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Playground Dream Made Real by $50,000 Bequest (Part 4)
Saturday, 16 January 1943 The fourth in a series of articles on the life of Uncle John McLaren is presented herewith by The Call-Bulletin. Their author, the late J. Lawrence Toole, noted San Francisco newspaperman, was a friend of the man who developed Golden Gate Park. By J. Lawrence Toole The old Ocean House neat the Ocean Beach, old time mecca of San Francisco’s fashionable and carriage folk, was still a popular resort when John McLaren came to the park more than half a century ago, and his face lit up with memories at the reading of these bits from an old article. “The Ocean Side House was for a…
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McLaren Gave Credit to Aides in Park Work (Part 3)
Friday, January 15, 1943 The Call-Bulletin presents, herewith, the third in a series of articles on the life of Uncle John McLaren. The biography was written by the late J. Lawrence Toole, noted San Francisco newspaperman and friend of the creator of Golden Gate Park. By J. Lawrence Toole Two mild Monday morning grouches collided in John McLaren’s sanctum in Golden Gate Park Lodge while rain streamed down outside. John swung around in his chair and barked. “Ye’re late.” “Sorry. But it’s a long way from The Call-Bulletin office and the cars…” “Aye, I know about the cars,” as if he’d heard that excuse before, “but I’ve been waiting here…
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McLaren’s Life: Dune Squatters Hard to Move (Part 2)
John McLaren, whose name is almost synonymous with Golden Gate Park, never wrote much about the great park created out of a waste of sand. He was too busy for fifty-one of his many years making it what is today one of the finest public parks in the world.
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“Keep Busy, Best Motto”: Golden Gate Park Creator (Part 1)
John McLaren’s Life – A Saga of City’s Sand Dunes Wednesday, January 13, 1943 The Call-Bulletin presents herewith the first of a series of intimate articles portraying the life of “Uncle” John McLaren, creator of Golden Gate Park and helpmate of nature here for a generation. J Lawrence Toole, noted newspaperman, wrote his biography before he preceded his friend and subject in death. By J. Lawrence Toole Run out, the city editor had said casually, and sit down with John McLaren and get him to reminisce a bit about himself and Golden Gate Park. He’s more than ninety years old and has superintendent of the park for more than half…
