Historic Sign Welcoming Yosemite Visitors To Ahwahnee Hotel Stolen Before Name Changed
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK (KCBS/AP) -- A historic sign welcoming visitors to Yosemite National Park's Ahwahnee Hotel has been stolen on the eve of significant name changes to the park's most iconic attraction.
The Fresno Bee reported (http://tinyurl.com/hg4vfrv) Monday that the sign was stolen Saturday night or Sunday morning amid a bitter legal battle over the names of attractions.
Unless an 11th hour legal settlement was reached, dozens of sign were scheduled to be covered up and replaced with temporary new names, including the hotel's sign changing the facilities name to the Majestic Yosemite Hotel.
Souvenirs bearing the name were pulled from shelves Monday.
The Ahwahnee's sign has been in place since 1927.
A new private vendor is scheduled to take over park concessions on Tuesday. The former vendor owns the trademarks to the names being changed and has sued the park service for breach of contract. The Park Service says the lawsuit has forced the name changes.