surrounding Yosemite Stage and Turnpike Company land. This acquisition added the Wawona Basin to Yosemite, preserving its scenic and historic value under public ownership.[17] In February 1969, the Wawona Tree collapsed under the weight of heavy snow on its crown. The carved tunnel had weakened its structure, making it more vulnerable.

Today, the Wawona Hotel and remnants of the old stage routes, including Wawona Road (now Highway 41), serve as lasting reminders of this transformative period in the park's history.

  • Yosemite stagecoach routes, 1875.
    Yosemite stagecoach routes, 1875.
  • Yosemite stagecoach, 1896.
    Yosemite stagecoach, 1896.
  • Replica stagecoach displayed at the 1895 Washburn Barn site.
    Replica stagecoach displayed at the 1895 Washburn Barn site.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Replace the Historic Wawona Stage Coach". Yosemite Conservancy. 11 December 2015. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  2. ^ Flanagan, Kellie. "Stagecoach driver ‘Buckshot’ Maier honored for 50 years of service." Mariposa Gazette, June 29, 2023. Accessed November 20, 2024
  3. ^ "Yosemite History Center." National Park Service. Accessed November 20, 2024
  4. ^ Anderson, Dan E. Pioneer Yosemite History Center Online Tour. Accessed November 24, 2024.
  5. ^ a b National Park Service Roads and Bridges Recording Program. National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior. Delineated by Ann Kero, 2001. Historic American Engineering Record CA-117. Accessed November 24, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Russell, Carl P. One Hundred Years in Yosemite (1947), Chapter VI: Stagecoach Days. Accessed November 20, 2024
  7. ^ "First Wawona Road Into Yosemite Was Built by a Chinese Company". Merced Sun-Star. Vol. 42, no. 25. 1 May 1921. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d e Sargent, Shirley (1961). "Stages and Drivers". Wawona's Yesterdays. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d "The Madera-Mariposa Route to the Yosemite." Pacific Rural Press, Volume 21, Number 19, 7 May 1881. Accessed November 20, 2024
  10. ^ Hutchings, James M. In the Heart of the Sierras, 1888, Chapter XIX: The Madera Route to Yo Semite. Accessed November 24, 2024.
  11. ^ "The Railroad to the Yosemite". Los Angeles Herald. Vol. 24, no. 152. 24 February 1886. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  12. ^ "The Yosemite Stage Held Up." San Francisco Call, Volume 80, Number 19, 19 June 1896. Accessed November 20, 2024
  13. ^ "The Yosemite Turnpike and Stage Company and the Board of Yosemite Commissioners." Sacramento Daily Union, Volume 16, Number 38, 4 October 1882. Accessed November 20, 2024
  14. ^ Johnston, Hank. "A Camping Trip with Roosevelt and Muir." A Journal for Members of the Yosemite Association, vol. 56, no. 3, Summer 1994. Accessed November 24, 2024.
  15. ^ Hartesveldt, Richard J. Yosemite Valley Place Names. 1955. Accessed November 24, 2024.
  16. ^ "Autos Going into Yosemite May Use Wawona Turnpike, Declares Washburn." Madera Mercury, Volume XXIX, Number 3, 26 April 1913. Accessed November 20, 2024
  17. ^ Wawona Hotel Complex: Yosemite National Park Cultural Landscape Report (PDF) (Report). National Park Service, Yosemite National Park; Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts at Yosemite, Inc. August 2012. Retrieved November 9, 2024.

Further reading

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