President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation on June 30 giving Yosemite Valley and the nearby Mariposa Big Tree Grove to the state of California “upon the express conditions that the premises shall be held for public use, resort and recreation.” In September, Governor Frederick Low issued a proclamation accepting the federal land grant, creating the first state park in California and the nation. Yosemite is later returned to federal control and named a national park.

Director of California State Parks, William Penn Mott, Jr., rallied a core group of friends and park supporters to form California State Parks Foundation. They committed to improving the quality of life for all Californians by expanding access to the natural beauty, rich culture and history, and educational and health opportunities offered by California’s state parks. Over the course of our first 50 years, the organization built a dedicated community of over 70,000 members and raised more than $285 million to benefit state parks. 

“We not only must live with our day-to-day decisions, but we must be responsible for long-range decisions, the results of which may not show up for several hundred years.” —William Penn Mott, Jr. 

On December 23, 1971, through California State Parks Foundation, the people of California received a magnificent holiday gift — a new 4,100-acre state park, the purchase of which was made possible by the generous contributions and leadership of Henry F. Trione, a former California State Parks Foundation Board member. The park was originally named Annadel State Park, but in July 2016 the name was officially changed to Trione-Annadel State Park, recognizing Trione’s philanthropic efforts.

When California State Parks Foundation purchased the 95-acre Los Osos oak grove near San Luis Obispo, this rare ecological area was added to the state park system. The property was deeded to the California Department of Parks and Recreation on June 29, 1972 and is now Los Osos Oaks State Natural Reserve. 

California State Parks Foundation received a gift of 80 acres of land adjacent to Point Mugu State Park. It was transferred to the state as an addition to the park.

In 1974, California State Parks Foundation purchased 940 acres of wildflower land and deeded it to the Department of Parks and Recreation. This became California’s first “Poppy Park” and would eventually be known as Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve State Natural Reserve.

From the beginning, this park was one of the most beautiful and unspoiled natural settings on the bay, including the historic Chinese American shrimp-fishing village and a salt marsh. California State Parks Foundation took the title of China Camp and transferred the title to the state, creating China Camp State Park in 1976. 

Our full-scale membership program began in 1977 with a goal of 1,000 members. Membership was evidence of personal support and involvement in the California State Parks system.

California State Parks Foundation helped to fund the restoration of the Old Bale Grist Mill located in Napa Valley at Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park. First, the mill was dismantled, piece by piece. Each part was numbered, photographed, and, when necessary, sketched to show construction details. The result was a historically true reconstruction of the famous mill. 

Blacksmith art is dramatically preserved at Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. Construction of a blacksmith forge and the restoration of the wagons was made possible in part by a generous grant from the L.J. and Mary C. Skaggs Foundation, given through California State Parks Foundation. 

California State Parks Foundation funded planning for San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park Visitor Center, telling the story of the Mexican Californios and United States through a series of displays.

In 1980, the California Department of Parks and Recreation accepted the title to the property of the Woodland Opera House, creating Woodland Opera House State Historic Park. The structural rehabilitation of the building was completed in 1982. The community was challenged to complete the interior restoration, and California State Parks Foundation joined with the local committee to raise the necessary $750,000 so that the historic structure might once again be a living, working theatre — inspiring budding young actors and musicians and providing the city of Woodland and surrounding communities with a fine historic and cultural resource.

Originally, the Marconi Station was responsible for communication with and between ships in the Pacific Ocean. Rapid advances in technology made the Marconi center obsolete for its original purpose, yet the buildings were in excellent shape with breathtaking views. California State Parks Foundation took over the Marconi property to rebuild and restore it into a retreat and conference center. It is now Marconi Conference Center State Historic Park with views of Tomales Bay and Mt. Tamalpais.

Jack London State Historic Park first opened in 1960. California State Parks Foundation helped with a fundraising campaign to restore several of the structures on the London Beauty Ranch, including the cottage where London lived and wrote.

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the largest state park in the United States, received land and interpretive displays from California State Parks Foundation through a donation of 316,000 acres from the William B. McWhirter Family. 

California State Parks Foundation sponsored hiking and camping programs for middle school students at Nimitz Junior High School, the largest junior high school in California, at Point Mugu State Park. California State Parks Foundation has always wished to instill a sense of love and appreciation for nature in the children of California.

California State Parks Foundation launched the Earth Day Restoration and Cleanup Program. Statewide, thousands of volunteers each year plant native trees and community gardens, restore trails and wildlife habitats, remove trash and debris from parklands, and make repairs to fences and boardwalks.

On Lake Tahoe at the head of Emerald Bay State Park, you’ll find Vikingsholm. The magnificent “castle” was built in 1929 and is one of the finest examples of Scandinavian architecture in the United States. In 2000, California State Parks Foundation began upgrading the residence’s 80-year-old electrical system to better preserve the historic home. Within the state parks system, historic buildings have typically been under-funded, and we work to ensure these places remain preserved and pristine. 

In 1977, Candlestick Point became California’s first urban park. Located in southeastern San Francisco, residents envisioned a “state park for the people.” In 2002, we partnered with the Department of Parks and Recreation to restore a large wetland area of the park known as Yosemite Slough. As the project lead, we have continued to raise the funds needed to help transform Candlestick Point State Recreation Area into a model urban park. 

The first Park Advocacy Day is held in Sacramento with more than 130 activists attending. Park Advocacy Day brings together thousands of individuals who have lobbied policymakers in support of park protection, increased access, sustainable funding, and important park issues on behalf of California’s state parks.

California State Parks Foundation launched Bay Youth for the Environment (BYE) in partnership with the youth empowerment and advocacy group Literacy for Environmental Justice (LEJ). It is a unique urban park revitalization and community stewardship program at Candlestick Point State Recreation Area in southeastern San Francisco. The three main goals of BYE are to provide local youth with rigorous environmental training and work opportunities, build community involvement, as well as create a successful urban park stewardship model that can be adopted by urban communities and state parks throughout California.

California State Parks and the California Institute for Biodiversity (CIB), launched Coast Alive! in 2004 to reinvigorate science teaching in California, as well as inspire the next generation of environmental stewards, scientists and technological innovators. Coast Alive! was one of a series of regional science education programs throughout California that strategically combined standards-based, high tech classroom materials with local field experiences in California’s state parks and other natural areas in order to improve science teaching and maximize student learning and interest in science.

In 2005, California State Parks Foundation launched a campaign — Light up the Future — to restore and reopen Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park, which was closed to the public in 2001. More than a century of severe coastal weather has taken its toll on the historic structure — the tallest and most photographed lighthouse on the West Coast. Many key goals to preserve the lighthouse were accomplished including: structural analysis and developing a comprehensive rehabilitation plan, an emergency stabilization effort, a historic structures report, and a maintenance plan; drafting of construction drawings for the full lighthouse, safely removing the 17-foot tall, 2,000-pound first order Fresnel lens from Pigeon Point’s lantern room; and replacing and restoring windows and frames throughout the lighthouse.

In 2007, California State Parks Foundation weighed in with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPCU) against proposed construction of a new electricity transmission line through Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. California State Parks Foundation participated in briefings, public hearings, and eventually testimony before the CPCU regarding the proposed Sunrise Powerlink’s harmful effects to the park.

Silver Strand State Beach continues to remain in good condition through the generosity of Loews Coronado Bay Resort, which sits next to the state beach and, since 2007, has donated over a $1 million (and counting) through an innovative partnership to maintain and beautify the state beach. Every month, Loews donates a small portion of each guest’s bill into the Loews Environmental Fund which is administered by California State Parks Foundation. This fund allows the state beach to proceed with maintenance, conservation and beautification projects.

Outdoor Youth Connection (OYC) is launched as a collaborative effort of the Department of Parks and Recreation, California State Parks Foundation and the Pacific Leadership Institute. Using the outdoors as a tool, OYC works with teens aged 14 to 17 who are involved in community-based organizations to develop leadership and life skills while camping at a state park. The program includes opportunities for teambuilding, decision making, communication and hands-on experience in the outdoors. They learned outdoor skills and activities, going on to lead their own outdoor trips and service projects for their peers and community. 

Former Governor Schwarzenegger’s fiscal year 2008-09 budget proposal included a $13.1 million reduction of General Fund support for state parks. Threatened cuts would have closed 48 parks and reduced lifeguard staffing at 16 state beaches. In response, California State Parks Foundation launched Save Our State Parks, a grassroots campaign to engage more Californians in protecting parks. Activities around the state aimed to raise awareness about threatened park closures, service reductions and unacceptable budget proposals, and to inspire people who love parks to take action. In May, the governor reversed his proposal.

Hidden Stories, a conference series, is designed to address the unmet need for discovery, examination and dissemination of various ethnic and national group contributions to parks. The inaugural Hidden Stories conference, entitled “100 Years Since Allensworth: Is California Living Up To The Legacy?” was a smashing success. The conference focused on African-Americans and their unknown stories in the foundation of the state parks system. Highlights included the fascinating story of James Beckwourth, explorer extraordinaire; an account of the Monroe-Gooch family of Coloma, from whom Sutter’s Fort and Marshall’s gold discovery site were acquired and in a more modern vein, a great presentation on Bruce’s Beach and the history (and future) of African-American surfers.

In 2009, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation generously funded a pilot program to introduce the educational benefits of California's state parks to youngsters in Oakland, Gilroy and Fresno. The Packard Foundation worked with California State Parks Foundation and the California Department of Parks and Recreation to build relations and extend resources to these underserved communities where kids are often at risk of a "learning gap" during the summer months.

A wind energy project was proposed that would run approximately 173 miles from Kern County all the way to the Los Angeles basin. One of the suggested routes was moving the line into Chino Hills State Park. California State Parks Foundation worked on this project since 2006, filed briefs, attended meetings, and offered testimony. In December 2009, it was decided to not put the line through the state park, keeping the integrity of the park intact.

To create a roadmap for state parks at a crossroads, California State Parks Foundation, in partnership with the Save the Redwoods League, completed the Park Excellence Project. A statewide survey, telephone poll, outreach to key park constituency groups and interviews with experts from other park systems brought important perspectives. The project’s Vision for Excellence for California’s State Parks identified five key areas to restore excellence in our parks: make parks relevant, increase access for all, defend park lands and resources, broaden park leadership and strengthen and diversify funding.

California State Parks Foundation secured more than $21 million and successfully completed the most ambitious phase of the project at Candlestick Point State Recreation Area. The North Side Wetlands Restoration project, which broke ground in June 2011, was successfully completed within 12 months. A section of the Bay Trail along the northern shoreline was completed in October 2012.

On November 1, 2011, California State Parks Foundation capitalized on a scheduled legislative hearing in Sacramento to create another grassroots SOS campaign event — a march from the historic Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park to the steps of the capitol. State park supporters took to the streets to unite against the closure of 70 state parks and rally on the steps of the capitol to raise awareness of the negative impacts of park closures. We also used the occasion to kick off our “Closing Parks Is Bad for Business” campaign.

The Technical Assistance Center (TAC) increased the capacity, ability, and effectiveness of park partners and enabled new management and funding models to achieve excellence in California’s state parks. It grew to over 100 park partners (nonprofit organizations, local government agencies, and others) that supported state parks via new operating agreements, donor agreements, or other formalized relationships.

The Parks Forward Initiative was announced in June 2013 by the California Natural Resources Agency and the California Department of Parks and Recreation. This collaborative initiative worked to address the short and long-term needs of California’s state parks and establish a new direction for the state parks system for current and future generations.

After almost 15 years of pitched battle between the Save San Onofre Coalition and the Transportation Corridor Authority, the fight over San Onofre State Beach finally came to an end on November 10. We celebrated a major environmental victory protecting San Onofre State Beach from a toll road development that would have permanently closed 60% of the park and ended public access to the campground and the world-famous Trestles Beach. 

In spring 2017, two of our most dedicated volunteers were the first to celebrate the milestone of volunteering 100 times. The first, Bob Fox, learned about our volunteer program in 2011. He jumped right into our Core Leader program of dedicated volunteers who help coordinate and manage workdays. And second, Ada Wong retired in 2013 and signed up to volunteer as a way to give back to the state parks where she’d enjoyed camping for decades.

Over the past year, California State Parks Foundation has been working with a team of researchers from the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at UCLA to learn more about how state parks can improve the lives of children while fostering the next generation of park stewards. The UCLA team analyzed the “visitorsheds” of all state park units in California — that is, the communities around each park that are accessible by a typical walk, bike ride or drive. Their preliminary results have found that California’s state parks are a tremendous, potentially underutilized resource for youth, and indicates a path toward making our parks more accessible for younger generations of Californians.