Yellowstone has always been caught between two missions of 1) protecting its wild wonders and 2) tempting visitors to come see them. Nowadays, with 3 million people streaming through each year, preservation rules the roost. But back in the day, according to the Yellowstone Insider, the Park wasn’t shy about rolling out the red carpet for tourists…even if it meant building a funky little spectacle. The House of Antlers was a unique structure made entirely of shed horns and antlers by Chief Ranger Sam T. Woodring in 1928, right across from the Albright Museum in Mammoth. Visitors admired it for decades, with antlers collected from moose, elk, deer, and antelope throughout the winter months. The Antler House survived until 1963, when officials dismantled it, worried that its popularity might inspire guests to grab their own souvenirs from the park. Being a mix of natural oddity and tourist bait, it is definitely a reminder that Yellowstone’s history wasn’t all geysers and bison….sometimes it was just a whole lot of horns!
Nothing sparks a collector’s heart like a postcard of something that no longer exists. This clear gem is on eBay for $7 (or best offer) — just click the image if you are interested!
Feature photo: Collection 1507: Frank Jay Haynes Family Photographs and Papers, 1866-1969; Montana State University Libraries Digital Collections.
