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World Honored Park’s Gardener (Last part)
Thursday, January 28, 1943 The Call-Bulletin today presents the final chapter of the late J Lawrence Tool’e intimate biography of Uncle John McLaren, veteran park superintendent and “father” of Golden Gate Park. By J. Lawrence Toole With a fervor of affection and gratitude, San Francisco for decades celebrated the natal day of John McLaren, “father” of its public parks. Underlying each succeeding civic observance of the day was the sentiment expressed many years ago by the late James Rolph Jr. As mayor and spokesman for the city: “Life in San Francisco has been better and more beautiful since the coming of John McLaren.” The sentence expressed in a few words…
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S.F. Regarded “Unlovely City” Until — McLaren Put Beauty in Parks and Streets (Part 12)
Wednesday, January 27, 1943 The Call-Bulletin presents, herewith, the twelfth of a series of articles describing the life and work of Uncle John McLaren, “father” of Golden Gate Park. The articles were written by the late J. Lawrence Toole, noted San Francisco newspaperman. By J. Lawrence Toole The San Francisco John McLaren saw in the early ’80s when he drove up from one or other of his tree-planting jobs in San Mateo, was a rather unlovely city. Around it, of course, just as they had been, possibly, since time began, were the bay and the mountains and the ocean, but within its incomparable setting the young city itself seems to…
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Gardener Knew Artists Who Made Park Mecca (Part 11)
Tuesday, January 26, 1943 The Call-Bulletin presents, herewith, the eleventh of a series of articles describing the life and work of Uncle John McLaren, “father” of Golden Gate Park, who died here recently. The articles were written by the late J. Lawrence Toole. By J. Lawrence Toole As John McLaren entered the ninth decade of this life, those who knew him best and had known him longest agreed that if he ever could be persuaded to discuss the philosophy of his life he’d say simply: “I’ve always managed to be happy in my work and I’ve always done it the best I could.” Or he would say, as he has…
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Midwinter Fair of 90’s Gardeners 1st Triumph (Part 10)
Monday, January 25, 1943 The Call-Bulletin presents, herewith, the ninth of a series of intimate articles describing the life and work of “Uncle John” McLaren, famed “father” of Golden Gate Park. The series was written by J. Lawrence Toole, noted San Francisco newspaperman. By J. Lawrence Toole When John McLaren, at 92, planted the first tree for the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition, he grinned at the fine new and shining spade that trembled a little in his shaking hands and remarked: “Well, it’s a pretty spade, anyway.” Behind the remark were memories of other spades he had handled in famous exposition first-tree plantings in San Francisco. For John McLaren…
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Scot Enlisted Wealthy S.F. Men to Aid in Park (Part 5)
Monday 18 January 1943 The fifth 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 Strawberry Hill, with its native oaks, and atop of it the McSweeney Panorama, later shaken down in 1906, was here, of course, when John McLaren came, but there was no waterfall leaping down its steep sides and no beautiful, winding lake at its base. Both of these he added to the beauty of the park. The story of the falls,…
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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…