Glimpses of California State Park History
Permission required to use or reproduce photographs or written information, write CSPRA Webmaster for details.
Park History from 1930s and 1940s

Thanks to a generous gift from retiree Charles P. "Chuck" Lyden of Folsom, GrayBears is able to share a few glimpses into the 1930s and 1940s era of California park history. We have labeled photos to the best of our ability, and would appreciate your assistance filling in the blanks on missing information or suggesting corrections, send to CSPRA Webmaster. Click any photo below to start
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CSPRA Charter Members
Palm Springs GEC, March 1989		 sc0002e89d
Park Management
Team 1969
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Fleming & Henning @1945 		sc00033295
Park Personnel List - page 1
as of November 1, 1940
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Park Personnel List - page 2
as of November 1, 1940		 sc00036700
1937 Field Employee List
Park History B&P
Division Roster, May 1951

PDF courtesy Mike Whitehead
Park Leadership History

Thanks to research done and shared with GrayBears by Mike Lynch, we are able to provide a list of our past park leadership. All past directors and division chiefs are included, most with photos.

View list Online

PDF Download with Photos, 6 pages
District Superintendents
Mike Lynch passes along a composite poster of park management from 1928 to 1980, produced with help from Doug Bryce. Select size you want to view, based on the speed of your Internet connection.
Small - 400 K
Medium - 1.2 MB
Large - 6.1 MB
These men were the kingpins of California's state park operations from 1928 to the mid-1980s. In the early 1970s the park system was divided into field six management areas called "Districts." Later, in the mid 1980s, these positions were consolidated during a reorganization into three areas, renamed "Regions" and managed by three Regional Directors. Late in the 1990s the name was again changed to Division and three Division Chiefs oversaw field operations.

Years later, there is little information or photos of many early kingpins of state park operations. We are indebted to Doug Bryce for his resources and knowledge that allowed this composite park history poster to be recreated.
Jim Davis is looking for information on this photo of old fire truck. You can see a large version HERE.

Write to Jim Davis with your info.
GrayBears,

We have been asked to identify the park staff in this 1994 picture. Please see if you know these men by name.  Person A is certainly Matthew Sugarman.

Write me back at webmaster@cspra.com

Regards, Jeff Price