Samuel P. Taylor State Park
Encyclopedia
Samuel P. Taylor State Park is a state park
located in Marin County, California
. It contains approximately 2700 acres (10.9 km²) of redwood and grassland
. The park contains about 600 acres (2.4 km²) of old-growth forest, some of which can be seen along the Pioneer Tree Trail.
, who found gold during the California Gold Rush
and used some of his money to buy a parcel of land along Lagunitas Creek
. In 1856, Taylor built the Pioneer Paper Mill, the first paper mill on the Pacific Coast. In the 1870s, the North Pacific Coast Railroad
was built between Cazadero
and a pier in Sausalito
where folks could catch a ferry to San Francisco
. The railroad passed near Taylor's mill, and, ever the entrepreneur, he built the "Camp Taylor Resort" alongside the tracks. A destination for city-weary San Franciscans, the resort offered both a hotel and tent camping, as well as swimming, boating, fishing, and a dance pavilion.
Taylor died on January 22, 1886, and his family lost the mill and resort in the Panic of 1893
. However, a 1910 newspaper advertisement for the "Camp Taylor Resort," touting its dance pavilion and on-site grocery and butcher, indicates that the resort continued to operate. The mill burned down in 1916, and in 1945 the State of California took possession of the property for non-payment of taxes.
Due to the state budget deficit, Taylor Park is one of many state parks that are at risk of closing due to lack of funding. Currently efforts are being made to find funding to keep Samuel P. Taylor and other parks open. The San Francisco Chronicle on October 7, 2011 reported that "the National Park Service has agreed to take over security and operations of Samuel P. Taylor Park."
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
located in Marin County, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It contains approximately 2700 acres (10.9 km²) of redwood and grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
. The park contains about 600 acres (2.4 km²) of old-growth forest, some of which can be seen along the Pioneer Tree Trail.
History
The park is named for Samuel Penfield TaylorSamuel Penfield Taylor
Samuel Penfield Taylor was an entrepreneur who made his fortune during the California Gold Rush. He is best known for building the Pioneer Paper Mill, the first paper mill in California...
, who found gold during the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
and used some of his money to buy a parcel of land along Lagunitas Creek
Lagunitas Creek
Lagunitas Creek is a stream in Marin County, California and is a major supply of drinking water to the area. The 20-mile long creek's headwaters are in the Coast Range and it flows into the Pacific Ocean, draining 103 square miles .The creek's source is the northern slope of Mount Tamalpais, a few...
. In 1856, Taylor built the Pioneer Paper Mill, the first paper mill on the Pacific Coast. In the 1870s, the North Pacific Coast Railroad
North Pacific Coast Railroad
The North Pacific Coast Railroad was a common carrier narrow gauge steam railroad begun in 1874 and sold in 1902 to new owners who renamed it the North Shore Railroad and which rebuilt the southern section into a standard gauge electric railroad.The NPC operated in the northern California...
was built between Cazadero
Cazadero, California
Cazadero is an unincorporated town and census-designated place in western Sonoma County, California, United States with a population of 354 as of the 2010 Census. Nearby towns include Jenner, Annapolis, Stewart's Point, Duncans Mills, Villa Grande, Rio Nido, Guerneville, Monte Rio, and The Sea Ranch...
and a pier in Sausalito
Sausalito, California
Sausalito is a San Francisco Bay Area city, in Marin County, California, United States. Sausalito is south-southeast of San Rafael, at an elevation of 13 feet . The population was 7,061 as of the 2010 census. The community is situated near the northern end of the Golden Gate Bridge, and prior to...
where folks could catch a ferry to San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. The railroad passed near Taylor's mill, and, ever the entrepreneur, he built the "Camp Taylor Resort" alongside the tracks. A destination for city-weary San Franciscans, the resort offered both a hotel and tent camping, as well as swimming, boating, fishing, and a dance pavilion.
Taylor died on January 22, 1886, and his family lost the mill and resort in the Panic of 1893
Panic of 1893
The Panic of 1893 was a serious economic depression in the United States that began in 1893. Similar to the Panic of 1873, this panic was marked by the collapse of railroad overbuilding and shaky railroad financing which set off a series of bank failures...
. However, a 1910 newspaper advertisement for the "Camp Taylor Resort," touting its dance pavilion and on-site grocery and butcher, indicates that the resort continued to operate. The mill burned down in 1916, and in 1945 the State of California took possession of the property for non-payment of taxes.
Due to the state budget deficit, Taylor Park is one of many state parks that are at risk of closing due to lack of funding. Currently efforts are being made to find funding to keep Samuel P. Taylor and other parks open. The San Francisco Chronicle on October 7, 2011 reported that "the National Park Service has agreed to take over security and operations of Samuel P. Taylor Park."
External links
- San Francisco Wiki - Samuel P. Taylor State Park Maps, hiking trails, winter run coho salmon
- Trailspotting: Hiking Mount Barnabe GPS/mapping data, hike description & photos