Buildings
The 1907 Nursery office created the footprint of today's garden. Curved roads to the office divided the future gardens into different sections. You could say that a horse and cart designed the gardens and the new automobile further refined it.
1918
The nursery office is building #2 in the middle of the 8B block. Allegedly built in 1907, roads to the building broke the grid rules and found the shortest way to the office and to the old barns. Horses and carriages and then later autos followed this route.
1918
The "arms and legs" of the office road can easily be seen in this 1918 photo taken from the hills. The old administration building can be seen in front of the barn on the right side. Magnolia Avenue was the grid road on the right hand side.
1918 plan of nursery
After George C. Roeding bought the nursery, this plan documented the state of the nursery
1920s?
1937
The show gardens as they were in 1937 and very much as they are today. Unfortunately Niles Boulevard was widened and apartments replaced the greenhouses and the old club house (John Rock's home.) Trees have come and gone, but the pathways, bed, and lawn are essentially the same.
1939
An aerial photo from 1938-1939 was probably used to create this landscape plan.
The red-line shows the current outline of the gardens.
See Museum of Local History for this plan.
The "Old Adobe" was a Trademark and the theme of the nursery buildings and events
Edward T. Foulkes created plans in 1939 to modify the office to match the "Old Adobe" theme
Edward T. Foulkes was born in Oregon. He was the architect of the Oregon Building, a rustic parthenon made of logs, at the PPIE in 1915. He had an office in Fresno as was the Roeding family. His other famous buildings were the Oakland Tribune Tower and the Pittock mansion in Portland. See UCB Environmental Design Archives
1939 blueprint
Edward T. Foulkes
1939-1940 were the years of the Golden Gate International Exposition. The plan was drawn in 1939. Why was he chosen to match this building to the Old Adobe theme of the nursery? The building was modifed in 1940?
Foulkes 1939 Blueprint
Bottom left corner of snippet above - is this the lean-to in the back? Need a better photo!
The date was 1939 on the blueprint. Find the first photo of the new building.
1940s
A fresh new start around 1940. The pindo palms are gone, but you can see a weeping sequoia and the bunya-bunya. Daffodils were planted in the newly refurbished brick planting beds. Look at that lovely unpeeled log support for the front porch. This unpeeled log porch reflected the porch of the new 1934 Retail Center, one of the first commercial retail centers in the US. The "Old Adobe" exhibit at the Golden Gate International Exposition also had the log supports on its porch.
November 2021
The pindo palms replanted. The weeping sequoia replanted. The bunya buny is behind the profusion of elm "seedlings."
What was in the old office? We've talked to telephone switchboard operators. Who else was there?
The office safe
This old safe was there and is currently at the Museum of Local History.
Some day it will rejoin the office
Believe it or not, the combination was found in the basement of Shinn House.
November 2021
The ramp to the office is a perfect 1:12 grade. Coincidence? Was this to easily move the monster safe (and other heavy items) into and out of the building?