On January 6, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution that moves forward an effort to formally recognize an extraordinary piece of our county’s history. The Board’s vote authorizes the Parks Director to nominate a 430-acre portion of Sam McDonald County Park to the National Register of Historic Places—a fitting tribute to the remarkable Black conservationist whose vision created this beloved redwood sanctuary.
The Legacy of Emanuel “Sam” McDonald
Emanuel Bruce “Sam” McDonald was a man ahead of his time. He was born in Monroe, Louisiana in 1884, and in 1890, his family left Louisiana for California by wagon. It was in 1903 that Sam McDonald began work as a teamster at Stanford University, hauling gravel to build campus roads. He rose through the ranks and in 1923 became Stanford’s first Black administrator when he was promoted to Superintendent of Athletic Buildings and Grounds. He held that position until he retired in 1954.
Beginning in 1919, Sam started acquiring parcels of coast redwood forest in the Santa Cruz Mountains near La Honda. Over nearly four decades, McDonald assembled 430 acres of towering redwoods, protecting them as the La Honda-Alpine-Ytaioa Reserve—a game and wildlife refuge that he carefully maintained during his lifetime.
Sam also built himself a cabin named Chee-Chee-Wa-Wa, and said it meant Little Squirrel in a Native American language. As reported in the nomination application, “McDonald’s great-niece emphasized that, ‘his mother Priscilla Wheatley was part Choctaw. My Uncle Man was very proud of his Native American heritage.’” The cabin is located on the bank of Alpine Creek and he built it in phases with salvaged materials.
Sam’s cabin turned into a home away from the Stanford campus for he and his friends. He hosted frequent barbecues, picnics, and club meetings for many groups like the football, track, and baseball squads and the families of the Athletic Department staff. His own extended family would come visit every summer and his great-niece, Leana Brunson McClain, remembers her great-uncle as a very gentle and quiet man who loved caring for his family and cooking steak and other meals for them in his small cabin kitchen. As shared in the application, “He took her on long walks in the redwoods, inspiring her with his knowledge and love of the forest. She recalls that ‘As I think back on those special walks, I realize now that Uncle Man was teaching me about the beauty of the redwood forest.’”
courtesy San Mateo County Parks Dept.
In the final months of Sam’s life in 1957, he developed plans for “Camp McDonald,” envisioning his forest property as a community recreation park. The area where Sam envisioned a store, dining hall and swimming pool is today the main parking lot and ranger office. Though he died before realizing his dream, McDonald bequeathed the land to Stanford University, which sold it to San Mateo County in 1958 for use as a public park. Sam wanted this land to be set aside for the enjoyment of children long into the future.
A “New Concept in County Parks”
When Sam McDonald County Park opened to the public in 1970, it introduced an innovative approach to recreation. Recognizing that the steep terrain was unsuitable for a traditional park, San Mateo County developed it as a youth group camping destination, featuring walk-in campsites accessible only by hiking trails. This pioneering concept in county park development offered young people an authentic wilderness experience—wilderness training, backpacking, nature study, and campfire gatherings under the redwood canopy—without cars nearby to disturb the serene environment.
Why This Recognition Matters
Sam McDonald’s life and legacy is a very important piece of local history, especially local Black history. Both the San Mateo County Parks Department and the Parks Foundation enjoy leading hikes and sharing Sam’s history with visitors. Sam was a remarkable man, generous and compassionate, always thinking of others. In the words of SMC Parks’ Interpretive Park Ranger Katherine Wright, “It has been an honor to share his story with all the people I’ve had the opportunity to bring on hikes or present to these last twelve years, especially to communities of color and youth. His life is inspirational and his desire to protect this natural space and share it with others in the form of a camp or park is why we can experience this beautiful place today.”
Garrison Frost, former Director of Communications at Save the Redwoods League, noted, “What makes this park unique among others in the region is its origin and the role played by its namesake, an African American man from Louisiana who became something of a legend in the Stanford University community.”
The proposed historic district encompasses McDonald’s original 430-acre property, including his vernacular-style cabin on Alpine Creek, the natural redwood groves he protected, and the youth camps developed after the county’s acquisition. The period of significance spans from 1919, when McDonald acquired his first parcel, through 1970, when the park was dedicated in his honor.
This nomination recognizes Sam McDonald’s pioneering role in conservation and the park’s innovative contribution to outdoor recreation. It’s a story worth preserving—and one that deserves to be told often, especially during Black History Month and beyond. Sam McDonald County Park stands as a testament to one man’s vision and the enduring power of protecting our natural landscapes for future generations. To know Sam and his park is to love them both.
This article was written based on the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form completed by Marjorie Dobkin, Ph.D., Historical Geographer; Laura Jones, Ph.D., Director, Stanford University Heritage Services; Basin Research Associates, Inc.; and Sam Herzberg, Senior Planner, AICP, County of San Mateo Parks Department.
The Parks Foundation applauds the good work of Parks Department staff, their consultants, and the partner organizations, including the San Mateo County Historical Association, the Stanford Historical Association and the State Historic Preservation Office, that collaborated on this nomination application. The Parks Foundation raised the funding needed for this effort and expresses gratitude to Stanford University, Peninsula Open Space Trust and the generous individual donors who contributed financial support to make this nomination process possible.
Read more about Sam McDonald on our Sam McDonald County Park page as well as on POST’s website and in Stanford Magazine.