Herbert Fleishhacker (November 2, 1872 – April 2, 1957), was an American businessman, civic leader and philanthropist. In 1924, he created and helped fund the Fleishhacker Pool in San Francisco, for many years the world's largest outdoor saltwater swimming pool. The pool continued to operate until 1971.

Biography

Herbert Fleishhacker was born November 2, 1872, to a Jewish family, the son of Deliah (née Stern) and paper entrepreneur Aaron Fleishhacker. He was one of eight children, his brother was Mortimer Fleishhacker Sr. (1866–1953). At age 15, he started working for his father as a bookkeeper. At age 20, he established the first

paper mill A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags, and other ingredients. Prior to the invention and adoption of the Fourdrinier machine and other types of paper machine that use an endless belt ...

in Oregon outside of

Oregon City Oregon City is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon, United States, located on the Willamette River near the southern limits of the Portland metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 37,572. Established in 1829 ...

. He then created a lumber company in Eugene, Oregon which supported the paper mill. Soon after he turned his attention to electric power and he invested in the Truckee River Electric Company and the Sacramento Valley Power Company. The Anglo California Bank, Ltd., founded in 1873, was the successor to the London firm of J & W Seligman & Company. At age 34, he turned his attention to banking. Fleishhacker was president of the London and Paris National Bank of San Francisco (1908), later renamed the Anglo & London Paris National Bank (1909), later renamed the Anglo California National Bank of San Francisco (1932). In November 1955, the Anglo California National Bank merged with the Crocker First National Bank. In 1918, he was appointed to serve the president of the San Francisco Park Commission by mayor

James Rolph James "Sunny Jim" Rolph Jr. (August 23, 1869 – June 2, 1934) was an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, he was elected to a single term as the 27th governor of California from January 6, 1931, until his death on June 2, 19 ...

. While serving as president of the San Francisco Parks Commission, he founded the Fleishhacker Zoo, later renamed the San Francisco Zoological Gardens. He was also instrumental in the building of

Coit Tower Coit Tower (also known as Coit Memorial Tower) is a tower in the Telegraph Hill, San Francisco, Telegraph Hill neighborhood of San Francisco, California, overlooking the city and San Francisco Bay. The tower, in the city's Pioneer Park, San Franc ...

. His work on the

Panama–Pacific International Exposition The Panama–Pacific International Exposition was a world's fair held in San Francisco, California, United States, from February 20 to December 4, 1915. Its stated purpose was to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal, but it was widely s ...

awarded him the French Légion d'honneur award.

Personal life

Fleishhacker was married on August 9, 1905, to May Belle Greenebaum (August 12, 1884; died 1966). They had one daughter and two sons.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Fleishhacker 1872 births 1957 deaths American bankers Minor league baseball executives Businesspeople from San Francisco American recipients of the Legion of Honour