Crowd Gathers to Honor Stephen Mather of 'Camp Mather' on his Birthday

On a bright and sunny Independence Day, a crowd gathered to dedicate a plaque and celebrate Stephen Tyng Mather. Mather, the first director of the National Park Service, and namesake of Camp Mather, was born on July 4, 1867.

A tireless advocate for the National Parks when there was no cohesive plan in place, he served for 12 years as director and laid the foundations of the park system. The San Francisco Recreation and Park's department and Friends of Camp Mather chose to formally honor him on the 150th anniversary of his birth and the 100th anniversary of his appointment as Director by placing a plaque on the grounds of Camp Mather.

The plaque is the same one would find in most National Parks. It was created at the same foundry using the same cast as the ones placed in the 1930's. The ceremony included songs from the Mather staff, remarks by Camp Manager Larry McNesby, Friends of Camp Mather Vice President Gus Guibert, San Francisco Supervisor Mark Farrell, Naturalists Tom Graham and Neil Fahy, and Yosemite National Park Ranger Lisa Murphy. Resolutions from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. California Senate, and California Assembly were presented. 

Stephen T Mather was a San Francisco native, Lowell and Cal graduate, and San Francisco's family camp is fortunate to be named for such an outstanding native son. Words barely do justice to his American legacy, but the words inscribed on his plaque are a start:

"He laid the foundation of the National Park Service, defining and establishing the policies under which its areas shall be developed and conserved unimpaired for future generations. There will never come an end to the good that he has done."

Special thanks to Tom Graham for all of his extensive efforts in leading the charge to place the plaque in Camp Mather and increase awareness of the Mather legacy.