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Guide to the Frank Kester Papers, ca. 1912-1981
MS 3588
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Title: Frank Kester Papers,
Date (inclusive): ca. 1912-1981
Collection number: MS 3588
Creator:
Kester, Frank, b. 1888
Extent: 3 ft.
Repository:
California Historical Society, North Baker Library
San Francisco, California 94105-4014
Language:
English.
Collection is open for research by appointment only.
Copyright has not been assigned to The North Baker Research Library. All requests for
permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing
to the Library Director. Permission for publication is given on behalf
of The North Baker Research Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended
to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be
obtained by the reader.
[Identification of item], Frank Kester Papers. MS 3588, California Historical Society, North Baker Research Library.
Frank Kester covered the waterfront beat for the Oakland
Tribune from 1921 to 1942. An archetypical reporter, Kester was characterized by an insatiable curiosity, a penchant for keeping journals,
a passion for photography and a devotion to the reporting trade which has left us a wealth of biographical materials and historical
images of almost half a century.
Born in Cholame Valley, California in March 1888, Kester spent his youth in such small towns as Alvarado, Mendocino and Watsonville.
He often made friends with Spanish and Indian children from whom he learned to speak Spanish and some smattering of Indian
hunting and fishing techniques. These childhood experiences imbued him with a lifelong interest in mining towns, Indian lore,
sea adventures and an abiding love for nature and wilderness.
Before Kester reached his teens, his mother divorced his father, remarried and moved the family to Oakland. He had finished
six years of schooling when his stepfather decided that he should withdraw from school in order to contribute to the family
income. He entered into a series of jobs which included working as a glass blower and stockboy in department stores.
After much frustration, he convinced his stepfather of his ability to work and attend school. He enrolled in Wilmerding High
School and obtained a janitorial position. The young Kester engaged in school activities with enthusiasm and soon earned the
position of assistant editor on the school paper.
By the time he was eighteen, Kester was on the million dollar sports staff of the Morning
Call and the San Francisco
Examiner. After a short stint on the sports page, he was moved over to the waterfront beat. When news of the first World War surfaced,
he was reassigned to the news department. In November 1917 Kester reported for naval duty. Overseas for one year, he took
the opportunity to document through photographs and autobiographical sketches the personal and tragic side of war.
At the war's end, he came back to San Francisco and the newspaper business. He joined the staff of the Oakland
Tribune in 1921. Weaving mythology and fact, Kester spun tales of California history, from the gold country and the Yosemite mountains
to the small towns and growing cities. The majority of his eighteen years at the
Tribune were spent reporting on the San Francisco and Oakland waterfront and editing a full page daily on maritime activities. He
witnessed the emergence of a militant union and strikes; the expansion of the land fill and harbor construction; and, the
economic boom in the shipping trades following World War II.
Kester was an inveterate joiner in his private life. Among his organizations were the Native Sons of the Golden West, the
Masons and the Audobon Society. Appropriately, he met his wife on a Yosemite trail.
The Frank Kester Papers provide a detailed account of the life of a dedicated reporter and nature lover. Included are chapters
of his autobiography, short stories and poetry. Kester's research notes and stories highlight the histories of small California
towns, national parks and Bay Area waterfronts. The collection also contains original columns Along the Trail and Dog Watch,
as well as unpublished manuscripts such as The Sea Takes its Toll and They Tramped the Mountains. Copies of his poetry, accounts
of his personal trips and numerous photographs give further insight into Kester's own character. Thoroughly Californian, Kester
dedicated his life and work to the appreciation of the natural beauty of his home state.
Chronology of Newspaper Positions Held and Other Jobs
| 1901 | THE ELM, Oakland School Dept. paper |
| 1908-09 | WILMERDING LIFE, Editor, W.S.I.A. |
| 1910 | MORNING CALL, S.F. special articles |
| 1911-21 | S.F. EXAMINER, cub reporter, marine editor, sports |
| 1917-21 | Off to War |
| 1921-42 | OAKLAND TRIBUNE, Marine Editor, Features, Column, Science |
| 1942 | NEVADA STATE JOURNAL, Reno, Editor |
| 1942-43 | WAR SHIPPING BOARD, MARITIME COMMISSION |
| 1944 | PUBLIC RELATIONS |
| 1945-46 | WOODLAND DEMOCRAT, Telegrph editor |
| 1949 | GILROY DISPATCH, Editor and Columnist |
| 1951-52 | LINDSAY NEWS, Editor, columnist |
| 1953 | REDDING SEARCHLIGHT, country editor |
| 1954 | ANTIOCH LEDGER, reporter |
| 1955-56 | WALNUT KERNEL, Managing Editor |
| 1955-56 | DIABLO BEACOM, Concord, Managing Editor |
| 1956 | OAKDALE LEADER, Editor |
| 1956 | CAMARILLO NEWS, Managing Editor |
| 1956-63 | RED BLUFF DAILY NEWS, Red Bluff, Mng. Ed. columnist |
- California-Description and Travel
- California--Gold Discoveries
- Camarillo, California
- Camarillo News
- Camping--California
- Clipper-Ships
- European War, 1914-1918
- Gold Mines and Mining--California
- Hotels, Taverns, etc.--California
- Indians of California
- Indians of California--Missions
- Log-Books
- Missions--California
- Missions-History
- Newspapers--California
- Newspapers--Oakland
- Newspapers--San Francisco
- Oakland, California
- Oakland Tribune
- Panamal Canal
- Recreation--California
- San Francisco, California
- San Francisco-Commerce
- San Francisco--Earthquake and Fire, 1906
- San Francisco--Harbor
- San Francisco--Waterfront
- San Francisco Examiner
- Shipping--San Francisco
- Voyages and Travel
- Wilmerding High School