# Hammond Hall

William hammond hall (1846–1934) was a civil engineer who was the first State Engineer of California, and designed Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, CA. == Biography == William hammond hall was born in Hagerstown, Maryland, on February 12, 1846.After serving with the U.S. army engineers in the Civil War, Hall was assigned in the latter part of the 1860s to surveying the Western regions of the United States and preparing topographical maps. During this same time, the citizens of San Francisco were considering building a grand park for their new and growing city. The city designated a tract of 1,013 acres (4.10 km2) stretching out to the ocean that was known as the "outside land." In 1870 the Park Commission solicited bids for a topographical survey which was awarded to Hall.