Frank Pierce Doyle

Frank Pierce Doyle was born in Petaluma, California on May 30, 1863 to Manville Doyle (1831–1916) and Mary Evelyn Doyle (née Conley) (1843–1926).{{cite news |title=Frank Doyle remembered as 'Father of the Golden Gate Bridge' |url=https://www.pressdemocrat.com/sponsored-content/?prx_t=3y0EALqssAKEUNA&prx_ro=s |access-date=8 July 2025 |agency=The Press Democrat |date=October 18, 2018}} Frank was the second of ten children, only three of which would live to adulthood. Manville, a native of Springfield, Illinois arrived in California in 1850 during the California Gold Rush, settling in Petaluma in 1855. Shortly after Frank's birth, the family moved to Cloverdale.{{cite book |last1=Gregory |first1=Thomas |title=The History of Sonoma County |date=1891 |publisher=Historic Record Company |pages=511–515}} The family returned to Petaluma in 1876 where Manville served as a city councilman and as president of the Petaluma Water Works.{{cite web |title=Exchange Bank History |url=https://www.exchangebank.com/about |website=Santa Rosa Exchange Bank |access-date=8 July 2025}} Frank graduated from Petaluma High School in 1880. In 1886, Frank became the manager of the Petaluma Water Works, succeeding his father.{{cite book |last1=Gregory |first1=Thomas |title=The History of Sonoma County |date=1891 |publisher=Historic Record Company |pages=511–515}}

File:Doyle around 1900.pngIn 1890, Manville moved to Santa Rosa, California and founded the Santa Rosa Exchange Bank at the corner of 4th Street and Mendocino Avenue, with Frank working as the bank's cashier.{{cite book |last1=Gregory |first1=Thomas |title=The History of Sonoma County |date=1891 |publisher=Historic Record Company |pages=511–515}}

In 1903, Frank married Mary Amelia "Polly" O'Meara (1867–1944). In 1907, their son, Frankie O'Meara Doyle, was born. However, in 1921, Frankie died from complications following tonsillectomy surgery.{{cite book |last=Wilson |first=Simone |title =Santa Rosa |publisher =Arcadia Publishing |date =2004 |page =20 |isbn =9780738528854}}

In the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, which nearly destroyed the entire downtown of Santa Rosa, Doyle, an automobile enthusiast, played an important role in convincing local business owners to donate frontage space so that the rebuilt streets may be widened for the increased future usage of automobiles.{{cite news |title=Frank Doyle remembered as 'Father of the Golden Gate Bridge' |url=https://www.pressdemocrat.com/sponsored-content/?prx_t=3y0EALqssAKEUNA&prx_ro=s |access-date=8 July 2025 |agency=The Press Democrat |date=October 18, 2018}} As the city rebuilt, Doyle founded the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce to revive the local economy, and served as its first chairman.{{cite web |title=Chamber History |url=https://www.santarosametrochamber.com/about-us/about-the-santa-rosa-metro-chamber/chamber-history/ |website=Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce |access-date=8 July 2025}} Built in 1911, the Doyle Building, located at 643 4th Street in Santa Rosa, was named for Doyle to commemorate his efforts rebuilding the city.

In August 1916, Frank succeeded his father as president of the Santa Rosa Exchange Bank.{{cite news |title=Frank P. Doyle, Father of Golden Gate Span, Dies |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MT19480805.2.72&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-------- |access-date=8 July 2025 |agency=Madera Tribune |date=August 5, 1948}} In addition to running the bank, Doyle operated fruit and dairy ranches around Sonoma County.{{cite web |title=Official Program Golden Gate Fiesta |url=https://www.goldengate.org/assets/1/6/officialprogram.pdf |access-date=8 July 2025}}

As speculation as to whether a bridge across the Golden Gate Strait connecting Marin County and San Francisco grew in the early 20th century, on January 13, 1923 in Santa Rosa, Doyle organized and served as one of the foundational members of the "Bridging the Golden Gate Association," which would formally become the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District in 1928.{{cite news |last1=Mara |first1=Janis |title=In Doyle we trust: SRJC students thank the legacy of Frank Doyle |url=https://www.northbaybiz.com/2025/01/30/in-doyle-we-trust-srjc-students-thank-the-legacy-of-frank-doyle/ |access-date=8 July 2025 |agency=North Bay Biz |date=January 30, 2025}} File:Doyle openning the Bridge.png

For fifteen years, Doyle dedicated significant time and funds serving as a director of the bridge executive committee, and served as president of the board.{{cite news |title=Frank Doyle remembered as 'Father of the Golden Gate Bridge' |url=https://www.pressdemocrat.com/sponsored-content/?prx_t=3y0EALqssAKEUNA&prx_ro=s |access-date=8 July 2025 |agency=The Press Democrat |date=October 18, 2018}} On May 27, 1937, Doyle was given the honor of ceremonially breaking the chain to officially open the completed Golden Gate Bridge to the public and to be the first person to cross it in a private automobile.{{cite news |title=Frank Doyle remembered as 'Father of the Golden Gate Bridge' |url=https://www.pressdemocrat.com/sponsored-content/?prx_t=3y0EALqssAKEUNA&prx_ro=s |access-date=8 July 2025 |agency=The Press Democrat |date=October 18, 2018}} As a result of his efforts to conceive and complete the bridge, Doyle has been referred to as the "Father of the Golden Gate Bridge."{{cite web |title=Frank Pierce Doyle: In Memoriam |url=https://www.goldengate.org/assets/1/6/frankpdoylememorium1.pdf |publisher=Board of Directors of the Golden Gate Bridge and Highway District |access-date=8 July 2025}}

Doyle was active in numerous civil society and business organizations, including being the founder and long-time president of the Redwood Empire Association; I.O.O.F. Lodge of Petaluma; Native Sons of the Golden West; director of the California Automobile Association; board director for the Bank of Sonoma County; board director for the Bank of Guerneville; and Santa Rosa Rotary Club.

Historian Gaye LeBaron has noted that during the Great Depression, Doyle gained a reputation in the county for allowing his bank to carry mortgages for farmers who he knew couldn't pay them back, and sometimes Doyle would pay off the loans himself.{{cite news |last1=Zipperer |first1=John |title=Doyle's legacy goes farther than his drive |url=https://www.marinatimes.com/doyles-legacy-goes-farther-than-his-drive |access-date=8 July 2025 |agency=Marina Times |date=June 2012}}

In 1934, Doyle helped establish Sonoma Coast State Park, which runs between Bodega Bay and Jenner.{{cite news |last1=Halpin |first1=Gideon |title=Frank P. Doyle pays for classes, books and housing |url=https://www.theoakleafnews.com/features/2015/05/12/frank-p-doyle-pays-for-classes-books-and-housing/ |access-date=8 July 2025 |agency=The Oak Leaf |date=May 12, 2015}} In 1936, alongside local newspaper publisher Ernest L. Finley and other civic leaders, Doyle helped found the Sonoma County Fair to showcase local agriculture.{{cite news |title=Frank P. Doyle, Father of Golden Gate Span, Dies |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MT19480805.2.72&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-------- |access-date=8 July 2025 |agency=Madera Tribune |date=August 5, 1948}}

On August 5, 1948, Doyle died at his home at the corner of Pierce and Third Streets in Santa Rosa a week after suffering a stroke. As a part of his will and without any living children, Doyle left the entirety of his 50.3% controlling share interest in the Santa Rosa Exchange Bank in perpetual trust to Santa Rosa Junior College to provide scholarship funds for students to attend the school.{{cite news |last1=Halpin |first1=Gideon |title=Frank P. Doyle pays for classes, books and housing |url=https://www.theoakleafnews.com/features/2015/05/12/frank-p-doyle-pays-for-classes-books-and-housing/ |access-date=8 July 2025 |agency=The Oak Leaf |date=May 12, 2015}} Since 1949, the Doyle Trust has provided over $83 million to over 135,000 students in scholarships.{{cite news |title=Frank Doyle remembered as 'Father of the Golden Gate Bridge' |url=https://www.pressdemocrat.com/sponsored-content/?prx_t=3y0EALqssAKEUNA&prx_ro=s |access-date=8 July 2025 |agency=The Press Democrat |date=October 18, 2018}}

File:Doyle cartoon.png

Built in 2006, the Frank P. Doyle Library at Santa Rosa Junior College is named for Doyle,{{cite web |title=Frank P. Doyle Library |url=https://maps.santarosa.edu/doyle-library |website=Santa Rosa Junior College}} and the Polly O'Meara Doyle Residence Hall at the college (built in 2023) is named for his wife.{{cite web |title=SRJC names student housing the Polly O'Meara Doyle Hall |url=https://news.santarosa.edu/srjc-names-polly-omeara-doyle-hall |website=Santa Rosa Junior College}} Having purchased the land and gifting it to the city in honor of his late son in 1921, Doyle Community Park in Santa Rosa is named in Frankie's honor, as is the adjacent Doyle Park Drive.{{cite book |last=Wilson |first=Simone |title =Santa Rosa |publisher =Arcadia Publishing |date =2004 |page =20 |isbn =9780738528854}} Doyle Park Elementary School in Santa Rosa, which operated from 1951 to 2013, too derived its name from Doyle.{{cite news |last1=Digitale |first1=Robert |title=Doyle Park students, teachers say goodbye |url=https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/doyle-park-students-teachers-say-goodbye/ |agency=The Press Democrat |date=May 30, 2013}} Although now largely redesigned with the construction of Presidio Parkway in 2015, Doyle Drive in San Francisco, which leads directly to the Golden Gate Bridge, was named in his honor.{{cite news |last1=Zipperer |first1=John |title=Doyle's legacy goes farther than his drive |url=https://www.marinatimes.com/doyles-legacy-goes-farther-than-his-drive |access-date=8 July 2025 |agency=Marina Times |date=June 2012}}

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Category:1863 births

Category:1948 deaths

Category:Bankers

Category:20th-century philanthropists

Category:Petaluma High School alumni

Category:Golden Gate Bridge

Category:Businesspeople

Category:American bankers

Category:American financial businesspeople

Category:People from Petaluma, California

Category:20th-century American businesspeople