Flashback Friday: The Other Park John McLaren Built

Welcome back to Flashback Friday: a series where I share some of my favorite weird, wonderful, and occasionally hidden, stories from San Francisco’s past. And don’t laugh, but I may be dumb.

I’ve lived in The City since I was two years old. Yet there I was, standing in McLaren Park saying, out loud: “There’s a lake? A whole lake?” Ummmmmm….. apparently, there are two.

It was raining when I visited. The sky was low and gray. Two dogs were out there, totally committed to their walk. Across the water, picnic tables sat empty but perfectly kept, like they had been waiting all day for a party that hadn't arrived yet. And you know what wasn’t there? Everyone.

Everyone who would normally be crammed into Golden Gate Park was missing. It was a holiday weekend. It was winter picnic season. Usually, I drive through McLaren all the time on Mansell or Visitacion while headed somewhere else. I never stop. Apparently, I should have.

McLaren Park is over 312 acres. It is the second largest park in The City. Second!

The park was assembled in the early 20th century and eventually named for John McLaren. If that name sounds familiar, it is because he was the legendary superintendent of Golden Gate Park for over 50 years. He was a famously grumpy Scotsman who believed parks were meant to be used, not just admired from behind ropes.

McLaren had a deep-seated loathing for statues. He called them "stookies" and would often plant trees or thick shrubbery in front of them to hide them from public view. He wanted nature to belong to the people, and monuments only got in the way of a good walk.

While Golden Gate Park became the manicured postcard for tourists, McLaren Park became the everyday reality for the southern neighborhoods. It was built piece by piece over thirty years, which is why it has such a unique, patchwork feel.

Beyond the two lakes, McNab Lake and the Upper Reservoir, the amenities here are actually staggering. There are tennis and basketball courts, baseball and soccer fields, and multiple playgrounds. If you have a dog, the play area and the trails actually feel like real trails. You can wander along Philosopher’s Way or catch a show at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, named for the Excelsior kid who grew up nearby.

Standing there in the rain, slightly embarrassed and very aware of how long I’ve been driving past it, I kept thinking how easy it is to overlook the parts of The City that aren’t constantly photographed. McLaren Park isn’t hidden. It’s just not hyped. And maybe that’s why it still feels like yours when you’re there.

So here is the gentle nudge: Go. Before everyone else realizes what’s been sitting here the whole time.