Degnan's Restaurant
historic place
Degnan's Restaurant in Yosemite National Park has a history spanning over a century. Irish immigrants John and Bridget Degnan settled in Yosemite Valley in 1884. Bridget Degnan began baking bread, and her small operation grew. By 1900, the family had established a bakery and restaurant in Old Yosemite Village. The current modern A-frame building was constructed in 1958 as part of the Mission 66 program. Walter Wagner and Partners designed the structure. Notably, architect Frank Lloyd Wright initially submitted a design, but the National Park Service deemed it too futuristic. Degnan's remained a family-run business until 1972, when it was acquired by the Yosemite Park and Curry Company. Today, the National Park Service owns the building, and it continues to serve visitors. This site represents a long tradition of visitor services in Yosemite, rooted in the entrepreneurial spirit of the Degnan family.