Kim Lawson
On Sept. 22, our community gathered at the Mariposa Museum & History Center to celebrate a major milestone: 100 years of Highway 140, the historic “All-Year Highway” to Yosemite.
With vintage vehicles traveling through Mariposa, community members gathering to share stories and a wonderful lineup of speakers reflecting on the history of the route and looking into the future, it was a fitting way to celebrate a road that has connected people to Yosemite and to Mariposa County for a century.
But there is much more to the story.
The centennial of Highway 140 is just one of several remarkable anniversaries being celebrated across Mariposa County in 2026. Together, they tell a larger story about a region that has spent generations welcoming travelers, preserving its history and building a destination that extends far beyond the boundaries of Yosemite National Park.
This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the Yosemite Museum, the first structure built specifically as a museum anywhere in the national park system. Opened in 1926, the museum was created during an important period of growing interest in preserving Yosemite’s cultural heritage. Today, the museum and its affiliated staff safeguard more than five million objects documenting Yosemite’s natural and cultural history.
It is also the 100th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of The Ahwahnee. The iconic Yosemite Valley hotel was part of the National Park Service’s efforts to encourage year-round visitation and has been an enduring symbol of Yosemite hospitality since opening its doors.
Those milestones are echoed throughout Mariposa County, where historic buildings, longtime businesses and community traditions tell their own stories of the people who have shaped this region.
Yosemite Resorts is celebrating 50 years of family-owned hospitality along the Merced River corridor. Since 1977, its properties have provided lodging and camping opportunities for generations of visitors traveling to Yosemite.
The Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort is marking 30 years this year. Over three decades, the Bug has become a distinctive gathering place for international travelers and locals alike, drawn not only to its unique mountain accommodations but also to the June Bug Café, its on-site restaurant and social hub. Together, they have helped make the Bug a memorable part of the Yosemite experience for visitors from around the world and a familiar gathering place for the local community.
And in downtown Mariposa, River Rock Inn is celebrating not one, but two milestones. The original building dates back 135 years to 1891, while a 1941 expansion marks its own 85th anniversary this year. Together, those milestones represent more than a century of hospitality in the heart of Mariposa. Today, visitors can stay overnight or stop by Sticks Coffee, located on site, for a cup of coffee and a chance to slow down and enjoy the atmosphere of this historic downtown property.
Fremont House is also celebrating 70 years in business. Founded by George Radanovich Sr. in 1956, the family-owned Mariposa business has continued through generations, serving locals and visitors with clothing, footwear, accessories and Yosemite and Mariposa apparel. After seven decades, Fremont House remains a familiar part of Mariposa’s historic downtown and community.
The anniversary celebrations aren’t limited to lodging and tourism businesses.
In Coulterville, CoyoteFest celebrated its 40th year on Sept. 26. The beloved community festival brings together residents and visitors for a parade down Historic Main Street, classic cars, live music, food, children’s activities and the famously fun Coyote Howl Contest. It also serves an important purpose, raising funds to support the Northern Mariposa County History Center and the preservation of the region’s Gold Rush heritage.
When you put all these anniversaries together, a bigger picture emerges.
Highway 140 may have opened the door to a new era of automobile travel to Yosemite, but it was the people who built businesses, preserved historic places, created community traditions and continued welcoming travelers who shaped what came next.
That story is still being written.
As we celebrate 100 years of Highway 140, we have an opportunity to celebrate not just a road, but the many people and places that have made Mariposa County part of the Yosemite journey for generations.
A century later, visitors are still traveling this route, finding plenty of reasons to stop, stay awhile and discover what lies beyond the park boundary.
And as we look ahead to the next 100 years, the places, businesses, traditions and people we celebrate today will help shape the story that comes next. If the milestones of 2026 tell us anything, it is that Mariposa County’s story is not simply one of what has been preserved, but of what continues to grow, evolve and welcome people along the way.
Kim Lawson is Director of Communications and Content for the Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau (YMCTB), where she leads the national and international media coverage promoting our region. A longtime local, she helps tell the story of Mariposa County and welcomes visitors through media and storytelling. Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for the County of Mariposa. Learn more about YMCTB at Yosemite.com See stories from our community on YouTube channel @YosemiteNation to watch our series on local business owners involved in the tourism trade www.youtube.com/@YosemiteNation/
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