Clearmont in 1913, this road would become a part of the Black and Yellow Trail. Many roads in the early 20s that made up the trail looked like this one, just dirt and gravel. (Clearmont Historical Group Photo)
Cars are such a part of the culture today that one tends to forget that wasn’t always the case.
Yellowstone was the first National Park in the US, created President Ulysses S. Grant in 1872, and during the late 1800s and early 1900s, railroads spared no effort in selling Western national parks to Eastern tourists seeking a connection to nature and America’s frontier past. In fact, photographs by Sheridan County Photographer Elsa Spear Bryon were enlarged and used by railroads to advertise trips to Wyoming during the early 1930s.
As automobiles numbers increased and cars became more affordable for the average working man, tourists were able to travel without depending on train schedules and being tethered to the railroad. With cars, tourists could more easily explore their country.
But, autos required reliable roads. The first national road census in 1904 revealed only 141 miles of America’s rural roads were paved, only 18 had bituminous black top. Most were little more than graveled county roads.
With a 5500% increase in motor vehicle registrations between 1900 and 1910, paved roads were becoming a necessity. The Post Office Appropriations Bill for 1913 allotted $500,000 to improve roads for rural mail delivery.
In 1916, Yellowstone opened its East Entrance to cars for the first time, adding to the urgency for good roads to the Park.
The Black and Yellow Trail was a promotional name for a tourist route from the South Dakota Black Hills to Yellowstone. The headquarters were established in Huron, South Dakota. The Black and Yellow Trail included portions of what later became US 14, US 16 and US 20.
Tourists in cars required gas stations, cafes and groceries, and comfortable places to spend the night. It must be remembered that in 1912 and throughout the 1920s, cars were not as fast or reliable as they are today. In 1920 the most popular car was the Ford Model T, claimed to have a top speed of 28 mph.
Today, one can travel from the Black Hills to Yellowstone in around 10 hours. In 1920 the same trip took at least 22 hours, often longer due to bad roads. Many travelers broke the trip into two days, so motels were a profitable business along the Trail.
An example of the road can be found in a 1914 edition of the Official Automobile Blue Book travel guide. It describes some of the route of the Black and Yellow Trail between Gillette and Buffalo.
Although it states that the roads are well traveled, there is a stretch of 125 miles of desolate country. (At that time the road traveled along the rail road instead of going north through Spotted Horse.) Travelers were urged to take on extra supplies in Gillette. It gives detailed instructions for each segment of the road. The 4-J Ranch, 17.4 miles from Gillette, offered meals. Hoe Spring, 25.7 miles, had a spring of good water, the last water for several miles. The book also recommended drivers take a rope and shovel, and that the trip should not be attempted unless there were two cars in the party.
Like the coming of the railroad nearly a half-century before, towns vied for the new road and the commerce it would bring. In The Newcastle News-Journal Thursday, August 26, 1920 this article appeared: Newcastle ready to meet route with share of road work to Dakota state Line, One of the nations greatest highways— the Black and Yellow Trail— may run thru Newcastle! A proposal to change the route to Custer, Hill City and into Newcastle was made in a telegram received by the Newcastle Commercial club Saturday. ……The message from O. W. Phelps, secretary of the Black and Yellow Trail association and addressed to the Commercial club was: “Would you entertain proposition of changing of Black and Yellow Trail from North Hills to Hill City, Custer and Newcastle. Advise by wire condition of road Rapid to Custer and Newcastle, and plan for permanent construction. Board of directors to meet in Huron next Wednesday. May consider change. 0. W. PHELPS.”
The reply was thus….”Black and Yellow Trail via Hill City and Custer to Newcastle welcomed with enthusiasm here. Will bend our efforts to effect completion our end of this route which is original and best choice of route out of hills to south and southwest. Present road Rapid City to Custer good condition. Will improve Newcastle to state line from here and exert local influence sufficient to hasten improvement thru forest reserve. Advise what we can do to further this route. Newcastle Commercial Club.”
The Black and Yellow trail, which at the present time runs thru Lead and Deadwood and across Crook county is known as one of the most extensively traveled of the cross-continent routes o the Yellowstone National park. (The road comes to) Newcastle from which point it will again swing north and meet the old road between Sundance and Buffalo……
Congressman Frank W. Mondell in Newcastle for the summer says: “The natural connection for Wyoming and Yellowstone Park with the Black Hills is thru Newcastle by way of Custer. It should be remembered the Custer road is one of the very oldest trails in the Black Hills and is the old trail that ran by Jennie’s stockade, now the LAK in the days of the Deadwood, Cheyenne and Sidney trails, used when boullion went out from the mines in the Black Hills over the route. At that time the Custer trail was the mid Hills connection with the Deadwood trail. The road which is being given federal and state aid between Deadwood, Hill City, Sylvan Lake and Custer will serve to make the Newcastle connection with the Black and Yellow Trail one of the best and one of the most scenic in the entire black hills.
Custer State Park in South Dakota was designated a game preserve in 1913 and was made a state park in 1919. The beauty of the Black Hills, the historical gold mines, the unique geologic formations of the badlands, and, later, Mount Rushmore, drew eastern tourists from throughout the country as they passed through it on their way west to Yellowstone National Park.
In a The Basin Republican, July 17, 1914 newspaper article:
Short Cut to Yellowstone: The forest service has a crew at work this week making final survey of the Buffalo-Hazleton road, preparatory to completing construction work began last summer. This strip of road, crossing the Big Horn National forest forms an important link in the Black and Yellow trail from Belle Fourche, South Dakota. through Sundance, Moorcroft, Gillette, Buffalo, Hazleton, Hyatttville, Basin and Cody to the east entrance of the Yellowstone national park. According to forestry officials, the completion of the Buffalo Hazeton road comprises one of the must important road projects in the national! forests of the west. The successful outcome of the Black and Yellow trail; is said to have depended to a great extent upon this stretch of road, leading as it does across the Big Horn mountains, and the work accomplished last year demonstrates the feasibility of the route. With the completion of the work this year, the Black and Yellow trail will be placed the map.
Not only will the advantages of this road be fell along the route of tourists from Colorado points as well, the Black and Yellow trail, but by The Denver National Park trail connects with the Black and Yellow trail at Buffalo and persons desiring a short cut to the park will have access to the Buffalo-Hazelton road across the Big Horn mountains in preference to going around by Billings.
From the mid-20s until the late 60s, when Interstate 90 was built and bypassed some small towns, the Black and Yellow trail created revenue for settlements along the route, such as Upton, Newcastle, Spotted Horse, Leiter, Clearmont, and Ucross.
Automobiles needed gas, possibility a refill of water in the radiator, or tire repair. Travelers wanted cold drinks, food or a place to spend the night. Several small towns built service stations, auto repair shops, and updated the older hotels and cafes to serve them.
There were several lodges build in the Big Horn Mountains, with gas pumps, groceries, cafes and motels for tourists to break up their journey and enjoy the Big Horns.
In the Buffalo Bulletin, July 27, 1922: Buffalo Entertains Black and Yellow Trail Convention Delegates this Week: A Caravan of Cars Bearing Delegates from Four States Arrives in City Wednesday Evening for Opening of Convention on Thursday.
Buffalo, the convention city for the Black and Yellow Trail Association, is this week gayly decorated with streamers of black and yellow, while the store windows of the city are trimmed with black and yellow ribbons of many designs.
The delegation of visitors was met at Gillette by the local committee and escorted to this city, where they arrived at about 7:30 Wednesday evening.
Delegates are in attendance from various Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and South Dakota towns, as well as a number from Gillette and other points east of here. The Tam O’Shanter ladies band of Tracy, Minnesota, is making the trip with a delegation of Tracy boosters for the Trail. While here the ladies will give a band concert at the city hall this (Thursday) evening and they will also furnish music for a dance to be given at the city hall on Friday night.
Various forms of amusement have been provided for the visitors during their stay in our city. On Thursday morning they were taken up into the mountains as far as Muddy Pass to view the beautiful scenery of the Big Horns. On Friday afternoon they will be treated to some real old time wild west performances when the Barkey boys will put on an exhibition consisting of bucking contests, fancy and trick roping and all kinds of horse races at the local ballpark. A banquet is being arranged for the visitors and others at the Occidental Hotel on Friday evening, following which there will be a dance at the city hall. The business meeting: of the Association will begin at 9:30 Friday morning.
Two articles appeared in the The Cody Northern Wyoming Herald, July 11, 1923 Informal trail opening for the Black & Yellow: A big picnic at Muddy pass on the Big Horn mountains will formally open the Black and Yellow trail road over the range on Sunday, July 29th, and a committee from the Johnson county commercial club of Buffalo is making the arrangements. A group of Black and Yellow trail ‘boosters accompanied by an entertainment company are en route now from Chicago to the Park, giving entertainments on the way. They will be in Buffalo according to their present schedule on July 24th.
In another article is the notation that the Black and Yellow Trail Brings More Travel: Cars are coming In increasing numbers over the Black and Yellow Trail over the Big Horn mountains from Buffalo and the tourists report the road In excellent condition. Heavy snows this spring held back the opening of the road a few weeks. While the grades over this mountain range are necessarily long they are not heavy and cars are taking them without difficulty. The fine fishing In the Big Horns Is proving a great attraction and tourists are not In any hurry to leave that beautiful section. Considerable local travel from both sides of the range is noted.
Due to tourists wanting to stay and enjoy the Big Horn Mountains, several lodges sprung up to serve the travelers needs with gas, groceries and accommodations.South Fork,Deer Haven, The Pines, and Caribou were lodges built during the 20s and 30s in the mountains along what is now Highway 16. Bear Lodge, Arrowhead and later, Elk View Inn were built above Sheridan on Highway 14. Most are still in operation today, although on a more limited basis.
The Buffalo News, Buffalo, Wyoming Thursday, May 27, 1926 an advertisement appeared: For an opening dance for South Fork. Attendees were urged to: come early, catch a fish and then dance to music by the Little Joe Syncopators. A special chicken dinner was to be served the next day. Reservations could be made by calling 17R4, talk to J.D. Lewis, South Fork Inn.
Today, the Black and Yellow Trail still sees traffic. Many people, deciding on the slower, scenic route rather than the busy interstate, now travel the back roads again, and small towns are benefiting from the renewed trade. In spite of continual highway maintenance and re-routes one can still drive many portions of the Black and Yellow from the Black Hills to Yellowstone driving through the same scenery as the road in the 20s.
So, when traveling west, slow down, turn off the interstate and take a trip back to a slower way of life, and a glimpse into the past, and travel again on the Black and Yellow Trail.
Online sources used.
Roads and Bridges website
U.S. Department of Transportation/Federal Highway Administration
Highway History
Wikipedia on various subjects.
