Larsen Was a Pioneer, Living in Sand Dunes That Became San Francisco

By Judith Kahn

Carl Larsen, one of San Francisco's best loved old-time characters, was founder and owner of the Tivoli Cafe and the donor of two park sites.

Larsen, who is known as the pioneer of the Sunset, came from Odenesse, Denmark. Upon his arrival, he was a carpenter until 1878. Times were hard that year and work was scarce so at the beginning of the new year, on Jan. 5, he and his roommate established a coffee house and lunchroom in a three-story building at Eddy and Market streets - the Tivoli Cafe. It quickly became a landmark in the City.

But six weeks later, they lost the lease on the building and Larsen's partner got out. Larsen moved across the street, to Eddy Street near Anna Lane, just above Powell Street. There, he built a wooden building to house his prosperous cafe.

In 1905, he built a beautiful seven-story building, an addition to his cafe, which provided banquet and lodge halls. When the building was destroyed in a fire from the 1906 earthquake, he rebuilt the Tivoli and the Hotel Larsen.

Within a 60-year period, he amassed a great deal of real estate in the Sunset District. In 1888, he began buying large amounts of land in the sand dunes of the Sunset. At one time, he owned as much as 30 city blocks. At the time, many people thought he was foolish to purchase land that was nothing but sand dunes.

However, over the years Larsen's investments proved to be quite valuable, especially since much of his property was next to the Golden Gates Heights residential area. Many San Francisco's neighborhoods once consisted of large sections of farm land, which grew a diversity of crops.

In the middle of the 19th century, a large part of the Outer Richmond District was made up of diary farms. Every morning, Larsen would drive his horse-drawn carriage to deliver fresh eggs to the Tivoli Cafe.

In 1924, Larsen donated the eastern edge of the Sunset, the Golden Gate Heights Park and Larsen's Peak, to the City. In 1926, he donated two complete city blocks, valued at $250,000, to the city for a park and children's playground - known as Larsen Park - which is situated between 19th and 20th avenues and Ulloa and Wawona streets.

In an emotional address during the donation ceremony, Larsen said: "Gentlemen, I am getting old; my days are numbered. I would like to see this park laid out. I would like to see the trees and flowers that I have pictured so many times and for so many years. It has been the fondest hope of my life to see a beautiful park on those rocks and hills."

Larsen's vision came true. Over the years, children in the Sunset have enjoyed the park, spending many hours endlessly climbing all over the military airplane that was situated in the middle of the park or enjoying the pool that is adjacent to the park. The pool was once named the Larsen Pool, but is now called the Charlie Sava pool, named after the swimming instructor and coach of Olympic swimmer Anne Curtis.

Larsen, like many Danish immigrants who made important contributions to the City, was known for his kindness. It was said Larsen never discharged a man from his employment no matter how old they got. He also fed the poor, feeding every hungry man and woman who approached the Tivoli without money.

When Larsen was approached by a syndicate that wanted to buy the Tivoli to create a $1 million theater, Larsen's response was: "What will become of my boys? No, not while I live, will I sell the Tivoli and leave my boys out of a job."

Larsen died in his hotel in 1928 at the age of 84. The city thought it only proper to give him a funeral that befitted his character - a man who had given so much to the city. Mayor Jim Rolph delivered an eulogy at services held in the rotunda of City Hall, where Larsen's body lay for two days. The funeral cortege was made up of the mayor and members of the Board of Supervisors, police officers, and the Municipal Band. School children threw flowers in the path of the hearst as it proceeded past Larsen Park.