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Rare Map of Berkeley, published just weeks prior to the San Francisco Earthquake.
First edition of W.F. McClure's map of Berkeley, California, published in March 1906, only a few weeks prior to the San Francisco Earthquake of April 18, 1906.
McClure was then serving as the City Engineer of Berkeley. He would go on to also serve as Commissioner of Public Works, before attaining the title of State Engineer for the State of California.
Wilbur Fiske McClure was born in Ohio in 1856. He moved to Pennsylvania in 1860, where he lived until 1879. He was in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Indian Territory and Texas in 1879 to 1883, likely working as a railroad engineer, before moving to California in 1883. He was in Southern California from at least 1883 to 1888. In California, he worked as in Engineer on railroad, marine, municipal and general engineering projects, before becoming City Engineer for Berkeley. He was appointed to State Engineer of California by Governor Johnson, January 26, 1912, a position he held for more than 10 years.
Lake McClure, site of the Exchequer Dam, is named for McClure, who was the State Engineer at the time of its construction.