 Yellowstone National Park Collectible Prints
A Story For Each Print Compiled by the Family of Carl and Lily Tolpo Each Yellowstone story comes from daily diary accounts Lily Tolpo kept during summer painting trips from 1948 to 1964. The growing family took road trips west from Illinois to National Park campgrounds that generally lasted about three months. The diary entries are from the actual days of painting productions. The Tolpo family often returned to the same campsites and got to know the park rangers as well as returning wildlife, especially bears. Yellowstone Campground 1949 July 30: Saw the Yellowstone Canyon today. When we came back the right corner of the tent was in shreds. Black case of can goods dragged out and ripped open. July 31: Sewed tent with dental floss, hot day. Carl takes (our six-year old) to study the canyon. (Lily and baby (6 mos.) stay at camp.) They bring back surprise sketches. Rangers set trap to catch bear that is naughty. Heard him get caught, struggled all night. Aug. 1: Washed clothes, nice day but cloudy. Looked in bear trap and saw big brown bear. They will take the bear to another part of the park. Carl painted on canvas at campsite, fine start. Made a canyon visit later today… Aug 4: At canyon now, windy day- first day for Carl to paint at canyon site. Carl did wonderfully! What a gorgeous haze on the right wall of the canyon. Yellowstone Campground 1953 To: Item YPC1953 / Order Aug. 6: Tent day - worked at campsite around tent, warm day. Carl went to Yellowstone canyon and started big canvas “Tolpo Point.” He left his stool there. Aug 7: Carl worked on big “Tolpo Point” canvas on site at the canyon, coming fine. Stool wasn't there. Aug 9: Nice day hike to bottom of the Lower Falls. Must return soon due to heavy mist. Kids (son, 3yrs., girls, 5 and 11 yrs.) enjoyed it very much. Had to move tent. Ground too bumpy and developed strong moldy order. Rodents are burrowing underneath the tent! Aug. 10: Rainy on and off – huge hail stones too. Carl will try to paint. I gave up and made cookies. Aug. 11: Good painting day. Yellowstone Campground 1955 Aug 6: Pitched tent at the Canyon just before it rained. Went to the lodge early evening and when got back a bear had tried to walk up the back of the tent and ripped the roof. Aug 7: Sewed the tent all morning with dental floss and kids (3) watched ground squirrel gather grass and paper for its nest. Saw “Itchy” again this year, a female bear. Had two of the cutest brown cubs you ever saw. Went down Uncle Tom’s trail in the mist, very misty at the bottom. Found patch of snow still remaining on south wall of the lower falls. Aug 8: Took slides of two black bears playing in the campground. Aug 9: Went to the brink of the Lower Falls, nice day. Aug 10: Carl starts painting of Lower Falls. | 
