Mammoth General Store

The Mammoth General Store was the last general store we were able to visit in Yellowstone.  As I mentioned previously we weren't able to visit the Tower Falls store since it was closed every time we drove by.

Built in 1895, this store is located at Yellowstone National Park Service's headquarters, Mammoth Hot Springs.  The buildings in this area reflect historic Fort Yellowstone.  The U.S. Army managed Yellowstone until the creation of the National Park Service in 1916. 

The Mammoth Hot Springs terraces have been a popular feature in Yellowstone since the early stagecoach days.  The step-like terraces have been created over thousands of years as hot water from the spring cooled and deposited calcium carbonate. 

Open year-round, this store is equipped to outfit visitors with gifts, apparel, equipment, food and supplies as they head into the Park, or make a last stop on their way out.--from Mammoth General Store sign

There certainly were plenty of things to buy in the store.

All of the Huckleberry products were interesting.  We did ultimately end up buying some jam.  We haven't tried it yet, but I'm looking forward to enjoying it.

 I really enjoyed seeing the historic pictures placed on top of the sales displays.

This picture is of the store itself in 1951.

The 25th Infantry Army Bicycle Corps of Fort Missoula, MT.  Testing the Use of Bicycles for the Military in Mountainous Terrain, 1896.
--from picture caption

Roosevelt arch, just to the north.

This shows a "fleet" of tour busses from 1926.

This picture dates from 1926 and shows a couple of skiers near the Mammoth hotel.

 The wolves look pretty neat here--and can you spot the Teddy Roosevelt teddy bear?

It was nice to be able to fill up our water bottles on the way out.  You don't realize how much you take things like fresh water for granted until you don't have an easy way to get more (since we'd left the campground very early in the morning).  I also had to get a couple last pennies smashed.  I ended up getting quite a few in Yellowstone--but I showed restraint and didn't get every one available, ;-).

It was sad to see the store and know that we wouldn't be visiting any more.  But there was still plenty to see in Mammoth.

~Matt

PS More pictures: