About this Event
Room to Roam: The Story Behind SF’s 230 Parks
San Francisco is a big city that happens to be tiny: just 49 square miles. So how did we create 230 parks, playgrounds, mini-parks, open spaces, community gardens, and even a yacht harbor?
Join us for a talk with Christopher Pollock, Historian-in-Residence in our Department of Parks and Recreation, who will dig into the rich history and ongoing evolution of the city’s green spaces.
The story starts in 1871, when a Park Commission was formed to oversee the creation of our crown jewel, Golden Gate Park. A separate Recreation Commission followed in the 1940s, and the two merged in the 1950s. The result is now the envy of major cities everywhere.
Christopher will share historic photos (some haven’t seen the light of day in decades), highlight the pivotal moments in our growth, and explain how San Francisco became a pint-sized metropolis with more greenery than its bigger counterparts.
Come for the history, stay for the stories you can pass along on your next tour.
Guests welcome!
Event venue & nearby stays
SF LGBT Center, 1800 Market Street, San Francisco, United States
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