Golden Gate Park
May 23rd, 2008
In the 1860s, San Franciscans began to understand that they require a spacious public park similar to Central Park that was taking shape in New York. Golden Gate Park was carved out of unpromising sand and shore dunes that were known as the "outside lands" in an unincorporated area west of then-San Francisco's borders. Although the park was conceived under the guise of recreation, the underlying justification was to attract housing development and provide for the westward expansion of The City. The tireless field engineer William Hammond Hall prepared a survey and topographic map of the park site in 1870 and became commissioner in 1871. He was later named California's first State Engineer and developed an integrated flood control system for the Sacramento Valley when he was not working on Golden Gate Park. The actual plan and planting were developed by Hall and his assistant, John McLaren, who had apprenticed in Scotland, the homeland of many of the nineteenth century's best professional gardeners. The initial plan called for grade separations of transverse roadways through the park, as Frederick Law Olmsted had provided for Central Park, but budget constraints and the positioning of the Arboretum and the Concourse ended the plan. In 1876, the plan was almost exchanged for a racetrack favored by "the Big Four" millionaires, Leland Stanford, Mark Hopkins, Collis P. Huntington, and Charles Crocker. Hall resigned and the remaining park commissioners followed him. The original plan, however, was back on track by 1886, when streetcars delivered over 47,000 people to Golden Gate Park on one weekend afternoon (the city's population at the time was about 250,000). Hall selected McLaren as his successor in 1887. The first stage stabilized the ocean dunes that covered three-quarters of the park area with tree plantings. By 1875, about 60,000 trees, mostly Blue Gum Eucalyptus, Monterey pine and Monterey cypress, were planted. By 1879, that figure more than doubled to 155,000 trees over 1,000 acres (4 km²). Later McLaren scoured the world through his correspondents for trees. When McLaren refused to retire at age 60, as was customary, the San Francisco city government was bombarded with letters: when he reached 70, a charter amendment was passed to exempt him from forced retirement. He lived in McLaren Lodge in Golden Gate Park until he died at age 90, in 1943.
In 1903, a couple of Dutch-style windmills were built at the extreme western end of the park. These pumped water throughout the park. The north windmill has been restored to its original appearance and is adjacent to a flower garden, a gift of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. These are planted with tulip bulbs for winter display and other flowers in appropriate seasons. Murphy's Windmill in the south of the park is currently being restored.
The largest part of the water used for landscape watering and for various water features is now provided by the use of highly processed and recycled effluent from the city's sewage treatment plant, located at the beach some miles away to the south near the San Francisco Zoo. In the 1950s the use of this effluent during cold weather caused some consternation, with the introduction of artificial detergents but before the advent of modern biodegradable products. These "hard" detergents would cause long-lasting billowing piles of foam to form on the creeks connecting the artificial lakes and could even be blown onto the roads, forming a traffic hazard.
Golden Gate Park is nearby to Haight Ashbury, and it was the site of the Human Be-In of 1967, preceding the Summer of Love. The tradition of massive, free public gatherings in the park continues to the present, especially at Speedway Meadow. One of the largest events held annually at the park starting in 2001 has been the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival (formerly the "Strictly Bluegrass Festival"), a free festival held in October. Speadway Meadow also plays host to number of large scale events such as the 911 Power to the Peaceful Festival held by Musician and Filmmaker Michael Franti with Guerrilla Management .
Features of the Golden Gate Park.
The Music Concourse Area. The Music Concourse is an open area with three water fountains enclosed with maple trees positioned uniformly. There is also a stage on the east side. The buildings near the concourse area include The California Academy of Sciences and De Young Museum. In 2003, the Music Concourse is also undergoing a series improvements to include an underground 800-car parking garage, narrowing of the roadways in the Music Concourse, the addition of bike lanes, and the elimination of existing surface parking.
San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum. The San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum was laid out in the 1890s, but funding was insufficient until Helene Strybing willed funds in 1926. Planting was begun in 1937 with WPA funds supplemented by local donations. This 55 acre (222,500 m²) arboretum contains more than 7,500 plant species. The arboretum also houses the Helen Crocker Russell Library; northern California's largest horticultural library.
Japanese Tea Garden. The five acre (20,000 m²) Japanese tea garden at Golden Gate Park is an extremely popular feature.
Conservatory of Flowers. The Conservatory of Flowers is one of the world's largest conservatories built of traditional wood and glass panes. It was prefabricated for local entrepreneur James Lick for his Santa Clara, California, estate but was still in its crates when he died in 1876. A group of San Franciscans bought it and offered it to the city, and it was erected in Golden Gate Park and opened to the public in 1879. In 1883, a boiler exploded and the main dome caught fire. A restoration was undertaken by Southern Pacific magnate Charles Crocker. It survived the earthquake of 1906 only to suffer another fire in 1918. In 1933 it was declared unsound and closed to the public, only to be reopened in 1946. In 1995, after a severe storm with 100 mph (160 km/h) winds damaged the structure, shattering 40% of the glass, the conservatory had to be closed again. It was cautiously dissected for repairs and finally opened again in September 2003.
De Young Museum. Named for M. H. de Young, the San Francisco newspaper magnate, the De Young Museum was opened January 1921. Its original building had been part of The California Midwinter International Exposition of 1894, of which Mr. de Young was the director. The de Young has been completely rebuilt and re-opened in 2005.
Academy of Sciences. The California Academy of Sciences is one of the largest natural history museums in the world, and also houses the Steinhart Aquarium and the Morrison Planetarium. The Academy of Sciences carries exhibits of reptiles and amphibians, astronomy, prehistoric life, various gems and minerals, earthquakes, and aquatic life. In September 12, 2005, Academy of Sciences started a complete reconstruction, with completion scheduled for 2008; until then it is temporarily located downtown in the SoMa area.
Stow Lake. Lake enfolds the prominent Strawberry Hill, now an island with an electrically pumped waterfall. Rowboats, pedalboats, and electrically powered boats can be rented at the boathouse. Much of the western portion of San Francisco can be seen from the top of this hill, which at its top contains one of the reservoirs that supply a network of high-pressure water mains that exclusively supply specialized fire hydrants throughout the city.
Spreckels Lake. Spreckels Lake is situated on the northern side of the park near 36th Avenue. As the home waters of the San Francisco Model Yacht Club, one can usually find model yachts sailing on Spreckels Lake. Many of these are of the 'free-sail' type used before the advent of the modern radio controlled model. The yachts are set up by their owners, and most include either an auxiliary wind vane or main sheet linkage to control the rudder in response to varying wind conditions. The yachts are then released, and pole handlers will walk down each side of the lake with a padded pole to prevent the yachts from colliding with the lake edge. The lake has been specifically designed for this type of operation, as it has a vertical edging (allowing the yachts to closely approach the shore) and a paved walkway around the entire edge. At one location near a grassy area, "duckling ramps" allow young wildlife to leave the pond safely.
John F. Kennedy Drive. John F. Kennedy Memorial Drive was the new name for North Drive, winding from the East end of the park to the Great Highway after the Kennedy Assassination. The portion east of the 19th Avenue park crossing is closed to motor traffic on Sundays and holidays, providing a popular oasis for pedestrians, bicyclists, and skaters. In 1983 the other major transverse road, South Drive, was renamed as Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
Kezar Stadium. Kezar Stadium, the one-time home San Francisco 49ers of the AAFC and NFL and the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League prior to each team moving to its current home venue, was built between 1922 and 1925 in the southeast corner of the park. The old 59,000-seat stadium was demolished in 1989 and replaced with a modern 9,044-seat stadium. The Stadium was recently home to the Major League Lacrosse's San Francisco Dragons and the United Soccer League's California Victory. The original stadium was featured in the film Dirty Harry, starring Clint Eastwood.
There are also a number of additional naturally landscaped lakes throughout the park, more than a few linked together into chains, with pumped water creating flowing creeks, a remarkable bronze statue of Don Quixote and his companion, Sancho Panza may be found in one of the many walks in the park, a paddock corrals a small herd of bison, captive in the Park since 1892. Many statues of famous people are located throughout the park, including Francis Scott Key, Robert Emmet, Robert Burns, Goethe and Schiller (sharing a single pedestal), Cervantes, and Thomas Starr King. At the Horseshoe Pits there is a specific bas-relief of "The Horseshoe Pitcher" by "Vet" Anderson, a member of the Horseshoe Club.
Central Park
April 25th, 2008
The park boasts several lakes, theaters, ice rinks, fountains, tennis courts, baseball fields, many playgrounds and other facilities. It is also home to the Central Park Zoo and the Metropolitan museum of Art. Especially during the weekends, when cars are not allowed into the park, Central Park is a welcome oasis in this hectic city.
When the terrain for the Central Park was bought by the City of New York in 1853, it was faraway from civilization, somewhere between the City of New York and the village Harlem. The 768 acres large area contained sheds from colonists, quarries, pig farms and swamps.
In 1857, the city of New York organized a competition for the design of this new park, which had to rival with the great parks in London and Paris. A design by Frederic Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux's design, named 'the Greensward Plan' was chosen. This plan featured an English style landscape with large meadows, several lakes and hills. Winding pedestrian roads were separated from main roads and the huge number of trees ensured the city's buildings were not visible from within the park.
To convert the swampy area into the park the designers had envisioned, several hundred thousand trees were planted, more than 3 million cubic yards of soil was moved, roads and bridges were constructed and a large reservoir was dug out. It took more than 15 years before the 20,000 workers had completed the park. Central Park immediately became a popular place for all New Yorkers, attracting millions of visitors each year.
Frederic Law Olmstead's goal was to create a place where people could relax and meditate. He saw the park as a kind of social experiment where people from both upper and lower classes would meet, a rather revolutionary idea at that time. After the appointment of Robert Moses in 1934 as New York City Parks Commissioner, the focus of the park shifted from relaxation to recreation. During moses's 26 year tenure he constructed many sports facilities, playgrounds and the Wollman rink. He also renovated the Zoo, and installed several sculptures including "Alice in Wonderland".
After the departure of Moses in 1960, Central park started to decline. Graffiti, garbage and criminality kept both citizens and tourists from visiting the park. In the 1970s the park became a symbol of New York City's decline. In 1980 a group of citizens created the Central Park Conservancy. Together with the city, it started a 50 million dollar renovation project. Several parts of the park, including the Sheep Meadow and Bethesda Terrace were restored. Three employees were hired to remove the graffiti - it took them three years to complete this task. Currently "Graffiti doesn't last 24 hours in the park," according to Conservancy president Douglas Blonsky. The criminality was reduced by a large police force. Thanks to these efforts by both the city and private groups, the Central park is now a relatively clean and safe place, visited by more than 20 million people each year.
Millennium Park
March 15th, 2008
Planning began in October 1997, construction began in October 1998 and it was finally completed in July 2004. Millennium Park was opened in a ceremony on July 16, 2004 as part of a three-day celebration that included an inaugural concert by the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus. 300,000 people took part in the grand opening festivities.
Since then, Millennium Park has become a major tourist destination for Chicago and the surrounding community has become one of the most fashionable residential addresses in the city with rumors that the Mayor was planning to move there (it was announced later that he had changed his mind). More recently, 60602 was named by Forbes as the hottest zipcode in the country with upscale buildings such as The Heritage at Millennium Park (130 N. Garland) leading the way for other buildings such as Waterview Tower, The Legacy and Momo. The median sale price for residential real estate was $710,000 in 2005 according to Forbes.
Millennium Park is a portion of the larger Grant Park, the "front lawn" of downtown Chicago and one of the larger public parks in metropolitan Chicago and is a showcase for postmodern architecture. It features the McCormick Tribune Ice Skating Rink, Peristyle at Wrigley Square, Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance, AT&T Plaza, Lurie Garden, Chase Promenade and Trees in Millennium Park. There are three major artistic highlights: Cloud Gate, Crown Fountain and the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. Millennium Park is often considered the largest roof garden in the world, having been constructed on top of a railroad yard and large parking garages. Of its total 24.5 acres of land, Millennium Park contains 12.04 acres (524,358 square ft) of permeable area. The park's accessibility has won its project director the 2005 Barrier-Free America Award in recognition of individual leadership in making our country more accessible for all Americans.
The principal signature of Millennium Park is the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, a band shell designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry with 4,000 fixed seats plus additional lawn seating for 7,000. A Pritzker Architecture Prize honoree and National Medal of Arts winner, Gehry designed such landmarks as the Guggenheim Museum at Bilbao, Der Neue Zollhof in Düsseldorf and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Characteristic of Gehry, the Pritzker Pavilion consists of curving planes of stainless steel resembling the graceful blooming of a flower or the unfurling sails of a massive ship.
The Pritzker Pavilion is the home of the Grant Park Music Festival, the nation's only remaining free, municipally-supported, outdoor, classical music series. The Festival is presented by the Chicago Park District and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. Winding eastward from Pritzker Pavilion is the only bridge in the world designed by Frank Gehry. The 925-foot (282 m) pedestrian bridge, clad in the same type of steel sheet as the bandshell with a hardwood deck, winds like a fluttering ribbon across nearby Columbus Drive, from the bandshell to a section of Grant Park along the lakefront.
AT&T Plaza is home to Cloud Gate, a three-story, 110-ton steel sculpture that has been dubbed by residents as "The Bean". The sculpture is the work of world-renowned artist Anish Kapoor and is the first of his public art in the United States. The piece was privately funded and the total cost was $23 million — up from the original estimate of $6 million. Cloud Gate is a highly-polished reflective steel sculpture that is meant to resemble a drop of mercury hovering at the point of landing on a plaza of the park. When Millennium Park opened in 2004, the grid of welds around each metal panel was still visible. But in early 2005 workers polished out the seams. The curved, mirror-like surface of the sculpture provides striking reflections of visitors, the city skyline, particularly the historic Michigan Avenue "Streetwall," and the sky; since its installation, it has probably become the most popular sculpture in the city.
Crown Fountain, named in honor of Chicago's Crown family, was designed by Catalan conceptual artist Jaume Plensa, and is the first of its kind in the world. Transparent glass block bricks are used to build two 50-foot (15 m) towers standing at either end of a long, black granite plaza submerged under an eighth of an inch layer of water. Behind the glass bricks are high-tech LED video screens that when illuminated, scrolls through videos of the faces of nearly a thousand individual Chicagoans and showcases the vast diversity of the city while a stream of water cascades over the images. Playing on the theme of historical fountains based around gargoyles with water coming through the open mouth of the creature, each video includes specific moments where the person purses his or her lips and the fountain spews water from a point in the video display that makes it appear as though the person is spitting the water out. This phenomenon occurs roughly every five minutes.
The project was known for its notorious delays (it was originally intended to open in 2000 instead of 2004) and tripled costs. Some Chicagoans began to refer to the project deridingly as "next-millennium" park. During development and construction of the park, many structures were added, redesigned or modified. These changes often resulted in budget increases. For example, the band shell's proposed budget was $10.8 million. When the elaborate, cantilevered Gehry design required extra piling be driven into the bedrock to support the added weight, the cost of the band shell eventually spiraled to $60.3 million. The total cost of the park amounted to almost $500 million. Much of the fundraising was borne by local business leaders, including the Pritzker family and Crown family.
