Читать книгу Afoot and Afield: San Francisco Bay Area. A Comprehensive Hiking Guide онлайн

36 страница из 110

Passing a couple of rest benches, right, your path bends left and meets a paved path that parallels Kennedy Dr. Here you turn right and soon cross Conservatory Dr. East. The paved path continues on the other side of Conservatory Dr., and you follow it past two well-known park attractions — the tennis courts, left, and the dahlia garden, right. The park’s oldest building, the Conservatory of Flowers, is ahead and right.

McLaren Lodge

This picturesque stone building, which houses the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department headquarters, was built in 1896 and is named for the park’s second, and most influential, manager, John McLaren.

The Conservatory was damaged in 1995 by a windstorm and was closed many years for repairs; it reopened in September 2003. It houses an extensive collection of tropical plants, including palms, orchids, bromeliads, and carnivorous species.

Just past the Conservatory, you cross Conservatory Dr. West, then resume your ramble along the north side of Kennedy Dr. To your right is the George Washington elm, planted here in 1952 by the San Francisco Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution. According to a plaque here, the parent of this tree spread its limbs over George Washington as he took command of the American Army on July 3, 1775.