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Van Rensselaer, Maunsell Collection
2006.-02
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Contributing Institution:
University of California, Berkeley. College of Environmental Design. Environmental Design Archives
Title: Maunsel Van Renesselaer Collection
Creator:
Van Rensselaer, Maunsell, 1897-1972
Identifier/Call Number: 2006.-02
Physical Description:
3.5 Linear Feet:
3.5 boxes and 1 card file box
Date (bulk): 1920-1970
Language of Material:
English
.
Collection is open for research.
All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from materials in the collection should be discussed with the
Curator.
Maunsell Van Rensselaer (1897-1972)
Maunsell Van Rensselaer was born in Los Angeles, California on May 13, 1897. As a direct descendant of the prominent Holland-Dutch
family who established the colony of Rensselaerwyck (now Rensselaer, New York), he was the fifth of nine children to James
Taylor Van Rensselaer and Agnes Sarah Bradley Van Rensselaer. He was named after his grandfather, Rev. Maunsell Van Rensselaer,
an Episcopal minister in Albany, New York. He married Eleanor Olmsted White on May 14, 1921. They had two children, Cortlandt
Van Rensselaer and Patricia Louise Van Rensselaer Wilson.
Van Rensselaer grew up and attended school in Fallbrook, California. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1916 during
World War I, and was stationed at an army airfield in San Diego, California. In recognition of his skill, he was awarded
a commission as 2nd Lieutenant and was sent to the University of California, Berkeley for pre-flight training. Then he was
assigned to March Field, near Riverside, California, where he received pilot training. While at March Field, he was introduced
to his future wife Eleanor Olmstead White
Following his release from the army, Van Rensselaer resumed his studies at the University of California, Berkeley, where both
he and Eleanor attended. He was a member of Alpha Kappa Lambda and Phi Delta Kappa. He graduated in 1923 with a major in
physical education. His great interest was in botany and forestry, but his family convinced him that this field would not
provide a good living. This resulted in his employment with the City of Berkeley Recreation Department. He also served as
Dean of Boys for Berkeley High School from 1923 to 1925.
During this time, Van Rensselaer and Eleanor were given the opportunity to establish the Berkeley summer camp on the Tuolomne
River near Yosemite. After managing this camp for several summers, they left Berkeley and founded Lokoya Lodge, a summer
resort on Mt. Veeder in Napa County. Van Rensselaer served as Treasurer, Managing Director, and President of the Lodge from
1926 to 1933. He also formed the Mt. Veeder Improvement Association, in which he also served as its President. After Lokoya
Lodge failed financially due to the Depression, Van Rensselaer decided to return to his original botanical career interest.
Van Rensselaer then worked for what is now called the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, serving initially in 1934 as Assistant
Director, and was then later appointed to Director from 1936 to 1950. He also was instrumental in having the redwood adopted
as California's official state tree in 1937. Serving as its chairman from 1943 to 1945, Van Rensselaer was a member of the
Santa Barbara Board of Park Commissioners for many years, as well as a member of the Royal Horticultural Society, the Mexican
Botanical Society, and the American Association of Botanic Gardens and Arboretums. In 1943, he was awarded the Gold Medal
of the Garden Club of America as the co-author of Ceanothus.
After relocating to Los Altos, California in 1950, Van Rensselaer and nurseryman Ray Hartman co-founded the Saratoga Horticultural
Foundation, a non-profit institution located on several
Biographical Note (continued)
acres of land donated by Hartman near the town center of Saratoga, California. The Foundation selected desirable plants,
often from mutations, and propagated these with grafting in order to create identical specimens. Several dozen of these plant
varieties were patented. Many of the long lines of identical trees, which today shade the streets of the Silicon Valley,
were propagated at the Foundation.
While at the Saratoga Horticultural Foundation, Van Rensselaer served as director from 1950 to 1971. Among other accomplishments,
he was president for the International Shade Tree Conference in the early 1960s and a member of the Advisory Council of the
California Foundation for Horticultural Research and the Arboretum Committee at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
In 1965, Van Rensselaer was named to the Horticultural Hall of Fame.
Van Rensselaer authored Trees of Santa Barbara, a profusely illustrated book, which was published in 1940 by the Santa Barbara
Botanic Garden, Inc. He prepared a revised and enlarged edition in 1948. His major botanical publication, Ceanothus, was
written in conjunction with Howard E. McMinn, professor of botany at Mills College. It was also published by the Santa Barbara
Botanic Garden in 1942. In addition, Van Rensselaer authored hundreds of articles for horticultural publications and made
countless presentations on botanical subjects.
Maunsell Van Rensselaer died on August 15, 1972 in Santa Cruz, California.
Sources:
Collection file, Environmental Design Archives
The collection, which spans from 1920 to 1970 (bulk 1920-1945), consists of records, photographs, and publications relating
primarily to Maunsell Van Rensselaer's horticultural career. The collection comprehensively documents his research for the
Famous Trees of California project, as well as his student years at the University of California, Berkeley. The collection
contains no records pertaining to his work as the Director of the Saratoga Horticultural Foundation
Notable papers in the first series include the term papers and a field notebook from his studies at the University of California,
Berkeley. This series documents his developing passion as well as his keen observations of the botanical field, including
pressings of plant specimens and detailed descriptions. The professional papers series is small, consisting of reference
materials such as nature guides and bulletins relating to plants and birds. It also includes a notebook bound by Van Rensselaer
titled "Trees By Counties," in which he has listed named trees by alphabetical counties in California.
The final series in the collection is devoted solely to the Famous Trees of California project. This is the largest series,
documenting Van Rensselaer's extensive research of named trees, and is largely comprised of photographs and correspondence
from Lokoya and Santa Barbara. The Famous Trees of California bound book is also included, as well as newspaper clippings
and a collection of index cards alphabetically arranged by common tree name.
[Identification of Item], Maunsell Van Rensselaer Collection, 2006-2, Environmental Design Archives. College of Environmental
Design. University of California, Berkeley.