Layers of History

Layers of History. . , People in the Landscape, As you enjoy Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve, notice the remnant elements of a landscape designed to delight and immerse visitors into the natural world. Imagine a journey through time, and experience a California story., Shaped by the San Andreas Fault, the resources and beauty of this landscape attracted native people, then timbermen, socialites, and scholars; and in the 1990s, was the scene of a united conservation effort., Pre - 1850s , Native Californians: The Ohlone, The first humans to live in this area were the Ohlone, a collective name for the diverse tribes whose ancestral lands include the San Francisco Peninsula, the East Bay, and the Monterey Bay region., 1850s - 1887 , Timber Harvesting: Inventive Loggers, As San Francisco and San Jose grew, the high demand for lumber spurred innovation. James S. Howe developed the sag pond into a lumber mill pond, and the "muley” saw in his mill was so easy to use that tired loggers could nap while it ran!, Pioneer settlers built the town of Alma as a gateway to the wild lands of the Santa Cruz Mountains, and its redwood forest riches., 1887 - 1934 , Estate Period: Playground for the Rich and Eccentric, Captain Stillman H. Knowles created a mountain retreat and trout farm here in 1887. In 1894, Knowles sold his estate to burlesque star Rose Flood and her husband, James L. Flood, the son of a millionaire miner. The controversial couple turned it into Almadale, a "wee bit o' heaven” that offered an escape. from prying eyes - including Flood's disapproving father., After Rose's death, Flood sold Almadale to Dr. Harry Tevis. The 1906 earthquake destroyed Flood's mansion, but Tevis rebuilt on a grand scale. He was known for his hospitality and the beauty of his estate, and guests often visited to enjoy his library, swimming pool, and gardens of prtze-winning flowers., 1934 - 1969 , Schools on the Land: Jesuit Theological Seminary, In 1934, Almadale was acquired by the Society of Jesus, a scholarly religious order of the Catholic Church. Its members, known as Jesuits, founded many religious schools in California and transformed SAlmadale into Alma College. For the first time, Jesuits in California and Oregon could complete their intensive religious education and become ordained as priests without traveling east., During the seminary's 35 years, 400 Jesuits lived and studied at Alma College., 1999 - Present , History and Habitat: Preserving Nature in a Cultural Landscape, Midpen acquired the property in 1999. Today, Midpen's rehabilitation efforts treat the site as a "cultural landscape,” significant for both its human history and its natural features. The rehabilitation work illuminates each layer of the landscape, allowing it to tell its complex story while also restoring habitat for wildlife, and providing open space for people to explore.,