Grand Canyon Hotel, Yellowstone Park, WY

Grand Canyon Hotel, Yellowstone Park, WY, July 4, 1926

This menu from the Grand Canyon Hotel in Yellowstone Park features a scenic view of the Great Falls in Yellowstone, a border of red firecrackers (also depicted on the inside of the menu), and a row of flags at the bottom. The flags are curious because of the transposed colors: blue stripes and red rectangle. A liberty bell is on the back cover. Looking at this menu, I wonder if the patriotism is more the beautiful scene of an American natural wonder than the cartoonish drawings of the "typical" holiday symbols.

The dishes on the menu are interesting because of their nationalism: Florida grapefruit cocktail, chicken gumbo Louisianne, California olives, boiled Columbia River salmon, Philadelphia capon, braised Virginia ham, stewed Wyoming corn, creamed Idaho potatoes, roast Montana beef tenderloin, and Oregon prune whip. Top the meal off with Independence ice cream or Boston cream pie.

From the Culinary Institute of America Menu Collection, Smiley Family Menu Collection, menu 27-619.