http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8g73kcc No online items Finding Aid to the Save the Redwoods League Records BANC MSS 88/15 c Marjorie Bryer Funding for processing this collection was provided by the Save the Redwoods League. The Bancroft Library 2016 The Bancroft Library University of California Berkeley, CA 94720-6000 [email protected] URL: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/libraries/bancroft-library Finding Aid to the Save the BANC MSS 88/15 c 1 Redwoods League Records BANC MSS 88/15 c Language of Material: English Contributing Institution: The Bancroft Library Title: Save the Redwoods League records Creator: Save the Redwoods League Identifier/Call Number: BANC MSS 88/15 c Physical Description: 184.2 Linear Feet(141 cartons, 3 boxes, 2 oversize boxes, 1 nitrate negative box, 2 oversize volumes, 13 oversize folders) Date (inclusive): 1854-2013 Date (bulk): 1917-2010 Language of Material: Collection materials are in English. Abstract: The Save the Redwoods League records document the organization’s work to preserve redwood trees, and its role in the development and protection of state and national parks in California. The bulk of the collection covers the tenures of League executive directors Newton B. Drury (1919-1940 and 1959-1978), Aubrey Drury (1920-1959), and John B. Dewitt (1965-1996). This includes the early years of the organization and its four key projects, preservation of: I. Humboldt Redwood State Park, including Bull Creek-Dyerville and Avenue of the Giants; II. Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park; III. Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park; and IV. Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, including Mill Creek. Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use. For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog. Access Collection is open for research with the following exceptions: Nitrate Negatives are CLOSED TO RESEARCH DUE TO HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESTRICTIONS; and unprocessed digital materials are UNVAILABLE FOR USE. Inquiries regarding digital materials should be submitted to The Bancroft Library via the Notice of Interest in Unprocessed Collections form: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/libraries/bancroft-library/unprocessed-collections-form Publication Rights Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms of University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user. All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley 94720-6000. See: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html. Preferred Citation [Identification of item], Save the Redwoods League Records, BANC MSS 88/15c,The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley. Alternate Forms Available There are no alternative forms of this collection. Related Collections Save the Redwoods League photograph collection (BANC PIC 2006.030) Portraits of Save the Redwoods League members (BANC PIC 1988.040) California State Parks Council records (BANC MSS 68/125 c) Separated Materials Photographs and artifacts transferred to the Pictorial Collections of The Bancroft Library (BANC PIC 2006.030). Audiovisual materials transferred to the Audiovisual Collections of The Bancroft Library (Phonodisc 786 B). Digital materials transferred to the Digital Collections Unit of The Bancroft Library. Acquisition Information The Save the Redwooods League Records were given to The Bancroft Library by Save the Redwoods League on January 26, 1960. Additions were made on November 3, 1982, December 2, 1987, and 1994-2013. Previous accessions formerly shelved under BANC MSS C-A 284 and BANC MSS 83/57c have been consolidated in the collection described in this guide. Accruals Finding Aid to the Save the BANC MSS 88/15 c 2 Redwoods League Records BANC MSS 88/15 c Future additions are expected. System of Arrangement Arranged to the folder level. Processing Information Processed by Marjorie Bryer in 2015-2016. Organizational History Save the Redwoods League protects redwood forests from destruction; works with the California State Parks and the National Park Service to establish redwood parks and reserves; purchases redwood groves by private subscription; fosters better understanding of the value of these trees to current and future generations; and supports conservation and restoration of forest areas. In 1917, Stephen Tyng Mather, the first director of the National Park Service, inspired conservationists John Campbell Merriam, Madison Grant and Henry Fairfield Osborn to investigate the state of redwood forests in Northern California. The new Redwood Highway had opened the area to more logging, which threatened the ancient trees. The trio visited established logging operations on the Mendocino County Coast, and still undisturbed forests along the Eel River. Continuing north, they reached Humboldt County and the Bull Creek-Dyerville Flat area, where gigantic redwoods soared more than 300 feet. Awed by the trees’ beauty and serenity, and troubled by the devastation that logging had wrought along the Redwood Highway, Merriam, Grant, and Osborn agreed that a national or state park was necessary to save part of the redwood forest. This motivated the founders, with the support of others, to establish Save the Redwoods League in 1918. The League soon received its first donations to purchase redwood lands, and in 1919, hired its first Executive Director, Newton Bishop Drury. Throughout its history, the League has worked with activists, private donors, legislators – and often with lumber companies – to purchase and protect redwoods. The League established a memorial grove program as a way for donors to save trees and honor loved ones. In 1921, the first grove was established in honor of World War I veteran, Raynal C. Bolling. As its centennial approached, the League had dedicated over 1,000 memorial groves and preserved nearly 200,000 acres of redwoods. The fight to save the redwoods affected the preservation of land in parks throughout California. In 1928, the League led the campaign that won public approval of legislation that established the California state park system and allocated $6 million in funds to acquire state park lands. Land purchased by the League is generally donated to national or state parks for public use and permanent protection. Some of the League’s key projects include: acquisition and preservation of groves in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, including Bull Creek-Dyerville Flat and the Avenue of the Giants Parkway; Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park; Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park; and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, including Mill Creek. In partnership with the Sierra Club and the National Geographic Society, the League helped revive the idea of creating a national Redwood Park. Congress established Redwood National Park in 1968. The League also helped preserve land in Calaveras Big Trees State Park, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Navarro River Redwoods State Park, Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, along the Santa Cruz County Coast, and in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Save the Redwoods League continues to protect redwood forests from logging and pollution, provides gifts to establish parks and preserves, and has active scientific research and education programs. For more information on the League’s history, including a timeline of League milestones, please see the League’s website: http://www.savetheredwoods.org/about-us/mission-history/ Scope and Content of Collection The Save the Redwoods League records document the organization’s work to preserve redwood trees, and its role in the development and protection of state and national parks in California. The bulk of the collection covers the tenures of League executive directors Newton B. Drury (1919-1940 and 1959-1978), Aubrey Drury (1920-1959), and John B. Dewitt (1965-1996). This includes the early years of the organization and its four key projects, preservation of: I. Humboldt Redwood State Park, including Bull Creek-Dyerville and Avenue of the Giants; II. Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park; III. Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park; and IV. Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, including Mill Creek. Council and Councilor files for these years are robust. Records documenting the significant role the League played in the creation of the California State Park system and in the establishment of Redwood National Park are particularly comprehensive. Other notable topics are discussed in Series and Sub-series scope notes. Many people, places and things were important throughout the League’s history, so significant correspondence from the organization’s leadership can be found throughout the collection. There are very few records related to the Executive Directors that followed John B. Dewitt, or from the late 1990s and early 21st Century more generally. There are also gaps regarding land acquisition because the League has currently retained Finding Aid to the Save the BANC MSS 88/15 c 3 Redwoods League Records BANC MSS 88/15 c most of its property files. Some records were damaged or destroyed in a 2001 fire. Most of the photographs in the collection have been removed and cataloged separately under the call number BANC PIC 2006.030. However, photographs that are intrinsically related to the manuscript materials they were filed with have been kept in the collection to provide context for the researcher. These include portraits of Councilors and photographs accompanying land appraisals. The League staff used several filing systems, categorizing documents using a numerical code and/or by recording the subject matter or key project number on them.