Beauty Ranch (Photo by Mike Millar)
By Lynn Millar
I am a walker, a blogger about walking and a writer. The pending closure of Jack London State Historic Park next summer hits me particularly hard.
Last year, the park celebrated its 50th anniversary. A library room opened in the museum at the House of Happy Walls. Several years earlier volunteers restored Jack London’s cottage on Beauty Ranch. He spent the last years of his life here, writing, entertaining friends and running a ‘scientific’ ranch.
Jack London helped found California Writers Club (CWC) in 1909. Today, his ranch in Glen Ellen, CA serves as an inspiration to writers.
In honor of California Writers Week Oct 16-22nd, Redwood Writers Club, a local chapter of CWC is collecting donations to help saveJackLondonStateHistoricPark.
The state park is just over half of the original 1400-acreLondonranch. Almost 12 miles of trails go through vineyards and woodlands and as part of the Bay Ridge Trail, they connect to the Sonoma Mountain Trail Corridor.
Part of the park includes Wolf House (burned before theLondonscould move in) and the House of Happy Walls. This was Charmain London’s home after Jack died and contains a museum with collections from their sailing trip to the South Pacific.
Beauty Ranch, another part of the park includesLondon’s cottage and farm buildings. Less than a mile uphill is a dammed lake, where theLondonsand their guests swam.
For writers and historians, this park is both a rich resource about one ofAmerica’s great writers and a view of life in the early 1900s. For hikers and horseback riders, this park provides excellent trails through the mountains above theSonomaValley.
Budget reductions have already reduced open hours. Please visit Thursday through Monday,10am-4pm. The cottage is only open Saturday and Sunday. $8 per car. No extra fee for the museum at House of Happy Walls or at the cottage.
Your donation goes to making Jack London’s legacy live on. Money will go to the non-profit approved to run the park.
Please visit redwoodwriters.org/jacklondon/ for more information and a slideshow.
Send Donations: to Redwood Writers, “for JLP” PO Box 4687, Santa Rosa, CA 95402
Lynn Millar at http://backtowalking.wordpress.com/ or for my take on Jack London Park at shortlink: http://wp.me/pJscA-ex
Pictures by Mike Millar
Osha Hayden
Writers are uniting to help save the park in celebration of CA Writers Week.
The Jack London State Park is truly one of the great treasures of Sonoma County. It would be a great loss to the writers, hikers, lovers of beauty and nature, if this park were closed. Here is a moment when we have the power to step up and contribute a little or a lot to help save the park and keep it open.
As Jack London said: “Life is not always a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes, playing a poor hand well.” Let’s celebrate our natural and cultural heritage and save our park!
October 20th, 2011 8:55 am
Robin Moore
Hikers, walkers, writers and horseback riders–let’s all pitch in to save Jack London State Park!
October 23rd, 2011 1:51 pm
Kate Farrell
Thanks for this article, Lynn! Your photos and words are sterling examples of how beloved Jack London Park is to hikers and writers.
As a member of California Writers Club, I treasure JL park as part of our heritage. I have received much benefit from CWC and hope to contribute as much as possible to saving this public land –as a tribute to the legacy of Jack London and California writers.
October 23rd, 2011 3:51 pm
Bev Jones
Your article about saving Jack London Park from closing shows a lot of community spirit and foresight. Good luck.
October 25th, 2011 9:34 pm