Last updated on .
The Old Faithful Historic District is one of the most popular areas of Yellowstone National Park. This area of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed park contains an impressive hotel, lodge, and visitor center surrounding the iconic Old Faithful geyser.
Old Faithful Inn
The most important building at the site is the Old Faithful Inn. It was built out of logs and bricks and is thought to be the largest log building in the world. It’s also one of the last log cabin hotels remaining in the United States. The inn was designed by Robert Reamer and was completed in 1904. At the time of completion, it had electric lights and steam heat.
The impressive interior has seven stories of logs supporting the roof and two stories of balconies surrounding the lobby. A stone fireplace 16 ft² at the base sits in one corner of the lobby. It has four hearths and extends all the way to the roof.
The porch roof provides a viewing platform for eruptions of Old Faithful and other geysers. It was difficult to find a good seat but it was still a nice place to sit and relax.
Old Faithful Lodge
The building opposite Old Faithful Inn is the Old Faithful Lodge. The lodge was designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood and completed in 1927. It consists of a lobby, dining hall, and recreation hall. Next to it are several rustic cabins that replaced an original tent camp established in 1913.
Old Faithful Visitor Education Center
Between the two historic buildings sits the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center. It opened in 2010 and features exhibits on Yellowstone’s hydrothermal features, wildlife, the supervolcano of the Yellowstone Caldera, and continuing research of the area.
