Park History
During the 1870s the area was set aside as a natural park and botanical garden by Colonel James Armstrong. After his death, Armstrong's daughter and the Le Baron family mounted an energetic campaign involving public meetings, rallies, and car-caravans to direct public attention to the need to preserve this last remnant of the once mighty redwood forest. Their efforts were successful, and in 1917 the County of Sonoma passed an initiative to purchase the property for $80,000.
The grove was operated by Sonoma County until 1934, when the state of California took over. In 1936 the grove was opened to the public as Armstrong Redwoods State Park. The grove's status was changed to a natural reserve in 1964 when a greater understanding of its ecological significance prompted a more protective management of the resource.
Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve was one of 48 California state parks proposed for closure in January 2008 by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as part of a deficit reduction program. By May 2008 a temporary reprieve was granted, but the park's future is still uncertain for the long-term.
Read more about this topic: Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve
Famous quotes containing the words park and/or history:
“The park is filled with night and fog,
The veils are drawn about the world,”
—Sara Teasdale (1884–1933)
“Boys forget what their country means by just reading “the land of the free” in history books. Then they get to be men, they forget even more. Liberty’s too precious a thing to be buried in books.”
—Sidney Buchman (1902–1975)