Beautifully Restored Old Oak Grove Golden Gate Park 2 Stock Photo

When William Hammond Hill, the very first superintend of Golden Gate Park started building the iconic park in 1870, there was nothing but over one thousand acres of wind swept sand dunes, until he got to the North East corner of what today is Fulton and Stanyan Streets. Here was found about fifty acres of naturally growing Coastal Live Oaks, Quercus agrifolia, native only to San Francisco. Documents show they have been growing here before the European Invasion about 1769. Fortunately, Hill and his successor John McLaren had the forethought to incorporate the grove into the park as found. That was until the 1906 Earthquake and fire struck, wiping out over 28, 000 building, many being houses or apartment building. The Park became an overnight tent city, with the Oak Grove an uncontrollable source of cooking fuel. The once beautiful trees were all cut down to the ground, but fortunately not below. As the city came back and the people were able to move back out, with the trees roots still untouched, they were able to keep growing, producing brand new sprouts. It was these sprouts that McLaren was able to take and use to regrow and restore the Old Oak Grove. Even today the parks staff still needs to work to keep invasive pieces out to maintain the beautiful and Old Oak Grove. As seen 14 November 2024.