Old Yosemite Village
This is the sixth bridge
built at this site. The first
was a simple log bridge,
constructed in 1859. Two
more wooden structures
followed before an iron
bridge was erected in
1878. A two-lane concrete
and granite version was
completed in 1919 to give
easier access to the new
Yosemite Village.
Bridge Over Troubled Waters
Most of the other bridges over the Merced River were built
around 1930. The span of these bridges constricts the river,
causing the water to flow faster, scouring out holes in the banks
and stripping away vegetation. Without plants, mud washes into
the river making it shallower and smothering fish eggs, algae,
and insects. To avoid this damage, the newest Sentinel Bridge,
built in 1993, was designed with a longer span.
A cluster of buildings once stood across
the river. The first one was a canvas-roofed
hotel built in 1857. By 1900, offices, houses,
shops, hotels, photography studios, saloons,
and stables lined the wagon road leading to
Sentinel Bridge. Park managers gradually
relocated the village to this side of the
river, one-quarter mile behind you. The new
construction was designed to be more
compatible with the Valley's grand scenery.
