Camp Mather

Since the 1920s, Camp Mather has beckoned to outdoor enthusiasts to come enjoy restful, carefree times in the Sierra. Bordering Yosemite National Park, Mather was established as a construction camp for laborers building the O'Shaughnessy Dam in the Hetch Hetchy Valley. The camp began welcoming San Franciscans after construction was completed and then, as now, offers a welcome respite from city life. Guests stay in employee cabins and swim in the lake near the site of a former sawmill. Horseback riding, hiking, swimming, and three-squares-a-day have long been hallmarks of the Mather experience. From its humble Hog Ranch beginnings through the Mather Station days, Camp Mather has been a cherished spot enjoyed by multiple generations of San Francisco families.

Working with vintage photographs from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the San Francisco Public Library, the Tuolumne County Museum, and various private collections, Michael Buck shows how this spectacular Sierra jewel has evolved. Intrigued by the lore of camp during a tour, Buck has uncovered many obscure facets of the Mather story. For several years now, he has enjoyed an annual weeklong stay at Mather with his wife and two children.