Saving Oakland's Sequoias - Eastbay Residents to Have Grounds at Their Disposal for Camps and Picnics - Oakland Tribune 24 Feb 1924

Saving Oakland's Sequoia's by Louis Allen Sun, Feb 24, 1924 – Page 72 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) · Newspapers.com

Saving Oakland's Sequoias

Eastbay Residents to Have Grounds at Their Disposal for Camps and Picnics

Authorities of City Plan to Establish Facilities for the Public Convenience

By Louis Allen

In the upper left appears a glimpse of the Skyline boulevard extension through the Redwood grove that will become a part of the Oakland public park system. Other views of the grove are shown elsewhere on the page, all from photographs by Ford E. Samuel.

MUCH of the charm of the Sequoia groves of the Sierra will be available to Oaklanders for recreation, picnicking or summer camp sites, now that the city council has decided to purchase 180 acres of the Havens redwood grove on the slopes of Redwood Peak. But instead of the journey of hundreds of miles to the Sierra groves, Oakland residents will be able to hike or motor the three miles to the park from the end of the Park Boulevard street car line. When court proceedings have established the price to be paid for the acreage, Oakland will become the only city in the world boasting a park of redwoods within its city limits.

The only other redwood grove that may be said to be near a large city is Muir Woods, ten miles north of San Francisco in Marin county, and separated from the city by the Golden Gate and a stretch of hilly country. Oakland's redwood park will be less than four miles in an air line from the city hall. Not only will the park be easy of access for the hiker, but the present Skyline boulevard extension carries the autoist into the midst of the park on the side of Redwood Peak. With the acquisition of other acreages between the redwoods and the Montclair district another road is projected to run from the city's center to the top of Redwood Peak, passing through Dimond Canyon, to Palo Seco Canyon, passing the north side of Joaquin Miller park and thence to the summit of Redwood Peak.

On January 14, 1924, the city council approved the recommendation of the board of park directors to purchase the 180-acre tract on the three-payment plan. City Attorney Leon Gray was ordered to start condemnation proceedings and to secure appraisal of the property's valuation through court action. One third of the valuation placed on the grove will be paid to the Havens estate in July, the city taking out a lease on the remaining two-thirds of the property. Next year a second payment will be made and the remaining third of the property re-leased. In the third year final payment will be made.

From a ferryboat approaching the Oakland side the proposed Sequoia park is most readily located. Directly back of Oakland the most prominent hill in the ridge is Round Top. To the north (left) of Round Top and directly back of the Campanile of the University of California is Grizzly Peak. To the south (right) of Round Top is a prominence which is easily recognized as Redwood Peak. The straight, lofty conifers stand out along the ridge of Redwood Peak like a pompadour, The grove to be acquired by Oakland is located on the south slope of Redwood Peak.

The map shows the extent of the grove and its location relative to the city.

As the map indicates, Redwood park abuts on the eastern boundary of Joaquin Miller park. The park extends eastward on the north side of Joaquin Miller road for nearly a mile northward in a lop-sided square for almost three-quarters of a mile. Its northern boundary is just a hundred yards or so below the amphitheater near the summit of Redwood Peak.

An interesting project contemplated as a part of the city's plans will be establishment of Oakland's "zoo" in the park. Such a location for the Henry A. Snow animals, collected in his South African expedition and since returning to Oakland, should prove a great drawing card to the new park.

With the development of Redwood park the park directors contemplate the utilization of the park area for the greatest possible public good. Although plans are not yet ripe as to establishment of golf courses in the areas contiguous to Redwood park, the directors have in mind possible future development of municipal golf courses in the vicinity. Undoubtedly one of the first actions taken with actual acquisition of the park will be preparation for establishing summer camps within the area where hundreds of Oakland people may spend their vacations. All the lure of camping under the clean, virile redwoods of California Redwood Park, or Sequoia National Park, will be the camper's without the inconvenience of great effort to reach the other famous groves. One may take his bedding on his back and hike from Oakland to a camp site under the redwoods, so close in is the park. Several lookout towers are contemplated for the use of visitors to the park. One of the finest views of the bay district will thus be made possible.

While there are stumps of redwoods on the side of Redwood Peak measuring from 15 to 20 teet through near the ground, there are at present no old trees standing. Most of the redwoods range from seventy to eighty years old and have grown since the early days when the sides of Redwood Peak were stripped of redwood trees for the building of the San Francisco that developed soon after the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill. Thus, even in that early day the Argonauts recognized the value of redwood as building material.

Vivid recollections of hikes back to Redwood Peak are the heritage of the generation of Oakland people who spent their youth here in the seventies and eighties. Dimond canyon and Palo Seco canyon were ever magnets to the young outdoor enthusiasts of that day, although it must be admitted that hiking as it is known today was then unpracticed except by a few hardy folk who were considered as more or less queer by their neighbors.

Joaquin Miller was one of the first to recognize the attraction of Redwood Peak, buying the property now known as Joaquin Miller park, which was then a bare hillside south of Redwood Peak, But he set out the trees that have since made his estate one of the most talked about and widest known acreages of the west.

Oakland's Redwood park will be something more than a mere area to be viewed by tourists and others. The park directors plan development of the park along the lines similar to Big Basin. An inn will be built embowered by redwoods, with facilities for dining for large numbers of visitors and probably many small cabins will be constructed for the use of campers who wish to stay overnight or for extended periods. Undoubtedly many campsites will be provided for the hundreds of Oakland people who will spend their vacations inexpensively in this unique mountain retreat within sight of their homes, yet to all purposes as far removed from home as though transported to Big Basin or Calaveras grove.

It is planned also to establish a bus line running regular from the end of the Park Boulevard car line to the park. Extension of the Park Boulevard electric line to the park also is a possibility.