Twin Falls Tea House facts for kids

The Twin Falls Tea House is a special historic building in Yoho National Park, British Columbia, Canada. It's a cozy resting spot for people hiking or riding horses in the park. You can find this old-fashioned building close to the amazing Twin Falls in the Little Yoho Valley.

The first part of the Tea House was built around 1908. Later, in 1923, another two-story cabin was added next to it. These two parts were then connected between 1925 and 1928. In 1969, there was a plan to tear it down. But in 1992, the Tea House was officially named a National Historic Site of Canada. This helped save it! It was then greatly fixed up in 2005.

Building the Tea House

The first part of the Tea House was built around 1908. It was likely built by the Canadian Pacific Railway or a company that worked with them. It was meant to be a rest stop for groups taking tours. They called it the "Twin Falls Rest." The land was officially leased in 1922-23.

The Tea House offered meals to visitors. It could even host up to five guests overnight. It sits on a hiking path that goes to the Yoho Glacier. From there, you can see the beautiful Twin Falls. You can also reach the Tea House by an 8.5 kilometres (5.3 mi) trail from Takakkaw Falls.

What the Tea House Looks Like

The Tea House is built from peeled logs. This style was very popular for buildings in national parks back then. The logs used are very big for a building of this size.

The part added in 1923 also uses large logs. But this section has a Swiss chalet style design. From its balcony, you get a clear view of Twin Falls. The Tea House does not have running water or electricity. Food is cooked on a wood-burning stove. There are outhouses for bathrooms. Kerosene lamps provide light inside. To protect the trails, firewood is brought in by helicopter.

History of the Tea House

The Canadian Pacific Railway ran the Tea House for many years. They operated it through the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. In 1953, it closed because fewer people were traveling by train. More people started using cars instead.

In 1954, the Tea House was sold to a new company. They reopened it in 1959. In 1969, Parks Canada wanted to tear down the Tea House. They said it was in bad shape and didn't have modern services. But Fran Drummond, who had run the Tea House since 1962, fought to save it. She started a letter-writing campaign and got support from newspapers. This stopped the demolition.

Repairs began in the 1970s. In 1972, Fran Drummond took over the lease. More repairs were done, including a system to filter the water used in the kitchen. In 1992, the Tea House was named a National Historic Site of Canada. It is now known as a "recognized" Federal Heritage Building. In 2005, a big renovation costing $1 million took place. Part of the money came from Heritage Canada.