Preservation

Two women sit in a Native American camp near the base of Four Mile Trail in this historic 1901 image. Archeologists study the Ahwahneechee, who have lived in this region for generations.

D.H. Wulzen / Yosemite Research Library

Discovering the past is more than a process of archeological documentation, historical preservation, or even finding something old. Finding an artifact, reading an old document, or observing a cultural landscape is about the tangible connection to the people of the past. Preservation of objects, buildings, cultural landscapes, and documents creates the opportunity to connect with history throughout generations.

Yosemite National Park is home to:

• over 1500 archeological sites.
• Sixty historic properties with nearly 600 individual structures and five National Historic Landmarks.
• Museum, archival, and library collections that span from pre-history to modern day.

Through these collected and preserved items, insight can be gained into the history of humans on Yosemite's landscape.

Exploration of the past can begin with a single place, person, object, or structure. Explore Yosemite's history and culture.