Yellowstone Park Company Transportation Division employee records, 1925-1967

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Yellowstone Park Company. Transportation Division.
Title
Yellowstone Park Company Transportation Division employee records
Dates
1925-1967 (inclusive)
Quantity
3 linear feet
Collection Number
2391
Summary
The Yellowstone Park Company Records consist of application card/employee record card for work with the Yellowstone Park Transportation Company, covering the period 1925-67. Positions included driver, bus driver, truck driver, crown driver, bunkhouse keeper, garage boy, office worker, office boy, dispatcher, assistant dispatcher, gas and oil man, machinist, mechanic, mechanic helper, painter, painter helper, transportation agent, assistant transportation agent, watchman, grounds keeper, fireman, inspector, washer boy, body shop worker, information girl, stenographer, blacksmith, horseshoer, attendant, stock chaser, storage, laundry, tire man, and tour commentator.
Repository
Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame Special Collections
Montana State University-Bozeman Library
Merrill G Burlingame Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT
59717-3320
Telephone: 4069944242
Fax: 4069942851
Access Restrictions

Unrestricted access to these records is restricted to the employees or their immediate families until 2037 to protect individual privacy. Other access prior to that date only with the permission of the Special Collections Librarian.

Languages
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Due to popular pressure, private automobiles were first allowed into Yellowstone National Park beginning on 1 August 1916. Motorized buses would soon replace stage coaches for public transportation in the park. In autumn 1916, Stephen T. Mather, National Park Service Director, conferred with national park concessionaires. The Park Service awarded the Yellowstone Park Transportation Company (YPTCo) an exclusive right to operate public transportation in the Park, beginning in 1917. It began the season with 116 White Motor Company buses. By 1926, YPTCo operated some 350 "yellow buses." The YPTCo fell within the purview of the Yellowstone Park Company, associated with the Park since 1880. In 1980, the United States purchased all of Yellowstone Park Company's assets in the Park and terminated the Company's lease.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The YPTCo records consist of application card/employee record card for work with the Yellowstone Park Transportation Company, covering the period 1925-67. Information on the front of the cards includes name, permanent address, position wanted, age, height, weight, hair color, eye color, three references, experience related to desired position, and a coded line for office use concerning driving, appearance, observance, and disposition, social security number, with remarks on some of the cards. Some cards also include an employee photograph. The obverse includes the employee's record which provides data on the start and end dates of employment, days employed, total days employed, position, pay rate, run (route), and car used. Some of the cards also include a place for remarks and/or uniform size. Remarks provide supervisory or other judgments as to the character of the employee or the prejudices of the writers of the remarks. Of interest are comments on blacklisting, judgments of character, alcoholism, driving abilities, etc. Positions included driver, bus driver, truck driver, crown driver, bunkhouse keeper, garage boy, office worker, office boy, dispatcher, assistant dispatcher, gas and oil man, machinist, mechanic, mechanic helper, painter, painter helper, transportation agent, assistant transportation agent, watchman, grounds keeper, fireman, inspector, washer boy, body shop worker, information girl, stenographer, blacksmith, horseshoer, attendant, stock chaser, storage, laundry, tire man, and tour commentator. The cards have been alphabetically arranged by employee name.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Permission to photocopy any records is restricted until 2037.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Employee records of the Yellowstone Park Company Transportation Division were donated to Special Collections by Museum of the Rockies on January 14 1999.

Processing Note

This collection was processed 2009 May 28

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Container(s) Description
Box
1 A-D
2 E-K
3 L-R
4 R-Z

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Business records--Yellowstone National Park
  • Transportation--Yellowstone National Park

Corporate Names

  • Yellowstone Park Transportation Company

Form or Genre Terms

  • Personnel records--Yellowstone National Park