Norris, Madison, and Fishing Bridge Museums
Encyclopedia
The Norris, Madison, and Fishing Bridge Museums is a conglomeration of three separate "trailside museums" within Yellowstone National Park
which together make up one National Historic Landmark
of the United States.
The three elements are the Norris Museum, the Madison Museum
, and the Fishing Bridge Museum
. The Madison and Norris Museums are separated by a distance of 14 miles (22.5 km), while the Fishing Bridge Museum is more than 40 miles (64.4 km) away from the other two by road. All three were designed by architect
Herbert Maier
in a style that has become known as National Park Service Rustic
.
A fourth museum, the Old Faithful Museum of Thermal Activity
, also designed by Maier, was built at the same time. It was demolished in 1971 to make way for a new visitor center, which has itself been replaced.
The surviving museums were collectively declared a National Historic Landmark
in 1987.
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872, is a national park located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho...
which together make up one National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
of the United States.
The three elements are the Norris Museum, the Madison Museum
Madison Museum
The Madison Museum is one of a series of "trailside museums" in Yellowstone National Park designed by architect Herbert Maier in a style that has become known as National Park Service Rustic. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, and is one of three parts of a...
, and the Fishing Bridge Museum
Fishing Bridge Museum
The Fishing Bridge Museum is one of a series of "trailside museums" in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA, designed by architect Herbert Maier in a style that has become known as National Park Service Rustic. It is one of three parts of a 1987-declared National Historic Landmark, the Norris,...
. The Madison and Norris Museums are separated by a distance of 14 miles (22.5 km), while the Fishing Bridge Museum is more than 40 miles (64.4 km) away from the other two by road. All three were designed by architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Herbert Maier
Herbert Maier
Herbert Maier was an American architect and public administrator, most notable as an architect for his work at Yosemite, Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Parks. Maier, as a consultant to the National Park Service, designed four trailside museums in Yellowstone, three of which survive as...
in a style that has become known as National Park Service Rustic
National Park Service Rustic
National Park Service rustic, also colloquially known as Parkitecture, is a style of architecture that arose in the United States National Park System to create buildings that harmonized with their natural environment. Since its founding, the National Park Service consistently has sought to provide...
.
A fourth museum, the Old Faithful Museum of Thermal Activity
Old Faithful Museum of Thermal Activity
The Old Faithful Museum of Thermal Activity was one of a series of four "trailside" museums built in Yellowstone National Park in 1929. Funded by a grant of $118,000 from Laura Spelman Rockefeller, the museums interpreted park features for visitors, and represented an early version of the visitor...
, also designed by Maier, was built at the same time. It was demolished in 1971 to make way for a new visitor center, which has itself been replaced.
The surviving museums were collectively declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1987.
External links
- Norris, Madison, and Fishing Bridge Museums National Historic Landmark at the Wyoming state Historic Preservation Office
- Architecture in the Parks: A National Historic Landmark Theme Study: Norris, Madison and Fishing Bridge Museums, by Laura Soullière Harrison, 1986, at National Park Service.