I need as much information about Stow Lake for a 3rd grade report. We know a bit about Strawberry Hill but little history of the pagoda, waterfall, etc. Thank You!

-- Lori Stasukelis (Lori_L_Stasukelis@ml.com), May 05, 1999

Answers

Collis P. Huntington (of the Big Four Railroad Barrons) routinely bought politicians and bureaucrats to protect his own interests. Until he died in 1873 the company's political strong-arm man in California was David D. Colton, and from 1878-1893, W.W. Stow performed those duties. In 1893, Stow became director of Golden Gate Park, so it seems likely that the lake was named after him.

I got this information from the book:

Mirror of the Dream The Scrimshaw Press San Francisco, 1976 ISBN 0-912020-44-X

-- Robert Summers (summerstime@yahoo.com), May 07, 1999.

William W Stow was follwed on the Golden Gate Park Board by A B Spreckles. Both guys ended up Lake Patrons.

-- kurt Iversen (iversenk@aol.com), May 13, 1999.

W.W. Stow was in fact President of the Park Commission when Stow Lake was being created. It wasn't his idea, they just named it after him. The plans were originally drawn up by Captain Prichard Jackson, along with the reservoir on Strawberry Hill. Prichard was Park Superintendent from 1876 to 1881.

John McLaren apparently had little liking for either Southern Pacific mouthpiece Stow OR Stow Lake, which he once contemptuously referred to as a "shoestring around a watermelon."

If you want to know more, I suggest you take one of our free weekly guided historical walking tours of Strawberry Hill, conducted by the guides of the Friends of REcreation and Parks. Call 750-5105 for the schedule.

-- Chris Dichtel (cyberiad@earthlink.net), June 28, 1999.