Duncan McDuffie (1877-1951) received Pugsley Silver Medal for his services as a member of the California State Parks Commisssion, in establishing a state park system. He was a residential developer who was an intrepid mountaineer and an active member of the Sierra Club. His efforts in the 1920's were central to creating the California state park system and to securing approval for an initial bond package that would fund land purchases for the system. Born on September 24th 1877, in Jefferson, Indiana McDuffle and his family moved to California soon after. He attended high school in Santa Barbara and obtained a B.S from the University of California in 1899. After graduation became a residential developer in the Berkeley area. He was tall distinguished looking and became a widely known realtor and civic activist. Over the years, he was president of the Mason-McDuffie Company, the Berkeley Development Company, the Westgate Park Company, the Garden Homes Company, and the St. Francis Home Building Company. He was responsible for the development of a number of subdivisions: Claremont Park, Claremont Court and Northbrae Properties all in Berkeley, and ST. Francis Woods in San Francisco.
McDuffie had a senstivity to the natural world, acquired from his hiking and camping experiences in the Sierras with " Little Joe" LeConte Jr., who was a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of California and the son of the revered Joseph LeConte, professor of geology and natural history-both of whom were early influences on the growth of the Sierra Club. His appreciation for space, landscaping and the natural enviromment that were characteristic of his subdivisions stemmed greatly from McDuffie's personal experiences.