The YOSEMITE VALLEY RAILROAD COMPANY
BROCHURES

        The early Yosemite Valley Railroad Company brochures were very colorful. They contained a few photographs of the railroad route, the railroad's depot, the Hotel at El Portal, that was later named the del Portal Hotel, and numerous sites within the Yosemite Valley. Also, the early brochures contained information regarding transportation to the various special points of interest, such as the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees. They held information about lodging and camps in and around the National Park. The 1913 issue was the first to mention the Yosemite Lumber Company's operations at Merced Falls and El Portal. Also, the 1913 version was first to include "motor" transportation. The price for these facilities was prominently displayed. The high quality road, that was sprinkled daily to reduce the dust, from the railroad terminal to the floor of the Valley was praised The Railroad also advertised the transportation of private motor cars in these brochures. A complete railroad schedule for all points along the route of the Y.V.R.R. was included in these brochures, but they did not include the date of the schedule. The early brochures shown here were dated by comparing the included schedules to the Southern Pacific and A.T. & S.F. schedules and newspaper ads.

© Clayton J. Guest, November 1, 1998