Title: Life on the Edge

Main Text
By 1883, James Longmire, a local pioneer and explorer, saw the beauty and economic benefits of the mineral springs. His vision gave rise to the development and expansion of the meadow as a tourist destination. With the establishment of Mount Rainier National Park in 1899, visitation increased as did the demand for concessions. Tent cabins, an auto shop, a gas station, tennis courts, and a clubhouse were among the services that arose in Longmire Village, which is the area that surrounds you. Today, the natural integrity of this edge environment, where meadow and forest converge, continues to evolve, preserving the history of people, plants, and animals.

Exhibit Panel Description
The main text is in the upper left corner of the panel against a grey background. Several small black and white historic photos are scattered across the rest of the panel, set at slight angles and slightly overlapping. Under the main text is a photo of a garage with several early-model cars parked in front, their drivers posed next to the vehicles. A signboard the building’s open garage bay reads “Park Garage – Gasoline-Oil-Supplies”. Behind the building rises Rampart Ridge, a forested ridge with lava cliffs, and the glaciated summit of Mount Rainier. A photo in the middle of the panel at the bottom, shows a vehicle refueling at a small gas station with two, tall cylindrical gas pumps. The building is built out of logs with an angled roof and a covered drive-through. Between the park garage and gas station photo is a caption, which reads “Facilities were built to serve the growing use of automobiles: (left) the garage and repair shop, formerly located at the current trailhead for Trail of the Shadows; and (right) the service station, which still exists in its original location across the road.” Above the service station photo is a photo of several large wood buildings with gabled windows and covered porches. In the lower right corner of the panel is a photo of two rows of tent cabins divided by a wood walkway and with Mount Rainier in the distance. Between the photos is a caption: “Early accommodations ranged from tent cabins (right) to hotels. The original National Park Inn (in the above photo, on the right), built in 1906, was destroyed by fire in 1926. The inn’s Annex (in the above photo, on the left) was originally built in 1916 where you now stand, and was relocated across the road in 1920. After the original inn burned the Annex remained, serving guests to this day at the same location.” At the top of the panel are the final two photos. On the left side is a photo of a dog sled parked in front of a large wood building covered in snow with several people crowded around the sled looking at the string of dogs. On the right side is a photo of two women in dresses or wide-legged pants and straw hats sitting astride two horses. In between the two photos a caption reads, “Activities offered by early park concessioners included wintertime dogsled rides (left) and horse rentals for trail rides (right).”

Visit This Exhibit Panel
This exhibit panel is located in Longmire along the Trail of the Shadows, a short trail that starts across the street from the National Park Inn. Longmire is open year-round.