The New England-style chapel was designed by Charles Geddes, a San Francisco church architect.
The chapel, which is the oldest structure in Yosemite Valley, was designed by Charles Geddes, an accomplished church architect from San Francisco. Although the record indicates an E. Thompson constructed the chapel, Geddes’ son-in-law, Samuel Thomson—with whom he collaborated on other church projects—was probably the contractor who finished the project. Originally the chapel, designed in a “New England style” that seated 250 people, consisted of only one room, 26-by-50 feet long, with inside stud walls and rafters left exposed. Eventually an addition was added to the back of the church. By 1901, the surrounding “Lower Village” had nearly disappeared, so the chapel was relocated to its present location in the Old Village. In 1965 some interior restoration was completed, and the foundation was raised 3 feet to help protect the structure from periodic flooding. In spite of these efforts, the chapel sustained damage during the 1997 flood and required further restoration.
With a few minor exceptions, the Yosemite Chapel has been the park’s sole church facility since its construction 130 years ago. Purportedly, Yosemite Chapel services began June 7, 1879. When the Ahwahnee Hotel was dedicated in August 1926, plans were unveiled for a much larger church to be built a short distance from the Hotel. The plans were, however, eventually downgraded to an outdoor facility, the Church Bowl, that supplemented the pastoral needs of Valley residents and visitors for several years. Two servicemen’s chapels were temporarily improvised in the U.S. Navy Hospital at the Ahwahnee Hotel during WWII, one of them in the hotel bar. For several months during 1943 and 1944 when the Yosemite Chapel was between pastors, the Navy chapels provided the only religious services in the Valley.
