Read the Park’s Quarterly Newsletter
Spring 2024 Moonletter
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Read Jack London Park Partners 2023 Gratitude Report here
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2023 was a year of progress for Jack London Park Partners and Jack London State Historic Park.
December 27, 2023 – Jack London Park Partners (JLPP), the non-profit organization that funds and operates Jack London State Historic Park (JLSHP) in Glen Ellen, CA, reports progress throughout the 1,565 acres of the park in 2023.
“I’m extremely proud of all that has been accomplished by our staff, volunteers, board members and partners this year. The amount of support that we receive from the community continues to amaze me,” said Executive Director Matt Leffert.
Read Full Press Release Here
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Jack London State Historic Park harvests 6,000 pounds of fruit and a year’s worth of gratitude
November, 2023 – In this season of thankfulness, there’s a lot of gratitude coming out of Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen, most of it grown in the historic orchard that the park and its supporters have been restoring since 2017.
“In 2021, volunteers from throughout the community gleaned – or harvested – 2,500 pounds of fruit. In 2022, we were able to increase the total to 3,600 pounds. And in 2023, we gleaned an amazing 6,000 pounds of produce, including approximately 900 pounds of plums and 5,000 pounds of pears,” said Deputy Director and Director of Operations Eric Metz.
Read Press Release Here
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Jack London Park Partners facing financial challenges after litigation forces Transcendence Theatre Company to change venues for the summer.
July 5, 2023 – For the first time since its inception 11 years ago (with the exception of pandemic year 2020), Transcendence Theatre Company will not present their summertime shows at Jack London State Historic Park. The transition, though temporary, means a significant loss in operational budget for Jack London Park Partners, the non-profit organization that funds and operates the park. Working with a small staff of 10 paid employees and a corps of 250 volunteers, the park receives no funding from California State Parks.
Read Press Release Here
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Nancy Lasseter joins Jack London Park Partners’ Board of Directors
June 20, 2023 – Jack London Park Partners, the non-profit organization that operates Jack London State Historic Park, has welcomed Nancy Lasseter to its Board of Directors.
Lasseter moved to Sonoma County in 1993 and served as Founding Trustee for Sonoma Academy in 1999-2017 (she currently serves as Trustee Emeritus). She has raised funds for Sonoma Valley Education Foundation, the Sonoma County Children’s Home and the Juvenile Diabetic Research Foundation, San Francisco Chapter.
Read Press Release Here
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George Arabian, Tom Herman, and Trina Lennon join Jack London Park Partners’ Board of Directors
March 27, 2023 – Jack London Park Partners, the non-profit organization that operates Jack London State Historic Park, has welcomed George Arabian, Tom Herman and Trina Lennon to its Board of Directors.
“We are continually expanding our vision for how to make the park and the user experience the best it can be. We are constantly looking for people who can help fulfill this vision and have found three great new people who will help Jack London Park Partners bring our vision to reality,” said Board President Peter Ferris.
Read Press Release Here
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Community Foundation Sonoma County awards Jack London Park Partners $49,200 grant for “Nature’s Design” education program
Community Foundation Sonoma County (CFSC) has awarded Jack London Park Partners a $49,200 grant from their Expanded Learning Advancing Educational Equity Initiative.
The grant will support “Nature’s Design,” a Benziger Family Environmental Education Program with Jack London State Historic Park for seventh grade students at Title 1 schools in Sonoma County. Schools participating in Spring of 2023 include Altimira Middle School in Sonoma, Washington Middle School in Cloverdale, and Petaluma Accelerated Charter School in Petaluma.
Read Press Release Here
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Jack London State Historic Park celebrates successes of 2022, announces plans for 2023
Marking ten years of success, Jack London Park Partners and California State Parks have signed a new agreement for the next decade, with an option for an additional ten years
December 27, 2022 – Jack London Park Partners, the non-profit organization that manages and operates Jack London State Historic Park, is celebrating a year of progress in 2022 and planning for further advances in 2023.
“2022 was a year of renewal as we reignited some of the progress we were making before the pandemic,” said JLPP Executive Director Matt Leffert. “Day by day and project by project, we are rebuilding a seaworthy ship, just as Jack and Charmian did when they built the Snark back in 1906, one plank at a time.”
Read Full Press Release Here
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Jack London State Historic Park fundraising gala – A magical evening in an enchanted forest
Benziger Family Environmental Education Program announced
September 24, 2022
Jack London State Historic Park transformed into an enchanted forest on Sept. 24 as 320 guests attended the gala fundraising event, “Once Upon a Time in a Not-So-Distant Forest.” The event raised more than $550,000 for the non-profit Jack London Park Partners which has funded and operated the park on behalf of the people of California since 2012.
Read full press release here
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Dave Gould joins Jack London Park Partners’ Board of Directors
July 2022
Read full press release here
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Jack London State Historic Park announces new digital tour “soft launch” on August 6, 2022
Jack London State Historic Park has announced an early launch of its new digital tour experience, which will officially be released this fall as part of a series developed by California State Parks and Timelooper Inc.
The digital tour, which can be downloaded to a mobile device, opens with a holographic image of Jack London, as he welcomes visitors and leads them through his beloved Beauty Ranch, allowing them to travel back in time in an interactive experience.
The virtual tour is comprised of ten different tour stops located throughout the park and combines elements like digital animation, holograms of Jack and Charmian London, historic photographs, 3D augmented reality models of the famous Wolf House, and more.
As the lead agency on this innovative project, the California State Parks team has crafted twelve similar tours for different parks throughout the state. Jack London’s will be the thirteenth in this series. The release of the series will happen this fall.
The free app, titled “Cal State Parks Adventurer,” is available from any app store and should be downloaded before arriving at the park.
Jack London State Historic Park, in the heart of the Sonoma Valley, is operated and funded by Jack London Park Partners, one of the first non-profit organizations to be entrusted with management of a state park on behalf of the people of California. Funding to keep the park going strong is generated from visitors, annual passholders and generous donors.
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Laura Elmore joins Jack London State Historic Park as Director of Development
Jack London Park Partners, the non-profit organization that operates Jack London State Historic Park, has welcomed Laura Elmore as Director of Development.
“We’re so excited to have Laura join the Jack London Park Partners team. Her love and passion for parks and her impressive background are exactly what we were seeking in a development director,” said Executive Director Matt Leffert.
Elmore brings 18 years of experience in non-profit fundraising and marketing, successfully building relationships with major donors, corporations, foundations, and government entities in a variety of sectors, with an emphasis on environmental and education organizations. Past organizations include Saturday Academy in Portland, Oregon, Teatown Lake Reservation in Ossining, New York, and the Wildlife Conservation Society, located at the Bronx Zoo in NY. She holds degrees in law (J.D.) and Communications (B.S.) from Florida State University
“My goal is to build on the great success of Jack London Park Partners and to take it to the next level, ensuring that it continues to thrive,” Elmore said.
“Personally, I feel a strong alignment between the park and who I am as a person. Jack London and I share an adventurous, risk-taking spirit and a love of nature and wilderness. I also love the language arts and have always been a fan of his books. The park feels magical to me in many ways,” she added.
A lifelong lover of nature, Elmore spent 2021 on a solo road trip across the country, visiting 62 of our 63 National Parks to raise awareness about the benefits of healing in nature for mind, body, and spirit. She looks forward to visiting park #63, American Samoa National Park, in the near future.
Elmore stared her new position at the park on July 11, 2022.
Since 2012, Jack London State Historic Park has been operated and funded by Jack London Park Partners, one of the first non-profit organizations to be entrusted with management of a state park on behalf of the people of California. California State Parks and Jack London Park Partners recently signed a new agreement to continue the partnership for the next ten years.
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Jack London State Historic Park and Eco Terreno Wines & Vineyards partnership links two visionaries 
July 18, 2022.
Jack London Park Partners, the non-profit organization that operates Jack London State Historic Park, and Eco Terreno Wines & Vineyards have announced a new partnership, linking the spirits of two visionaries with deep roots in Sonoma County, CA.
“There is a clear connection between what Jack London worked to achieve and Eco Terreno’s commitments to caring for the land and giving back to the planet and the people,” said winemaker and winery owner Mark Lyon.
Read Full Press Release here.
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Free Community Day at Jack London State Historic Park on September 25, 2022
September 25, 2022, will be Community Day at Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen, CA, with free admission, entertainment, and activities from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“This is a celebration by the community for the community. We invite everyone to enjoy a day at the park and meet our participating partners” said Executive Director Matt Leffert.
Family-friendly entertainment will be provided throughout the day, reprising portions of the previous nights’ fundraising gala, “Once Upon A Time In A Not So Distant Forest.”
Activities and additional entertainment will be provided by the following organizations:
- Sonoma Community Center, with demonstrations of printmaking, botanical watercolors, and a pottery wheel.
- Art Escape Sonoma, whose truck will be at the park at noon to 3 pm.
- Community Health Center, celebrating 30 years and offering games for kids and blood pressure and BMI readings.
- ViVO Youth Orchestra, performing twice during the day.
- Mayflower Chorus, presenting two performances.
- Sonoma Arts Live, with a trunk full of costumes and props for photos and play.
- Native Bird Connections will bring two live raptors for attendees to meet.
- The Picazo Truck and Sweet Scoops Ice Cream will keep everyone fueled with tasty foods.
The only ticketed event of the day will be a 4 p.m. concert by acclaimed musician John Fullbright, performing his original music on Charmian’s 1901 Steinway inside the House of Happy Walls Museum. Tickets are available at https://jacklondonpark.com/events/piano-concert-featuring-john-fullbright/.
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About Jack London State Historic Park:
Jack London State Historic Park, in the heart of the Sonoma Valley, is operated and funded by Jack London Park Partners, one of the first non-profit organizations to be entrusted with management of a state park on behalf of the people of California. Funding to keep the park going strong is generated from visitors, annual passholders and generous donors. Learn more about the park at https://jacklondonpark.com/ and on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
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Jody Davies joins Jack London Park Partners Board of Directors
July 11, 2022
Jack London Park Partners, the non-profit organization that operates Jack London State Historic Park, has welcomed Jody Davies to its Board of Directors.
Read Full Press Release here
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Singers, songwriters and storytellers featured at Jack London State Historic Park’s Call of the Wild Weekend, May 14-15, 2022
Singers, songwriters, and storytellers will perform throughout the park and onstage in the winery ruins during Jack London State Historic Park’s new Call of the Wild Weekend, May 14 and 15, 2022. The two-day, family-friendly community open house celebrates…
Read Full Press Release here
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Jack London State Historic Park Launches 2022 Young Writers Contest on 146th Birthday of Jack London
January 12, 2022
Jack London State Historic Park launched its Seventh Annual Young Writers Contest on the 146th birthday of the park’s namesake, Jan. 12, 2022.
The program encourages middle school students (grades 6-8) to exercise their writing skills by creating an original 2,000-word story inspired by the life and works of Jack London. Last year, the program had 47 entries, coming from as far away as Maine and New Jersey.
Read Full Press Release here
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Jack London State Historic Park offers inviting locations for Plein Air painters
August 30, 2021
Glen Ellen, CA – In addition to its combination of history and nature, Jack London State Historic Park offers a variety of locations that are ideal for plein air painting (literally painting in the “open air”). Artists will find scenes that may change throughout the day and throughout the year but always offer a satisfying creative experience.
The park is one of many local venues welcoming artists selected for the annual Sonoma Plein Air Festival each September. Art lovers can enjoy – and purchase – their splendid work at the Art Show and Sale on Sonoma Plaza (this year on Sept. 11, 2021)…
Read Full Press Release here
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Generations Later, Charmian London Continues to Fascinate and Inspire
August 19, 2021
Sixty-six years after her passing, the life of Charmian Kittredge London continues to influence and inspire others. Her enduring impact can be seen in the remodeling of a museum, a new biography and an upcoming celebration.
Charmian first entered the public spotlight when she married popular author Jack London in 1905. By that time, she was already…
Read Full Story here
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Jack London State Historic Park and Farm to Pantry glean historic orchard to aid those facing food insecurity
August 13, 2021
Volunteers from Jack London State Historic Park and Farm to Pantry assembled on Aug. 13 in the park’s historic orchard to glean – or gather – thousands of ripe plums that will be given to people in Sonoma County who are struggling with food insecurity.
“The orchard is located three miles away from the main entrance of the park. It’s a beautiful and rewarding hiking destination, and now, thanks to Farm to Pantry and our volunteers, the literal ‘fruits’ our labor are serving a greater purpose in the realm of food justice. We love that these historic trees that we’re working so hard to preserve are also producing food for people facing food insecurity throughout the county,” said Matt Leffert, Executive Director of Jack London State Historic Park.
“This is the second batch of fruit that we’ve been able to glean at the park. Together, we are helping to feed people, promote health and nutrition for the community and reduce food waste,” said Duskie Estes, Executive Director of Farm to Pantry. “It is often hard to believe in this beautiful wine country, that one in three of us in Sonoma County are experiencing food insecurity and that the future food supply may dwindle due to our drought emergency. So we are very grateful that we get to share the bounty of the Jack London historic orchard with those who need it most. This is such an amazing partnership and use of land on so many levels.”
The orchards were originally planted in 1908-1912 on the grounds of the Sonoma State Home (now the Sonoma Developmental Center). What started as 110 acres of fruit trees (apples, pears, apricots, peaches, cherries, and plums) were maintained by clients at the Home, then by commercial keepers in the 1960s and 70s. By the 1980s, the orchard was abandoned.
In 2002, a 600-acre area including the remaining 40 acres of orchards was given to Jack London State Historic Park in 2002.
“The original goal of reviving the orchard was preserving the cultural landscape. The produce was just a happy side effect,” said Eric Metz, Jack London’s Director of Operations. “We wanted to keep these trees alive – and grow more like them – to preserve an example of a pre-World War II orchard for future generations. Fruit isn’t grown this way anymore.”
Metz credits California State Parks for their support in making the restoration possible. Their 2006 Determination of Eligibility and Condition Assessment of the orchard filled 281 pages with detailed information about the trees and the land. After beginning the process of stabilizing the orchard, they worked with Jack London Park Partners to design and approve an expanded restoration plan once the non-profit began managing the project.
Sandy Leonard, a member of Jack London Park Partners’ Board of Directors, connected the park with Duskie Estes and Farm to Pantry, a non-profit organization that supports environmental sustainability by rescuing locally-grown food and sharing it with those experiencing food insecurity.
In 2020, Farm to Pantry rescued over 200,000 pounds of produce. Since 2008, they have delivered over three million servings of fruits and vegetables in Sonoma County and spared the air of over 150,000 kg of emissions.
Volunteers will gather again in a few weeks to glean apples and Comice and Bartlett pears, which will find their way to pantries and hungry mouths throughout Sonoma County.
On Sept. 11, Jack London State Historic Park will offer a presentation by Eric Metz and a hike to the historic orchard. Reservations and more information are available at https://jacklondonpark.com/events/orchard-restoration/.
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About Jack London State Historic Park
Jack London State Historic Park, in the heart of the Sonoma Valley, is operated and funded by Jack London Park Partners, one of the first non-profit organizations to be entrusted with management of a state park on behalf of the people of California. Funding to keep the park going strong is generated from visitors, annual passholders and generous donors. Learn more about the park at https://jacklondonpark.com/ and on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Farm to Pantry
Farm to Pantry is a nonprofit gleaning organization. Launched in 2008, their mission is to cultivate good health and community and to support environmental sustainability by rescuing locally-grown food and sharing it with those in need. They gather members of the community to glean from local farms, orchards and gardens and deliver it to Sonoma neighbors facing food insecurity. They work with other organizations and partners that address food scarcity and ensure nutritious fruits and vegetables are available to augment shelf-stable items at food pantries and food distribution sites. For more information about Farm to Pantry, visit www.farmtopantry.org or social media channels on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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David Lambert joins Jack London Park Partners Board of Directors
April 19, 2021