Episode 66: Dorothy Erskine
Dorothy Ward on July 29th, 1896. Although Dorothy’s parents were married, Dorothy was raised by only her mother - referring to her mother as a single parent. Dorothy would attend Miss Burke’s School (for high school and younger) and the University of California at Berkeley. At Berkeley, Dorothy would meet Morse Erskine, a “fighting liberal attorney” whom she would marry in 1918. Before we get to the work that she is most known for, it should be known that Dorothy was a successful writer and editor. She would write on topics such as the Soviet Union, the Big Ride, and the founding of San Francisco. Dorothy would meet with a group of Berkley graduates called Telesis, which compromised of guys like Jack Kent, Mel Scott, and Fran Violich. They believed that when it comes to solving societal problems “public housing is only a drop in the bucket. What you really need to do to improve society is planning.” Prior to meeting with this group, Dorothy would work for the San Francisco Housing Association but shortly after meeting with Telesis, they would change the name of the organization to the San Francisco Planning and Housing Association. While working with the housing association, Dorothy would simultaneously create the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association (aka SPUR).
Dorothy would also create another organization called Citizens for Regional Recreation and Parks in 1958. Their goal was to create large regional parks amongst the urban sprawl that is happening a lot during that time. Over time, the Citizens for Regional Recreation and Parks group would change the name to People for Open Space because their cause expanded beyond parks to include farms, ranches, and wildlife preserves. This group is now called the Green Belt Alliance, which is responsible for permanently protecting the greenbelt in the Bay area. Today, the Greenbelt Alliance remains the Bay Area’s leader in preserving open spaces and fostering smart growth.
On September 21, 1982, Dorothy would pass away just three years after a park was named after her in San Francisco.
Caryatid: Greta Thunberg
Greta is an environmental activist who made headlines when she was protesting outside the Swedish Parliament advocating for climate change. At age 15, Greta was spending her Fridays demanding Parliament take immediate action for climate change mitigation. Greta Thunberg is the youngest caryatid on our Show! In 2019, Greta was Time’s Person of the Year for her work on climate action.
References
Greenbelt Alliance. “History.” Greenbelt Alliance, 23 Apr. 2018, www.greenbelt.org/history.
History, View All Posts By Sunnyside. “Sunnyside’s Other Park and the Legacy of Dorothy Erskine.” Sunnyside History Project, 18 Jan. 2021, sunnysidehistory.org/2018/10/08/sunnysides-other-park-and-the-legacy-of-dorothy-erskine.
.org, Spur. “An Interview With Dorothy Erskine.” SPUR, 1 Jan. 1999, www.spur.org/publications/urbanist-article/1999-01-01/interview-dorothy-erskine. Accessed 2 Nov. 2022.
Rolle, Elisa. “Queer Places: Dorothy W. Erskine Park, 7 Martha Ave, San Francisco, CA 94131.” Queer Places, Feb. 2015, www.elisarolle.com/queerplaces/ch-d-e/Dorothy%20Ward%20Erskine.html. Accessed 1 Dec. 2022.
Weise, Elizabeth. Dorothy W. Erskine Park. 5 Apr. 2016, www.glenparkassociation.org/dorothy-w-erskine-park.
