Published In
Oregon Encyclopedia
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-1-2018
Abstract
As the first state parks superintendent in Oregon, serving from 1929 to 1950, Sam Boardman is often called the father of the state park system. He had a germinal role in building a system that attracted a steadily increasing number of visitors, and he was the catalyst for the state’s extensive land acquisition that often characterizes the face of Oregon to the nation. During Boardman’s tenure, the state park system grew from 4,070 acres in 46 units to 60,000 acres in 161 units. Oregon came relatively late to building its state highway system, starting in 1917, and began to embrace the idea of roadside parks during Governor Ben W. Olcott’s administration (1919-1923). The first parks provided waysides along highways and offered travelers pleasing roadside vistas. With these aims in mind, Oregon made its parks program part of the State Highway Department in 1921. The program remained there until 1989, when the legislature created an independent Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
Citation Details
Mark, Stephen and Deur, Douglas, "Samuel H. Boardman (1874-1953)" (2018). Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations. 297.