Yellowstone 1953 | Feeding BearsYellowstone 1953 | a 7 Image Story   Established on March 1, 1872, Yellowstone National Park is America’s first national park.  Obviously, it was open to the public in September of 1953 when my relatives vacationed in the park.  The park then was much like it is now; mostly wild, filled with geysers, an array of thermal features, and wildlife.  Yet, thermal features change from time to time, particularly after earthquakes.  Many improvements have since been made to the infrastructure.  Even, wildlife species change along with wildlife management practices.

So, what’s changed since 1953?  Well, the basic layout of the park and its road system has remained pretty much the same.  Of course, the infrastructure has been upgraded and modernized.  To accommodate more visitors, larger hotels, camp grounds, viewing areas, marked trails, etc. have been built.

One of the most noticeable changes relates to approaching and feeding wildlife.  Back in the 50’s, visitors were allowed to feed the wildlife.  Notice images where people are feeding the deer and even the bears.  The park policy has changed and discourages people from approaching and feeding any wildlife.  It’s better for the wildlife and safer for the visitors.  The animals in Yellowstone are wild and unpredictable, no matter how calm they appear.  Animals that become dependent on human food may become aggressive and have to be killed.

Yellowstone 1953 | 1953 Travel AttireAnd, of course, travel attire has really changed.  When looking through the photos from this trip, the clothes on my relatives stood out.  Can you imagine traveling cross-country from the midwest to Yellowstone and beyond, dressed in a shirt, tie, and dress pants or a long skirt and dress blouse?  Obviously, jeans and tennis shoes were not in style in 1953.

Since 1953, another quite noticeable change came in 1995 when wolves were reintroduced into the park’s ecosystem.  Almost all wolves in the US lower 48 had been killed off by 1930.  After Yellowstone NP reintroduced them in 1995, Yellowstone became one of the few protected havens for wolves in the country.  Currently, Yellowstone has approximately 11 wolf packs containing around 100 wolves.  Wild wolves have a lifespan of 7-8 years so populations fluctuate year by year.  Wolves are only protected within the park’s boundaries.

Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category Yellowstone 1953.

Click any image below for a slide show!