A History of

Golden Gate Park

Fromm Institute - Fall 2019 - John FreemanSeptember 11 - Course Overview

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“Silence your phone, we can’t ruin the tranquility of this lovely place….”

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A History of Golden Gate Park - Fromm - Fall, 2019

Schedule: Wednesday, 10 am until 11:50*

* There is one holiday, Yom Kippur, October 9th. Normally we would add the makeup class at the end of the Fall Session on November 6th, but I will be out of town that date, so I plan on adding 10 minutes to each of 7 classes instead of having a makeup class.

Class logistics: - start on time, keep breaks to 10 minutes and end on time. - feel free to ask questions at any time during presentations. - Contact me at jtfreeman@usfca.edu if you have questions, suggestions, or comments.

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10 months old

A lifetime in Golden Gate Park

“Wasn’t I lucky to be born in my favorite city?”

Margaret O’Brien, Meet Me in St. Louis.

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Golden Gate Park - 1,017 acres - 3.5% of S.F. land mass

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Central ParkNYC

AmericanModel as UrbanOasis

Begun 1858 - completed 1873 Henry Law Olmstead & Calvin Vaux - Greensward Plan

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The Visionaries in what an Urban Park should be

William Hammond Hall Frederick Law Olmstead

Superintendent: 1887 - 1943

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C. 1860Seal Rock Hotel

Future Richmond District and

Golden Gate Park

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Referring to the area proposed for Golden Gate Park, Frederick Law Olmstead said it was an area

“wholly wanting in grace and cheerfulness.”

Task: transform a garden oasis out of sand!

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Conceptional Vision by Planners: Bucolic Retreat from the Stressful City

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Conservatory of Flowers - 1878

First “Anchor” Public Attraction in Golden Gate Park.

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Children’s Playground

- First in Nation: 1887

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Golden Gate Park and Outside Influence Battles

- Politicians

- Wealthy Donors

- Commercial Interests

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1893 - grading for California Midwinter Fair

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California Midwinter International Exposition

January 27 to July 4, 1894 - profit of $67,000 16

Transition of the De YoungMuseum from 1894

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Golden Gate Park’s most enduring Concession

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Buffalo, in original location

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Golden Gate Park Zoo

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The Bicycle Craze of the 1890s “liberated”women & Golden Gate Park.

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Many, Fascinating Stories………

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The Odyssey of the Monastery

Stones

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…Almost relocated after the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake damage.

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Lindy-in-the-Park

May Pole Celebrating c. 1938

Picnics & parties in the Park

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Bay to Breakers

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Origins of Golden Gate Park: The Why and the Where!

U.S. area acquired by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo - February 2, 1848 for $15 million

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1852

~ Divisadero St.

~ Webster St.

Great Sand Bank

The Outside Lands

Who had legaljurisdiction overthe Outside Lands?

Federal Government?State Government?City & County of SanFrancisco?

Beginning in 1852 thecase was taken to every jurisdiction to be resolved.

The U.S. Supreme Courtruled the Outside Landswere part of the Puebloof San Francisco, thus carried forward to the jurisdiction of the City & County in 1864.

On March 8, 1866, the State of Californiadeeded the Outside Landsto the City & County ofSan Francisco.

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San Francisco1861

Charter line of 1851

Charter line of 1851

Water source for downtown

San Francisco

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U.S. Coast Survey1869

Point Lobos Toll Road (1863)

Calvary Cemetery 1860

Lone Mt. Cemetery (Laurel Hill) 1854

Masonic Cemetery 1864

Odd Fellows Cemetery 1865

U.S. Coast Survey1869

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Visionary for what an Urban Park should be…

Olmsted had designed CentralPark in New York City, and was persuaded in 1865 to offer somesuggestions for suitable location fora grand urban park in San Francisco.He proposed a swath of park anchored by a large parcel hugging the lower slopes of Buena Vista and Corona Heights, sweeping down to through Hayes Valley and fromthere turning north to the Bay in a wide, green boulevard along what is now Van Ness Avenue.

Frederick Law Olmsted

John Singer Sargent, 1895 38

The politicians chose the political solution over Olmsted’s greensward concepts. 39

What was there and who claimed ownership?

Exercising Squatter’s Right 40

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ApproximateBoundariesof future

Golden GatePark

Outside Lands1868

Frank McCoppin makes deal with“homesteaders”

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William Hammond Hallb. Feb. 12, 1846

Haggerstown, MarylandFamily move to Stockton, CA in 1853

Educated to attend West Point

Employed as a surveyor

Low bid to survey Golden Gate ParkAugust, 1870 was awarded to this 24

year old

August, 1871 - appointed engineer and first Superintendent of Park

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Children’s Playground (filled)

De Laveaga Dell(Aids Memorial Grove)

(filled)

Botanical Garden Lake(now pumps)

Mallard Lake

Chain of Lakes

StrawberryHill

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