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50-534: Calaveras Big Trees State Park is a state park of California , United States, preserving two groves of giant sequoia trees. Located 4 miles (6.4 km) northeast of Arnold, California in the middle elevations of the Sierra Nevada , it has been a major tourist attraction since 1852, when the existence of the trees was first widely reported. Two famous exhibition trees , the Discovery Tree and

100-526: A land lease from the U.S. government , while Mackinac National Park was handed down to become the first of the Michigan state parks . As with national parks, facilities at state parks are often leased to concessionaires to operate. Breaks Interstate Park is operated under an interstate compact by Virginia state parks , although it is also one of the Kentucky state parks , straddling both sides of

150-589: A few exceptions such as Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in California, and Wood-Tikchik State Park in Alaska, the largest state park in the United States . In addition to preserving natural landscapes and providing recreational opportunities, many state parks also serve as important educational resources . They often offer guided tours, interpretive programs, and exhibits that help visitors learn about

200-498: A foreclosure placed the property under the control of White's husband Lovell and his San Francisco Savings Union bank. When William Kent approached Lovell White about purchasing the lands so that they would be preserved, White lowered his asking price and a deal was struck. In 1907, Kent went on to donate the forest to the federal government; in January, 1908, Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed it Muir Woods National Monument . White hosted

250-655: A key donation. Also in 1954, a smaller portion of the property became Calaveras Big Tree National Forest under the terms of the 1909 act. White stepped down from her posts at the California Club and CFWC in 1902, and in 1903 she began a three-year term as president of the Sempervirens Club . In November, 1904, the California Club launched a campaign to protect a stand of coastal redwoods in Marin County , known as Redwood Canyon. It so happened

300-718: A major promoter of the City Beautiful movement , the American Park and Outdoor Art Association, a forerunner of the American Civic Association . However, the League was soon absorbed into the California Club in 1905. In 1905, the California Club lobbied for a bond issue for new playgrounds; in 1907, at the Club's urging, the city amended its charter to create a municipal playground commission. White

350-460: A nationwide campaign, asking Congress acquire the land as a public park. Club vice president Mrs. A. D. Sharon met with U.S. President William McKinley . A joint resolution to purchase the property at its market value as timber, sponsored by California Senator George Clement Perkins and Representative Marion De Vries , was signed into law in March, 1900. However, Whiteside refused to sell the land at

400-680: A reception honoring Kent for his generosity. Working at the national level, White chaired the forestry committee of the General Federation of Women's Clubs from 1910 to 1912. Locally, in San Francisco, White and the California Club continued their efforts to improve living conditions for city dwellers. In 1902, drawing from the same pool of activists in the California Club, White formed the Outdoor Art League and became its first president. The League affiliated with

450-699: A restaurant) for lodging at some parks. These typically use "Resort" in the name, such as "_____ Resort State Park" in West Virginia state parks and "_____ State Resort Park" in neighboring Kentucky state parks , which has 17 such resort parks, the most of any state. Other states use the Resort name inconsistently (like DeGray Lake Resort State Park , the only one out of three resorts in Arkansas state parks ), or have only one such park ( South Carolina state parks ' Hickory Knob State Resort Park ), or do not use

500-424: A sharp distinction between natural and urban beauty, and she saw a place for economic development, so long as its excesses were moderated. She "was willing to abide by the social norms of her time while nevertheless using those norms to further her own aims," and hence moved forward the responsibility and influence of women in public life. Laura Lyon was born on April 12, 1839, near French Lick, Indiana . Her father

550-448: Is no public parking so the access is used by foot, bicycle, snowshoe or cross-country ski. State park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national 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 potential. There are state parks under

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600-561: The California Club , a civic association that soon numbered 500 women as charter members. The California Club championed child welfare, the establishment of kindergartens, compulsory schooling, and developing the state's juvenile court system. To protect women, White worked to reform state hospitals for the insane and to pass antivice legislation. The Club sought to regulate smoking, public baths, tenements, and workshops. The Club expanded its influence by linking up with other clubs in

650-498: The Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration . Laura Lyon White White brought pragmatism to the causes that she championed. Working in an era when women had not yet secured the right to vote, she used her affluence and social status to accomplish her goals and to promote the protection of nature and the improvement of life for city dwellers. Unlike John Muir , White did not draw

700-573: The Mother of the Forest , were felled for display. It is also considered the longest continuously operated tourist attraction in California. The giant sequoia was well known to Native American tribes living in its area. Native American names for the species include Wawona , toos-pung-ish and hea-mi-within , the latter two in the language of the Tule River Tribe. The first reference to

750-529: The Sierra Nevada foothills. The Whites went on to operate a general store there for five years. The gold deposits in this area were not accessible by conventional techniques. However, the newly-developed method of hydraulic mining was successfully used here. This mining practice had severe adverse effects on the surrounding forests and watershed. Her first two children were born in French Corral, but both died early in life of scarlet fever . In 1864,

800-725: The Stanislaus River , Beaver Creek, the Lava Bluff Trail, and Bradley Trail. The park houses two main campgrounds with a total of 129 campsites, six picnic areas and hundreds of miles of established trails. Other activities include cross-country skiing, evening ranger talks, numerous interpretive programs, environmental educational programs, junior ranger programs, hiking, mountain biking, bird watching and summer school activities for school children. Dogs are allowed on leash in developed areas like picnic sites, campgrounds, roads and fire roads (dirt). Dogs are not allowed on

850-580: The Western meadowlark from excessive hunting. Continuing her passion for protecting forests, White joined what became a protracted battle to preserve the Calaveras "Big Trees" tract, a stand of ancient giant sequoia trees and adjacent forest in the Sierra Nevada. An option to buy the property was purchased in January, 1900 by lumberman Robert B. Whiteside . In response, White and the Club began

900-573: The Whites moved to San Francisco , California to take a position with a bank owned by William Chapman Ralston . Lovell White subsequently advanced in position at the bank, and the couple's financial situation was secured. In gratitude for Ralston's assistance, the Whites named their third and last child for him. By 1870, White was contributing travelogues and morality tales to the Overland Monthly and other journals. Her writing challenged

950-569: The Wildfire and Forest Resiliency Program to spend over five years, “to make our forest resilient when a big fire comes through". A prescribed burn was conducted by park crews on about 180 acres (73 ha) of the North Grove in late October through early November. The North Grove includes several noteworthy giant sequoias: The South Grove also included several noteworthy giant sequoias: Other attractions of Calaveras Big Trees include

1000-897: The administration of the government of each U.S. state , some of the Mexican states , and in Brazil . The term is also used in the Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales . The equivalent term used in Canada, Argentina, South Africa, and Belgium, is provincial park . Similar systems of local government maintained parks exist in other countries, but the terminology varies. State parks are thus similar to national parks , but under state rather than federal administration. Similarly, local government entities below state level may maintain parks, e.g., regional parks or county parks . In general, state parks are smaller than national parks, with

1050-409: The aggressive exploitation of natural resources by such means as the hydraulic mining that she had witnessed in the Sierra Nevada. She wrote to encourage a public debate that could find a balance between the conservation of nature and its economic uses. In the 1870s and 1880s, White's political activity centered on her home, with discussions among her invited guests. However, she became frustrated that

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1100-413: The area continued to be treated as a tourist attraction. Parcels of land that would later become the state park and nearby national park were optioned by lumberman Robert P. Whiteside in January 1900, with the intention of logging. A protracted battle to preserve the trees was launched by Laura Lyon White and the California Club . Legislation in 1900 and 1909 authorized the federal government to purchase

1150-738: The country's state parks. The NASPD further counts over 43,000 miles (69,000 km) of trail, 217,367 campsites, and 8,277 cabins and lodges across U.S. state parks. The largest state park system in the United States is Alaska State Parks , with over 100 sites encompassing 3.3 million acres. Many states include designations beyond "state park" in their state parks systems. Other designations might be state recreation areas , state beaches, and state nature reserves . Some state park systems include long-distance trails and historic sites . To encourage tourism in rural areas, several states have simple lodges, inns, hotels, or motels (usually with

1200-534: The designated trails, nor in the woods in general. The park is open year-round. The main road through the park is closed during the winter season. The North Grove Area is easily accessible during the winter season. There are no public transportation options to the park. The closest bus stop is the Arnold Public Library in Arnold, California. The park is accessible via Upper Moran road at gate 15. There

1250-478: The designation at all (such as the lodges of Georgia state parks ). The term "lodge" may also refer to a hiking lodge , essentially a large cabin for hikers rather than a large facility with private rooms and a restaurant. Other lodging may include yurts and tipis . Not all parks owned by a state are necessarily part of its state-park system, such as Stone Mountain Park near Atlanta. Some Texas state parks are

1300-530: The giant sequoias of Calaveras Big Trees by Europeans is in 1833, in the diary of the explorer J. K. Leonard; the reference does not mention any specific locality, but his route would have taken him through the Calaveras Grove. This discovery was not publicized. The next European to see the trees was John M. Wooster, who carved his initials in the bark of the 'Hercules' tree in the Calaveras Grove in 1850; again, this received no publicity. Much more publicity

1350-456: The life history of this species. Tree ring records from giant sequoias show that frequent surface fires were the typical pattern of fire occurrence over the past 2,000 years. But this pattern changed after about 1860, when fire frequency declined sharply. This decline in regional fire was probably a result of decrease in fires set by Native Americans, followed by fire suppression by government agencies. The state provided $ 7 million in 2022 from

1400-493: The local flora , fauna , geology , and cultural history of the area. These programs are designed not only to enhance the visitor experience but also to promote conservation awareness and encourage responsible enjoyment of natural resources. There are 6,792 state park units in the United States, according to the National Association of State Park Directors (NASPD). There are some 813 million annual visits to

1450-449: The male electorate did not take up the causes she considered important, and thus she began to advocate for women’s suffrage . Her son Ralston approaching majority, White joined the campaign for women’s votes in California in 1896. To that end, she organized the 41st Assembly District Club. Initially unsuccessful at securing suffrage, White refocused her activity on issues of interest to women generally. In San Francisco in 1897, she founded

1500-518: The necessary funds. White was once again elected president of the California Club in 1910. She (and hence the club) did not take a position on the Hetch Hetchy controversy, which found Kent and John Muir on opposite sides of the question. But the Club was a significant supporter of San Francisco's bid to host the 1915 Panama–Pacific International Exposition . White founded the Woman's Board and

1550-428: The offered price, preferring its higher valuation as parkland. A bill to acquire the property by condemnation was promoted by White's California Club, but was blocked by House leaders David B. Henderson and Joseph Gurney Cannon . White renewed her efforts to protect the "Big Trees" in 1904, presenting a petition with 1,400,000 signatures to President Theodore Roosevelt . After periods of patient lobbying, legislation

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1600-728: The organization; the project was completed in 1904. In 1910, "for Civic Service and for Helping to Save the Calaveras Big Trees," White was honored by the Native Daughters of the Golden West ; her name, with those of Hearst and nine other women, was placed on its Roll of Honor in the award's inaugural year. During her work at the Exposition, White suffered a cerebral hemorrhage on September 12, 1915. She died in San Francisco on January 18, 1916, attended by

1650-401: The park is: "A flowering glade in the very heart of the woods, forming a fine center for the student, and a delicious resting place for the weary." Over the years other parcels of mixed conifer forests, including the much larger South Calaveras Grove of Giant Sequoias (purchased in 1954 for US$ 2.8 million, equivalent to US $ 31.8 million in 2023 dollars), have been added to the park to bring

1700-531: The park. Reportedly, the tree was 435 ft high with a 110 ft circumference- a "giant of giants". In early 1880s, a tunnel was cut through the compartments by a private land owner at the request of James Sperry, founder of the Murphys Hotel, so that tourists could pass through it. The tree was chosen in part because of the large forest fire scar. The Pioneer Cabin Tree , as it was soon called, emulated

1750-411: The property, but Whiteside refused to sell the land at the offered price, preferring its higher valuation as parkland. It was not until 1931 that Whiteside's family began to divest the property, beginning with the North Grove. The Yosemite protection was gradually extended to most sequoias, and Calaveras Grove was joined to California State Parks in 1931. According to John Muir the forest protected by

1800-474: The state line. Other multi-state parks are legally two separate parks with the same name and more informal cooperation between them. The title of oldest state park in the United States is claimed by Niagara Falls State Park in New York , established in 1885. Several public parks previously or currently maintained at the state level pre-date it. Indian Springs State Park has been operated continuously by

1850-454: The state of Georgia as a public park since 1825, although it did not gain the title "State Park" until 1931. In 1864 Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove were ceded by the federal government to California until Yosemite National Park was proclaimed in 1890. In 1878 Wisconsin set aside a vast swath of its northern forests as "The State Park" but, needing money, sold most of it to lumber companies within 20 years. Mackinac National Park

1900-532: The state. In 1900, White and Clara Burdette founded the California Federation of Women's Clubs (CFWC). At the organizing convention, delegates selected Burdette as president and White as first vice-president. The California Club and the CFWC turned their attention to the conservation of wildlife and natural resources. In 1901, with the support of White and the Club, legislation was passed to protect

1950-516: The total area to over 6,400 acres (2,600 ha). The North Grove contains about 100 mature giant sequoias; the South Grove, about 1,000. The state park now encompasses 6,498 acres (2,630 ha) in Calaveras and Tuolumne counties. The importance of fire to giant sequoias cannot be overstated. Other than the change of seasons, fire is the most recurrent and critical process in determining

2000-448: The town's selection as the state capital. She met Lovell White, a banker, in 1857, and the couple were soon engaged to be married. Shortly after their marriage, the financial panic of 1857 forced Lovell into bankruptcy in March 1858. Seeking better opportunities, the couple moved to California in the fall of 1859. They began their new life in the rough-and-tumble California Gold Rush mining camp of French Corral, California in

2050-462: The trees were genuine, and that the areas they were from should be protected. This did not guarantee any legal protection for the trees of Calaveras Grove. By the turn of the century the land was owned by several lumber companies, with plans to cut the remaining trees down, as sequoia and giant sequoia with their thick trunks were seen as great sources of lumber at the time. This again caused a chorus of public outcry by locals and conservationists , and

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2100-456: The trunk was toured with little fanfare while the stump was later turned into a dance floor. John Muir wrote an essay titled "The Vandals Then Danced Upon the Stump!" to criticize the felling of the tree. In 1854, a second tree named the " Mother of the Forest " was stripped of its bark in 1854, to be reassembled at exhibitions. This mortally wounded the tree, since outer layer of protective bark

2150-498: The tunnel carved into Yosemite's Wawona Tree , and was intended to compete with it for tourists. Along with the 1850s exhibitions, the destruction of the big trees was met with public outcry. In 1864, on introducing the bill that would become the Yosemite Grant , senator John Conness opined that even after people had seen the physical evidence of the Discovery Tree and the Mother of the Forest , they still did not believe

2200-563: Was Jonathan Lyon, a prosperous flour mill owner. Shortly after her birth, the family moved to Fort Des Moines in Iowa . White was an unruly, adventurous, independent teenager. She persuaded her family to enable her to attend college, and she enrolled in the literature program of Ohio 's Oberlin College in 1856. White did not graduate, but rather returned to Des Moines in 1858 and became active in town society. She helped plan celebrations to mark

2250-509: Was appointed to the commission in 1908, and she was elected its president in 1911. When a rock quarry operated by the Gray Brothers Company at the foot of Telegraph Hill threatened the 2 acres (0.81 ha) Pioneer Park , White successfully sought an injunction to block the blasting. She lobbied the city to acquire additional land, but these efforts did not come to fruition until 1929, when Lillie Hitchcock Coit bequeathed

2300-473: Was established in 1875 as the second U.S. national park before being converted to a state park in 1895. The first state park with the designation of "state park" was Itasca State Park in Minnesota , established in 1891. Many state park systems date to the 1930s, when around 800 state parks (and several national ones) across the country were developed with assistance from federal job-creation programs like

2350-470: Was given to Augustus T. Dowd at the North Grove in 1852, and this is commonly cited as the discovery of both the grove and the species as a whole. The " Discovery Tree " was noted by Augustus T. Dowd in 1852 and felled in 1853, leaving a giant stump and a section of trunk showing the holes made by the augers used to fell it. It measured 25 ft (7.6 m) in diameter at its base and was determined by ring count to be 1,244 years old when felled. A section of

2400-517: Was instrumental in securing Phoebe Hearst as its honorary president. Amidst her activism on national and metropolitan stages, White also worked to protect the beauty of Mill Valley, California , where the Whites had a summer residence. In 1902, she convened a group to organize the Outdoor Art Club (not to be confused with San Francisco's Outdoor Art League). White invited Bernard Maybeck to design an Arts and Crafts -style clubhouse for

2450-463: Was passed in February, 1909 authorizing the exchange of existing federal forest land for the Calaveras tract. However, Whiteside still refused to part with the property. It was not until long after White's death that Whiteside began to divest. The North Grove became the first unit of Calaveras Big Trees State Park in 1931. The South Grove gained protection in 1954, after John D. Rockefeller Jr. made

2500-448: Was removed. The tree didn't survive long after, having shed its entire canopy by 1861. In 1908, with the tree unprotected by its fire resistant bark, a fire swept through the area and burned away much of what was left of the tree, leaving a fire-blackened snag. The forest is also home to what remains of the "Father of the Forest", an ancient and exceedingly enormous giant sequoia which fell centuries ago, and its remains are still present in

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