Planting Trees in 1949 – The first Work Day?

The parcel of land purchased for the saint marks campus in 1948 had never been developed – it was a farm, and some parishioners remembered that artichoke plants continued to poke up through the ground for years.

This 1938 map of Palo Alto shows the area shows the area where land was purchased for St. Mark’s (blue rectangle). This area was at the edge of Palo Alto and was still mainly farmland.
This aerial image taken in 1948 shows the St. Mark’s Chapel (L-shaped white structure in center of picture) surrounded by the original undeveloped land (Historial Aerials).

After the original chapel was constructed in 1948, it was time for some landscaping. Some slides we recently found in the archive document a tree planting day in 1949. This may have been the first St. Mark’s Work Day!

This view is looking towards the chapel and standing about where the office courtyard is now.
This cottage was on the farm property when it was purchased and was used as the original Rectory and Office and whatever else was needed!
This was the classroom annex of the original chapel.
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Sources

Aerial Image of Palo Alto, 1948; Historical Aerials; https://www.historicaerials.com/topo-map-directory; retrieved 6/21/21

City of Palo Alto Map; 1938

Slides labeled “Tree Planting 1949”; St. Mark’s Archive

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2 thoughts on “Planting Trees in 1949 – The first Work Day?”

  2. Daniel Brower

    The History Corner is my favorite section of The Messenger. Keep the articles and photos coming.
    I really enjoy them. Thank you.

    Reply

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