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Yosemite's Historic Wawona Hotel fountains spring to life

With its white wooden buildings, verandas and sprawling green lawns, Yosemite's Wawona Hotel cradles its visitors in Victorian elegance. Two signature features of this National Landmark -- the stone fountain in front of the hotel and a fountain at the entrance to the adjacent Thomas Hill Studio -- have again sprung to life after major rehabilitation projects.

Yosemite Conservancy, the National Park Service, and DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite, Inc., which manages the hotel, partnered on the projects that needed $400,000 in rehabilitation work.

"Yosemite’s natural wonders are complemented by historic places like the Wawona Hotel and its fountains," said Mike Tollefson, president of the Yosemite Conservancy, in a press release. "By connecting people to the park through its history, we are improving the visitor’s experience today and encouraging people to preserve Yosemite for future generations."
Wawona Hotel

The Wawona Hotel fountain sits prominently at the center of the hotel's formal circular drive. Remodeled more than 90 years ago, it has long been in need of repair and has been covered for years by a protective tarp. A smaller fountain built in 1895 adds character to the entrance of the Thomas Hill Studio, which now serves as the Wawona Visitor Center. The work brought back each fountain’s most recent appearance as well as updating plumbing to contemporary standards with water saving features.

"The fountains are important features of the cultural landscape of the Wawona district. It's wonderful to see that they've been given new life so that visitors can enjoy part of Yosemite’s early history," stated Don Neubacher, Yosemite National Park superintendent.

Photo 1 4/22/10

Photo 2 1/11/11

Photo 3 7/3/11