Charles
Alvin DeTurkCharles
Alvin DeTurkCharles Alvin DeTurk (1906-1967) received the state level Pugsley Medal in 1961 “for sustained and substantial achievements in advancing the state park programs in California, Indiana, and Washington and for nationwide leadership in the state parks field.” He was born in Martinsville, Indiana, and graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in landscape architecture. In 1930 he started his career in the parks field as a landscape architect for the Allegheny County Bureau of Parks in Pittsburgh, PA. He became director of Indiana’s state parks in World War II from 1939-45, and subsequently was a landscape architect with the Wayne County Road Commission in Detroit, Michigan, 1945-47. He became director of education and public relations with the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority, in Michigan, 1947-50 and from 1950-59 he was a planner with the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.
DeTurk was appointed California director of parks and recreation in 1959. It was a time of political transformation in California with the Democratic Party taking control of the political system at the state level, after a long period of Republican domination. DeTurk’s varied out-of-state experiences were seen as an asset. He was an active member of the National Conference on State Parks and had been president of that organization from 1954-1956, so was widely respected in state park circles. He was described as “exceedingly charming and well-spoken – a persuasive public speaker, who was easy going and friendly.” The incoming state governor, Pat Brown, was convinced that parks were going to be especially important as the state continued to grow. Soon after his inauguration, he keynoted the annual meeting of the National Conference on State Parks, which was held at Asilomar, and promised that the people of California would “not be short-changed on the development of our present state parks and beaches, or in the acquisition and development of new areas.” So DeTurk had the strong backing of the governor for expanding and enhancing the state parks system.
DeTurk was charged by the governor with producing a “bold, dynamic, and detailed program” for future development of the state park system. A five year plan to do this was presented to the legislature and the public. Immediate reaction by the press was overwhelmingly favorable. To fund the plan, a referendum requesting authority to issue $150 million of bonds was held in 1962, but failed narrowly by 1.88 million to 1.69 million votes. DeTurk attributed its defeat to a campaign which was too brief and under funded so many people lacked information about the issue.
Given this explanation, the proposition was again put on the ballot in 1964. This time there was plenty of time for a thorough campaign on behalf of the bonds and it passed with a plurality of over 1.5 million votes, 3.86 to 2.34 million.
DeTurk vigorously campaigned throughout California for the preservation of its scenic, historical and recreation resources. His leadership in the protection of Emerald Bay on Lake Tahoe gained public support for opposition to the bisection of D. L. Bliss and Emerald Bay State Parks for a freeway location. Because of his efforts, Emerald Bay—the last bit of native grandeur on the California side of Lake Tahoe in public ownership and unspoiled by commercial developments—was preserved. He continued the efforts instituted by Newton B. Drury to preserve the coastal redwoods at Bull Creek in the Rockefeller Forest in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, which were threatened when lands in the upper watershed were severely eroded. He advocated strongly at state and congressional hearings for the establishment of Point Reyes National Seashore and joined in the advocacy of a scenic highway program in California.
DeTurk was universally admired as a very gentle and likable man, but some observers were convinced that he simply wasn’t able to be tough when toughness was required; he wouldn’t fight for what he believed in, either with this own staff or with others, including members of the legislature. Thus, DeTurk was pressurized to resign early in 1965 and his successors were responsible for moving the bond act acquisition program moving. For a short period he remained with the department as a division director. He ended his career with an appointment at California State University at Sacramento where he assisted in establishing a department of environmental management which provided park management training. A grove of redwoods was named after him, The Charles Alvin DeTurk Memorial Grove in Calaveras Big Trees State Park.