Mt. Tamalpais & Muir Woods Railway Photograph Album, 
Circa 1913-1930

GOGA 4229

Golden Gate National Recreation Area
ATTN: Park Archives and Records Center
Building 201, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
[Mailing Address]	Park Archives and Records Center
Presidio of San Francisco
Building 667 McDowell Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94129
[Physical Address]	
			
www.nps.gov/goga/historyculture

Phone: 415-561-2807
Fax: 415-441-1618

Susan Ewing Haley, Park Archivist
Introduction

Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Park Description

Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), a unit of the National Park Service, was established by an Act of Congress on October 27, 1972. The 80,000-acre park encompasses a great diversity of cultural and natural resources in and around the Bay Area of San Francisco, California.  It includes Muir Woods National Monument and Fort Point National Historic Site.

The park holds almost five million three-dimensional and documentary artifacts dating from the time before European contact to the present.  They are preserved and maintained for the public by the Division of Cultural Resources and Museum Management, which includes the Park Archives and Records Center (PARC). 

Park Archives and Records Center (PARC)

Historical Note

GGNRA and the sites within it have been collecting records since their inception. The PARC was established in 1994 to receive records and archival collections from the U.S. Army and the Presidio Army Museum after the closure of the Presidio of San Francisco as an Army base. The collections continue to grow through the donation of materials by private individuals, transfer of inactive park records by staff, and acquisition of relevant documentary materials.

Scope of Collections

The archival collections in the custody of the GGNRA document the history and activity of the various sites and groups associated with the park, described in the park’s Scope of Collection Statement (2009). 

The PARC contains U.S. Army and National Park Service facility records for the Presidio of San Francisco, forts and coast defense sites in the area, and various GGNRA sites.  Subjects and sites documented include the United States Army (Bear Flag Revolt, Civil War, Spanish-American War, Mexican War, World War I, Army Air Service, Coast Artillery, Army medical facilities and issues, World War II, Army support during natural disasters, Viet Nam War, and Operation Desert Storm); Alcatraz Island (Army fortress, Army Disciplinary Barracks, U.S. Penitentiary, and Indian Occupation); the natural resources conservation movement resulting in the establishment of Muir Woods National Monument; agriculture in the Marin Headlands; Point Reyes Peninsula and Bolinas Lagoon areas; U.S. Lifesaving/Coast Guard Services; San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906; Panama Pacific International Exposition of 1915; natural resources and environmental issues; and preservation of open space in the Bay Area.  Also included in the PARC are many of the GGNRA administrative records that document the development and expansion of this park.
Visiting the PARC for Research

The PARC is located in an historic brick building, formerly a cavalry stable, on the Presidio of San Francisco.  Collections and archives support services are available for walk-in research during open hours or by appointment.  Please contact the PARC (see below) for the current schedule of reference hours.

Copy Services 

Black and white photocopy services for standard and oversize materials are available on-site.  Color photocopying, photographic duplication, and duplication of other media are available by special arrangement.  Researchers are charged for all duplicates on a cost-recovery basis.

Rights and Publications

Copies are provided under the Fair Use provisions of the Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.).  Researchers must complete a Permission to Publish Contract form with the Park Archivist for any other intended use of these materials (such as publication or exhibit).  Researchers should consult with staff regarding their needs for commercial or public use of materials.  
Legal Status of Holdings

Many holdings of the PARC were acquired/transferred prior to the establishment of the archives program, and have little documentation on their provenance (source/chain of custody).  All materials received after 1994 have been accessioned and documented.  If provenance cannot be determined, the PARC assumes that it owns the property rights, but does not own the copyright. Staff will provide assistance, but it is the responsibility of the researcher to acquire permission from the copyright holder to cite, quote, or reproduce collection materials.

Collections developed by or for government organizations or operations are in the public domain and may be used, cited, and quoted without restriction, provided they are properly credited to the PARC.  The archives contain no national security classified materials.

Donations to the Collections

The PARC welcomes donations of a variety of historic materials that meet the criteria in the Scope of Collections Statement and do not duplicate existing holdings. Collections are maintained for research use in perpetuity; there is no guarantee that items will be exhibited.  If you own materials that may be relevant to the themes of GGNRA and would like to deposit them in the PARC, please consult with an archivist.

How to Use This Finding Aid

This document contains information on the contents and significance of an archival collection.  It includes descriptive information; repository information; collection history; biographical or historical information on creators of the collection; and a container or folder list of everything in the collection.  After reviewing the finding aid, please discuss your specific needs with the archivist who will locate and retrieve the relevant materials. 
How to Use the Collections
Please follow all rules and regulations regarding research, the use of the research facility, and the handling of collection materials.  This will protect the collections so they continue to be available and usable for generations to come.  If anything appears to be out of order or damaged, please notify a staff member.

Contacts

For additional information on the use of archival collections at GGNRA, please contact the Park Archives and Records Center: 

	Mailing Address: 
	National Park Service					
	Golden Gate National Recreation Area
	Attn:  Park Archives and Records Center		
	Fort Mason, Bldg. 201
	San Francisco, CA  94123

	Physical Address:
		Park Archives and Records Center
		Presidio of San Francisco
Building 667 McDowell Avenue
		San Francisco, CA 94129
		Phone:	(415) 561-2807
		Fax: (415) 441-1618

Mt. Tamalpais & Muir Woods Railway Photograph Album

Title
	Mt. Tamalpais & Muir Woods Railway Photograph Album
	
Dates
	Circa 1913-1930
	
Collection Number
Catalog Number GOGA 4229 (Accession Number GOGA-01936, 
Formerly GOGA-00789)

Provenance
The original owner of the album was presumably the Mt. Tamalpais and Muir Woods Railway Company, as the cover of the album is embossed with “Property of Mt. Tamalpais Railway.” The item was originally accepted into the collection of the National Maritime Museum at San Francisco on April 12, 1979 from an unknown donor. The item was accessioned in the GGNRA collection under GOGA-00789 on February 19, 1985 as a transfer from the National Maritime Museum. The item was inadvertently transferred to the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park (SAFR) under accession SAFR-1 on September 12, 1988. The item was then transferred back to GOGA from SAFR and accessioned into the GGNRA collection under GOGA-01936 on November 29, 1993. The SAFR Photo Collection number is P79-038a.

Volume
	1 item [0.3 linear foot in 1 OS flat box & 1 legal folder]
	Item breakdown:
•	1 photograph album consisting of 18 photographs with 11 copy negatives

Description
The collection includes one (1) leather bound photograph album containing eighteen (18) black and white photographs. The album was compiled by the Mt. Tamalpais Railway, Southern Pacific Company, and is entitled “Views of Mt. Tamalpais and Muir Woods.” The photographs document scenery along the Mount Tamalpais Railway through Mt. Tamalpais and Muir Woods, circa 1913-1930. The images are captioned and Turrill & Miller Photo, S.F. were the photographers for some of the images. The lower left hand side of the front cover is embossed with “Property of Mt. Tamalpais Railway,” and the right hand side of the front cover is embossed with “Southern Pac. Co. / Flood Building.” Eleven (11) copy negatives were made by the NPS of the Muir Woods related images. Please see the Item List for a more thorough description of the images contained in the album.

Condition
Please handle the photograph album with care. The leather album cover has red rot and is fraying around the edges. Also, the album pages are brittle.

History
Established in 1896, the Mt. Tamalpais and Muir Woods Railway in Mill Valley, California served as a recreational trolley line for 34 years. Progress came and erased the famous Tamalpais railroad from existence, but the route of the railroad still serves as an important fire trail.

Incorporated in January, 1896, as the Mill Valley & Mt. Tamalpais Scenic Railway, the company held its first directors’ meeting on February 1, at which time officers were elected and plans were made for financing, construction, and operation. President Sidney B. Cushing and Secretary Louis L. Janes planned the layout of the line, and contracted the California Construction Company to complete the railroad from Mill Valley to the summit of Tamalpais. 

Construction began on February 5, 1896, and was completed on August 18, 1896. Four days later, the first passenger train made its run, and on August 27, regular passenger service began. The Mill Valley & Mt. Tamalpais Scenic Railway was originally an electric trolley line, with a power house in Mill Valley. The Muir Woods Branch line opened in the spring of 1907.

In 1913, the old Mill Valley & Mt. Tamalpais Scenic was changed to the Mt. Tamalpais & Muir Woods Railway with a better position to enlarge the scope of their business. However, after 1925, threats of abandonment loomed over the Mt. Tamalpais & Muir Woods Railway. Competition with parallel mountain toll roads, automobiles, and sightseeing buses had won out in both profits and popularity.

Finally, the big mountain fire of July 2, 1929, brought the Mr. Tamalpais & Muir Woods Railway to a close. Fire destroyed most of the railway and equipment. After abandonment, the rails were removed. Today, the entire route is intact from the upper end of Corte Madera Canyon to the Summit and is used as an emergency fire trail.

Preferred Citation
“Golden Gate NRA, Park Archives, Mt. Tamalpais & Muir Woods Railway Photograph Album, GOGA 4229”

Index
Mount Tamalpais (Calif.)
	Mount Tamalpais and Muir Woods Railroad Company 
	Muir Woods National Monument (Calif.)
Muir Woods National Monument (Calif.)--Pictorial works.
Turrill & Miller Photo

Formats
Copy negatives
Photograph albums

Processing Information
	Originally Processed and Cataloged by Stephanie Hamashin.
		Completed in November 1993.
	Re-cataloged by Nicole Hayduk.
		Completed in October 2011.

Item List

Collection Title:	Mt. Tamalpais & Muir Woods Railway Photograph Album
Collection Number:	GOGA 4229

Image #	Page
#	Description	
.01	1	“Mt. Tamalpais, Elevation 2592 feet, California.”	
.02	2	“On the way to Mt. Tamalpais, Crossing San Francisco Bay.”
[With one 4x5-inch copy negative.]	
.03	3	“Entering the Redwoods, Mt. Tamalpais Railway.” 
[With one 4x5-inch copy negative.]	
.04	4	“View from Summit Avenue, Mt. Tamalpais Railway.” 
[With one 6 ¾ x 4 ¾ -inch copy negative.]	
.05	5	“The Double Bow Knot.”	
.06	6	“West Point, San Francisco in the Distance.”	
.07	7	“Tavern of Tamalpais, Mt. Tamalpais.”	
.08	8	“The Dining Room, Tavern of Tamalpais.”	
.09	9	“Inspiration Point, Mt. Tamalpais.”	
.10	10	“The Deserted Cabin, Muir Woods.” 
[With one 6 ¾ x 4 ¾ -inch copy negative.]	
.11	11	“Among the Giants of Muir Woods.” 
[With one 4x5-inch copy negative.]	
.12	12	“The Dawn of Day, Muir Woods.”	
.13	13	“Among the Redwoods, Muir Woods.” 
[With one 4x5-inch copy negative.]	
.14	14	“Laurel or Bay Trees, Muir Woods.” 
[With one 6 ¾ x 4 ¾ -inch copy negative.]	
.15	15	“A Giant Redwood, Muir Woods.” 
[With one 6 ¾ x 4 ¾ -inch copy negative.]	
.16	16	“Muir Inn, Muir Woods.” 
[With one 4x5-inch copy negative.]	
.17	17	“Porch at Muir Inn, Muir Woods.” Photographer: Turrill & Miller, S.F. [With one 6 ¾ x 4 ¾ -inch copy negative.]	
.18	18	“Dining Room – Muir Inn, Muir Woods.” Photographer: Turrill & Miller, S.F. [With one 4x5-inch copy negative.]