World Class Art Museum in the Park

In May 1907, patrons of the arts from around the Bay Area descended on Piedmont Park for the opening of the Piedmont Art Gallery. On display were 375 oil, pastel and watercolor paintings in four separate galleries.

Under the guidance of curator Richard Partington, the emerging California impressionists were well represented. William Keith's massive painting "The California Alps" was located in the main gallery. Works by Xavier Martinez, R.D. Yelland, Thaddeus Welch, James Gamble and Charles Rollo Peters were also included.

Upon the death of Frank Havens in 1918, the gallery was closed and the paintings sold. Many were purchased for the M.H. deYoung Museum, just being built in San Francisco.

For a short while the gallery was turned into classrooms as the first students at Piedmont High School waited for their school to be completed in 1921. Eventually, the old gallery was torn down and replaced by the current tennis courts.

"I admit that I went to the Piedmont Art Gallery with an appreciable amount of well natured skepticism; I doubted the ability of one man, unaided as far as I knew, to collect enough art and the kind of art that would hold the attention of both the public and connoisseurs... The exhibit seen in Piedmont is undoubtedly the best permanent display of paintings ever seen on the Pacific Coast." - Laura Prather Waterbury, 1907

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The Japanese Teahouse
Piedmont Springs Clubhouse & Cafe
Piedmont Springs Hotel
The Cascade
Honor Roll
Piedmont Park History Trail
World War I Memorial
Faux Bois Benches
Sulphur Springs Grotto
Eucalyptus Amphitheater

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