1923 Tioga Gate Yosemite National Park Boundary Line Vintage Postcard

About This Vintage Postcard

This evocative color lithograph postcard captures a classic scene of early automotive tourism at the Tioga Gate entrance to Yosemite National Park. An open-topped touring car passes between two rustic stone pillars that marked the park's boundary, with the majestic peak of Mt. Dana rising in the distance. The Tioga Road, originally a mining route, was donated to the National Park Service in 1915, opening the High Sierra to motorists for the first time. This scene illustrates the transition from horse-drawn travel to the motorized exploration that would define the American park experience, complete with period-accurate National Park Service directional signs pointing toward Camp Curry and Yosemite Lodge.

Details

Era: White Border (1923)
City: Yosemite National Park
State or Region: California
Country: United States
Topic: Tioga Pass, Tioga Gate, Mt. Dana, Early Automotive Travel, Yosemite National Park History, Sentinel Dome
Condition: Circulated
Postage: 1c Green George Washington stamp, postmarked Sep 10, 1923 (Yosemite, CALIF.)
Address Side: divided back
Orientation: Horizontal (Landscape)
Artist / Photographer: Unknown
Publisher: Western Publishing & Novelty Co., Los Angeles, Cal.
Printer: T.C.T. American Art (Curt Teich & Co.)
Print Type: Lithograph (White Border)

Additional Information

The manufacturing and mailing date for this card is precisely identified by the "Yosemite, CALIF. SEP 10 1923" postmark. It was published by the Western Publishing & Novelty Co. and features the "T.C.T. American Art" logo, identifying it as a product of the renowned Curt Teich & Co. of Chicago. The production number R-92665 on the reverse is consistent with Teich's 1923 manufacturing sequence. The reverse includes a wonderful personal message from "J.S." to Miss Bryant in Brunswick, Maine, describing a "14 mile hike" to the top of Sentinel Dome. This card perfectly captures the dual experience of early Yosemite visitors—the arrival via the rugged Tioga Pass and the active hiking adventures in the High Sierra backcountry.

This postcard would look great framed or make an excellent addition to any collection.

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