These became ranger stations in the early years of National Park Service administration. The first structure, built in 1886, was replaced in 1897 and modified again in 1908, remaining essentially unchanged thereafter. Life at the outpost was rugged and isolated, and, at times, even dangerous. After the Army years, Norris Soldier Station was a ranger station until an earthquake in 1959 rendered the structure unsafe. The building was restored in 1991 and now houses the Museum of the National Park Ranger.
Exhibits tell the story of the evolution of the park ranger from soldier to modern specialist.
When the National Park Service took over the management of Yellowstone in 1916, many of its earliest policies were based on precedents established by the Army. However, the creation of an education program to interpret the wonders of the park to its visitors was a significant new development in park management. Trailside museums were the first facilities designed to provide information and exhibits at some of the major attractions. The Norris Geyser Basin Museum, one of the park's original trailside museums, opened to the public in 1930. Its rustic appearance is an excellent example of the stone and log architecture of the period.