Building Golden Gate Park
The history of Golden Gate Park reaches back to the 1860s. The Gold Rush of the mid-1800s had launched San Francisco from a small port town into a major population center. Early Californians were proud of the Far West and its accomplishments, but remained aware of their difference from the established East Coast. The emerging city lacked advancements such as museums, newly-touted tree-lined boulevards, and monumental civic buildings, let alone a great park.
At that time, a large park being co-located with urban development was a new idea on either coast (or at least new to “modern” America), but had been coming on as something of a social health movement. New York’s Central Park (1858), Philadelphia’s Fairmont Park (1865), and Brooklyn’s Prospect Park (1866) were Golden Gate’s predecessors, and the only similar concepts in the nation.
San Francisco, which certainly wanted clear primacy in California (if not the west coast), was not to be outdone by older civic siblings to the east. In 1868, the Irish-born and strong-willed Mayor Frank McCoppin responded to growing social interest and political pressure, and ordered a survey of potential park sites west of Divisadero Street. By 1870, the State Legislature had formed a commission, bonds were sold, and the site was selected (mostly sandy hills in the newly-annexed “Outside Lands”).
William Hammond Hall was selected to prepare the design of the park. [It is commonly misperceived that Frederick Law Olmsted designed Golden Gate Park. He did not. He did however offer early feedback, including consternation, but eventually wrote a letter lauding Hall and his achievement.] Construction of Golden Gate Park began in 1871, following a general design based on Olmsted theory.
At that time, a large park being co-located with urban development was a new idea on either coast (or at least new to “modern” America), but had been coming on as something of a social health movement. New York’s Central Park (1858), Philadelphia’s Fairmont Park (1865), and Brooklyn’s Prospect Park (1866) were Golden Gate’s predecessors, and the only similar concepts in the nation.
San Francisco, which certainly wanted clear primacy in California (if not the west coast), was not to be outdone by older civic siblings to the east. In 1868, the Irish-born and strong-willed Mayor Frank McCoppin responded to growing social interest and political pressure, and ordered a survey of potential park sites west of Divisadero Street. By 1870, the State Legislature had formed a commission, bonds were sold, and the site was selected (mostly sandy hills in the newly-annexed “Outside Lands”).
William Hammond Hall was selected to prepare the design of the park. [It is commonly misperceived that Frederick Law Olmsted designed Golden Gate Park. He did not. He did however offer early feedback, including consternation, but eventually wrote a letter lauding Hall and his achievement.] Construction of Golden Gate Park began in 1871, following a general design based on Olmsted theory.
By all accounts, the park was successful, and drew interest immediately. By the late 1880s, with visitation increasing, streetcar lines and stops near the park’s edges extended access to all who could afford fare, boosting its popularity. The city developed a sense of ownership in the park, and in 1899 that public sense of ownership became reality. The State Legislature which had undertaken the project (and its initial commission) allowed the City of San Francisco to take the park under its own jurisdiction.
Sadly, some of the park’s prized pieces sustained irreparable damage in the earthquake of 1906. For example, Sweeney’s Observatory, was reduced to near rubble. It would be removed in pieces.
Sadly, some of the park’s prized pieces sustained irreparable damage in the earthquake of 1906. For example, Sweeney’s Observatory, was reduced to near rubble. It would be removed in pieces.
Although much of the park’s elements and sub-elements have been replaced, revised and repaired over time, a good deal of Hall’s original plan is believed to persevere. Overall, it was Hall's plan that provided the framework of today’s park. According to The San Francisco Almanac:
The legacy of Mr. Hall can still be seen and felt in Golden Gate Park because he deliberately designed roads and pathways with curves and bends to discourage fast horse-and-buggy drivers, and to shelter visitors from the wind. Walkways were kept away from roads, and low spots, known as dells, were planted with shrubbery and plants to attract birds and small wildlife for the pleasure of visitors.
The legacy of Mr. Hall can still be seen and felt in Golden Gate Park because he deliberately designed roads and pathways with curves and bends to discourage fast horse-and-buggy drivers, and to shelter visitors from the wind. Walkways were kept away from roads, and low spots, known as dells, were planted with shrubbery and plants to attract birds and small wildlife for the pleasure of visitors.
Links/Resources
http://www.sfpix.com/park/history/
http://www.sfpix.com/park/Archives/index.html
http://www.sfpix.com/park/Archives/Early_landscapes/index.html
http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist2/ggpark.html
http://foundsf.org/index.php?title=Golden_Gate_Park_History
http://www.sfhistoryencyclopedia.com/articles/g/goldenGate-park.html
http://sfrecpark.org/
http://sfrecpark.org/documents/ParkHistory.pdf
http://www.sfpix.com/park/Archives/index.html
http://www.sfpix.com/park/Archives/Early_landscapes/index.html
http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist2/ggpark.html
http://foundsf.org/index.php?title=Golden_Gate_Park_History
http://www.sfhistoryencyclopedia.com/articles/g/goldenGate-park.html
http://sfrecpark.org/
http://sfrecpark.org/documents/ParkHistory.pdf