The Old Faithful Inn was undergoing a period of turmoil at the time of this photo. The earthquake of 1959 caused structural damage, tumbled a large dining room chimney, and left the upper observation deck unusable for the public. A 1950s-era plan called Mission 66 proposed closing the Inn to overnight guests and using it instead as a visitor center. Many parts of the plan were implemented, including the replacement of the Canyon Hotel by Canyon Village, but it was decided to keep the Old Faithful Inn as a working hotel.
By the early 1970s the building had fallen into serious disrepair. Fortunately efforts were made in time to save the structure from further decline, and a crew of skilled craftsmen continue to keep the Inn in working order.
In 1988 the North Fork Fire threatened the building. Efforts of firefighters and volunteers, a sprinkler system installed just one year earlier, and a sudden shift in the direction of the wind all combined to once again preserve the Old Faithful Inn for future generations.