The Property
When San Jose businessman James Lick passed away in 1876, no one knew that among his possessions was an entire 12,000-square-foot Victorian greenhouse. A year later, a group of prominent San Francisco businessmen purchased the greenhouse from Lick's estate and offered it as a gift to the Park Commission, the start of a public/private partnership that endures today.The Conservatory of Flowers, as the assembled greenhouse was called opened to the public in 1879. It has attracted millions of visitors over the past 125 years and is now the oldest conservatory in North America. It housed many threatened and endangered plant species including a spectacular collection of high-altitude orchids.
Though the Conservatory endured two fires, it was closed in 1995 after damage from devastating storms. Its condition was so worrisome that it was included on the World Monuments Fund’s "World's 100 Most Endangered Sites," but local love for this landmark, including unsolicited donations from private citizens, kick-started an incredible $25 million restoration effort.
More than $24 million has been raised to date, and the soon-to-reopen Conservatory is now designated as a city, state and national historic landmark. New exhibits will make it a premiere educational institution, allowing visitors to smell, touch and experience the tropics as they walk through environments from humid lowland tropics to high-altitude cloud forest.
Restoration Plans and Progress
The restoration of the Conservatory is nearly complete. A three-day grand reopening celebration will start with a black tie gala on September 18, 2003; a members-only preview will follow the next day; and the public admission will resume on the 20th.
Though previous visitors may not notice significant alterations to the beautiful Victorian structure, important structural changes ensure that the Conservatory will last for decades to come. All wooden framing has received steel reinforcements, new shatterproof glass plates provide a stronger shell and new high-tech lighting systems and a state-of-the-art climate control system provides ideal conditions for the plants. Several signature art pieces are being created for the interior, including a six-foot glass lily pad to hang from the ceiling and a sparkling glass bridge over the ponds in the aquatic plant exhibit.
The restoration is managed by a partnership between the San Francisco Recreation & Park Department, Department of Public Works, and the non-profit Friends of Recreation & Parks, which is leading the fundraising campaign. It has been funded in part by $13 million in Save America’s Treasures private contributions.
Public Access
The Conservatory reopens to the public September 20, 2003. New operating hours have not been set.
Contact Information
Jasmin Tuan, Director of Development
Phone: 415-750-5109
Website: www.conservatoryofflowers.org
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Other Points of Interest
Explore these links on the National Trust’s Web site to learn more about how preservation benefits individuals and communities.
America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places
Since 1988, this list has been one of the most effective tools in the fight to save America's irreplaceable architectural, cultural, and natural heritage. Use the new 11 Most Endangered database to learn about threatened sites in California.
www.nationaltrust.org/11most
Dozen Distinctive Destinations
These communities offer travelers enjoyable natural, historic, aesthetic, recreational, and cultural experiences all in one place. One of the choices in 2002 was Calistoga, Calif., a Napa Valley town offering spas, mineral water hot springs, mud baths and wineries.
www.nationaltrust.org/dozen_distinctive_destinations
Historic Hotels
Planning a visit to San Francisco? Try one of these hotels from the National Trust For Historic Preservation's book, Historic Hotels of America Directory.
The Fairmont Hotel
Website: www.nationaltrust.org/historic_hotels
Sir Francis Drake Hotel
Website: www.nationaltrust.org/historic_hotels
National Trust Historic Sites
The National Trust’s Historic Sites help tell the story of America, and one of which is just south of San Francisco:
The spectacular grounds of Filoli present a hallmark of garden landscape design, breathtaking in scale and displaying the diversity of California flora.
Website: www.nationaltrust.org/national_trust_sites
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