OHA Archives.
2009 ARCHIVES
Lecture Series
November 12: ANNALEE ALLEN, 7:30pm
Commemorating the twentieth anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake, Ms. Allen will recall how this disaster impacted Oakland and how preservationists rallied
to successfully save some of the city’s most treasured historic buildings, slated for demolition. Allen is a chairwoman of the Alameda County Historical Commission, an Alameda County Historical Society board member and coordinator of the city-sponsored Oakland Tours Program. She also writes a weekly column on local landmarks and history for the Oakland Tribune.
2009 House and Garden Tour -Storybook Houses of FERNWOOD
Sunday, October 4, 2009 from 1:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Please join us for a self-guided tour of nine picturesque and charming 1920s homes in the hidden Fernwood neighborhood, in the Montclair District of Oakland. House styles reflect the Period Revival architecture of the Twenties, with Tudoresque, Norman, Mission Revival, and First Bay Area Tradition examples. The historic setting remains intact, with its bridges over Temescal Creek, beautiful trees and gardens, a unique and romantic hideaway.
Summer Walking Tours
Donation: $10 OHA members, $15 general for most tours. Members may purchase a 5-tour pass for $40. Sign up or renew your membership on the day of the tour, and the tour is free.
Please meet 15 minutes before listed time for registration. Comfortable walking shoes and sunscreen are recommended. Bring water. In case of rain, the tour will be cancelled. We encourage the use of public transportation; call BART at 510-465-2278 or AC Transit at 510-839-2882 for information.
Saturday, September 12, 10 am–1:00 pm
Temescal: A Bit Of Old Italy
• In front of Genova Delicatessen, 5095 Telegraph Ave. (in Temescal Shopping Plaza)
Explore the commercial district that developed around the Oakland Street Railway car barn, built in 1870. Visit the sites of pioneering enterprises, including a hotel, a brewery, the old Senator Theater, the original Home for the Deaf and Blind and the second Hickory Pit Restaurant. See early 20th century stores, which are still in use. Discover residential streets with period homes, though close to the commercial bustle their setting is remarkably tranquil. A level walk. —Ray Raineri
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Sunday, September 13, 2 pm–4 pm
Mills College Campus
• In front of Mills Hall on the Mills College Campus
A walking tour of the eucalyptus tree-lined Mills College campus. Stops include Mills Hall, one of California’s earliest buildings to have gas lights, the Susan Mills room, furnished with artifacts from one of the founders of the college, the President’s house, dating to the 1860s, and Julia Morgan structures including the Campanile, which withstood the 1906 earthquake, and the Margaret Carnegie library. Architectural and historical commentary by specialists, moderate walking, wheelchair accessible. A level walk. —Karen Fiene & Bert Gordon
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Saturday, September 19, 11 am–1:30 pm
Oakland’s Historic Town Squares
• Corner of 9th St. and Jackson St., next to Madison Square Park
New! In 1853, town surveyor Julius Kellersberger mapped out Oakland using a grid. That early map included seven squares set aside for public use. This walk will explore four of those squares and see how they are used today and visit a gallery to view relevant historic maps, exhibits and materials. Parks conservers Sue Mark and Bruce Douglas, from the nonprofit www.10000stepsOakland.org, will share future plans for these 19th century gems. Refreshments graciously provided by Whole Foods Market. A level walk. —Annalee Allen, Sue Mark & Bruce Douglas
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Sunday, September 20, 10 am–1:30 pm
The Civil War at Mountain View Cemetery
• Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Ave.
Get to know Civil War-era denizens at Mountain View. Meet Senator William McKendree Gwin, David Doughty Colton and Jack Hayes. Learn about their involvement in an 1859 duel. We’ll also meet “drummer boy” Annie Glud, Dr. Chloe Buckel and other veterans from both sides of the conflict. The 31⁄2 hour tour highlights the restored Grand Army of the Republic plot, final resting place for over 200 veterans. A hilly walk. —Dennis Evanosky
**Final Walking Tour of the season**
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Saturday, July 11, 10 am–12:30 pm
Mountain View Cemetery
• Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Ave.
Walk into the past in California’s most historic cemetery to meet some of our state’s early movers and shakers along with the monuments that preserve their memory. Charles Crocker, Domingo Ghirardelli and Samuel Merritt are among those you will encounter. A hilly walk.—Barbara Smith and Michael Crowe
Sunday, July 12, 10 am–12:30 pm
Amelia’s Airport: Oakland’s Historic North Field
• Business Jet Center, 9351 Earhart Rd. (west on Hegenberger Rd. from 880, cross Doolittle. Immediately turn right on Earhart). Park in lot across from the building; assemble under the trees.
Old Oakland Airport (North Field), dedicated by Charles Lindbergh and often visited by Amelia Earhart, is one of our most historic aviation sites. Its original five hangars, administration building, and hotel—built between 1927 and 1929—are largely intact. A level walk. You may add a visit to the Western Aerospace Museum (adults $9, seniors $8, children $5).—Woody Minor
Saturday, July 18, 10 am–12 pm
F. M. “Borax” Smith Estate
• Redwood tree, corner of McKinley Ave. and Home Place East (1 block off Park Blvd.)
Visit remnants of Arbor Villa, Francis Marion “Borax” Smith’s palatial estate. Smith founded an international industry (“20-Mule Team Borax”), established the Key Route System, and became a famous and colorful entrepreneur. The tour visits the 9th Avenue palm trees, the Mary R. Smith Cottages, and historic houses, with examples by Bernard Maybeck and Julia Morgan. A hilly walk. —Phil Bellman
Sunday, July 19, 10 am–12:30 pm
Laurel: Cherries,Dairies, and Bungalows
• Lucky’s parking lot, 4055 MacArthur Blvd.
Once an area of dairies and vegetable gardens, the Laurel district emerged in 1909 when local streetcars extended service to 38th Ave. and Hopkins (now MacArthur). With growing industry in East Oakland, homes and businesses sprouted by the 1920s. The tour highlights Laurel’s history and architecture—with fine examples of ’20s brick and tile commercial buildings. A level walk. —Dennis Evanosky
Saturday, July 25, 10 am–12:00 pm
The Fox Oakland Theater And Uptown Art Deco
• By Reservation Only! Limited to 50 people - SOLD OUT!!!!
NEW! Oakland’s distinctive 1920s–30s retail and entertainment district has one of the finest collections of Art Deco and terra cotta buildings on the West Coast. The tour includes the Floral Depot, (Flora restaurant), Paramount Theatre, I. Magnin building, and a peek inside the restored Fox Oakland Theater, shuttered for nearly 40 years. After much effort by many, the Fox shines. Enjoy its splendor! A level walk. —Michael Crowe & Patricia Dedekian
Saturday, July 25, 2:00 pm–4:30 pm
The Bungalows Of Fairview Park
• Northwest corner of College Ave. and Alcatraz
NEW! The homes now known as craftsman bungalows originated in California around the turn of the 20th-century. Descended from a house type in India, here they took on a distinctive flavor before being exported to the rest of the U.S. as California Bungalows. With renowned Arts and Crafts expert Jane Powell, explore the bungalows and brown shingles along Alcatraz, Benvenue, Hillegass, and other streets of Fairview Park, a typical early 20th-century tract where architect-designed houses and plan book bungalows mingle. A level walk. —Jane Powell
Sunday, July 26, 10 am–12:30 pm
Jingletown: Industry To Art
• Corner of Lancaster and Glascock Streets
Explore Jingletown’s shoreline. An early Oakland industrial center—home to mills, canneries and war-time industry—its factories were some of the earliest converted to artists lofts. This eclectic neighborhood is now home to Oakland Museum’s White Elephant Sale and has recently exploded with residential “loft style” development. A level walk. —Pamela Magnuson-Peddle
Saturday, August 1, 10 am–12:30 pm
Rezoning: Facing Oakland’s Future
• At the Key System Mural, 11th and Broadway (northeast corner), near BART 12th Street Station
NEW! Density, height, views and historic preservation issues make for contentious dialogue about how Oakland will grow. We’ll walk for about 60 minutes and review the city’s proposed height maps, OHA ideas for historic areas, look at some of our downtown historic resources, and discuss how zoning presents opportunities to safeguard historic areas while still allowing for future development. A level walk. —Chris Buckley & Naomi Schiff
Sunday, August 2, 11 am–1 pm
20 Years Later: Loma Prieta And Oakland’s Downtown
• African American Museum and Library, 659 14th Street
On October 17, 1989, a 7.1earthquake struck and changed our Bay Area forever. Many of Oakland’s important landmarks, including City Hall, the Broadway Building, and The Rotunda, suffered significant structural damage and risked demolition. Find out how these buildings were saved and restored, and how preservation became the key to Oakland downtown’s rebirth. A level walk. —Annalee Allen
Saturday, August 8, 10 pm - 12 pm
Piedmont Avenue - UPDATE!
• Piedmont Avenue Elementary School, 4314 Piedmont Ave. at John St.
Changed tour info: This area, now densely residential, with a mix of single-family houses and condos, with its well-known dining district, was once rolling hills with creeks running through small farms and the large holdings of wealthy landowners. This tour begins in the 1860’s, at Piedmont Avenue School. From there, we’ll take a steep uphill route to the Piedmont/Oakland border, with estate-like homes on one side and apartment multi-plexes on the other. We’ll discover an Art Deco beauty with a secret, and a tiny park as we cross Glen Echo Creek. On Piedmont Avenue, we’ll pass establishments, such as Long’s Drugs and Piedmont Market, which anchored the district in the early 20th century and our route will follow that of the horse car and streetcar lines, past the old Key Route depot, to Mountain View Cemetery. Some steep uphill. —Ruby Long
Sunday, August 9, 10 am–12:30 pm*
Chinatown Oakland
• At the fountain of Pacific Renaissance Plaza, 9th St. between Webster and Franklin Streets
San Francisco’s Chinatown may be a tourist attraction, but Oakland’s is a vital, vibrant economic force, ever changing in social dynamics—and culturally diverse. Learn about this fascinating neighborhood and its evolution to “Asiatown” with many recent immigrants from different countries in Southeast Asia. Parking under Pacific Renaissance Plaza. *Optional lunch group after. A brisk, level walk. —Ernie Chann
Saturday, August 15, 10 am–12:00 noon*
Walking The Key System’s C Line
• MacArthur BART Station underpass on 40th Street. Tour does not loop.
NEW! Follow early day Key System commuters on their way to the Key ferries. Walk past the train yard, through the Key System 40th Street Cut, and over to the old Key System station and mural at Piedmont Avenue. Learn about the Key System’s plan to build a line though Piedmont and Oakland to San Jose. Tour ends on Piedmont Avenue, walk or bus back to BART. *Optional extension after lunch. A level walk. —Daniel Levy
Sunday, August 16, 10 am–1:30 pm
Scaling Leona Heights
• McDonell Ave. and Mountain Boulevard
Hike the woods and fire trails of the Leona Greenbelt in East Oakland to see Leona Mine, Leona Creek, Leona Hotel site, Leona trolley line end point and relics of industrial activity and redwood lumbering in early days. Hike has its ups and downs, but rewards with breathtaking views. Wear sturdy shoes, bring water, a snack and binoculars or a camera. Moderately difficult walk. —Dennis Evanosky
Saturday, August 22, 10 am–12:30 pm
Rail Meets Water: Then And Now
• Follow 7th St. west to Middle Harbor Shoreline Park. Meet in the parking lot.
Middle Harbor Shoreline Park preserves a wealth of Oakland history. Moles and wharves met passengers and freight riding the transcontinental railroads. See the wall that “trained” the Oakland estuary for ship traffic. Walk the footprint of the Oakland Naval Supply Center, the largest facility of its kind in the world. See the Hanjin container terminal, today’s meeting of rail and water in Oakland. Hear front-line staff talk about preservation of history as well as the challenges of the present and future. A mostly level walk.—Celia McCarthy
Sunday, August 23, 1pm–3:30 pm
Montclair Village: Oakland’s Early Hill Town
• Corner of Thornhill Drive and Mountain Blvd., across from the Montclair Women’s Club Building
Explore the history and architecture of Montclair Village, a vibrant hill community. From the early toll road to the freeways, learn about Montclair’s social, residential and commercial development. Montclair’s distinctive buildings—the fire station, women’s club, recreation center, library and more will be featured on this walk. A gently sloping walk. —Kathleen diGiovanni
Saturday, August 29, 10 am–12 noon
Stroll ALONG A Transformed Shoreline
• Martin Luther King Jr. Shoreline Park, Arrowhead Marsh Parking Lot (Follow Doolittle Drive; turn on Swan Way near airport. Turn left at first driveway into park. Travel to furthest parking area.)
NEW! A hidden oasis in the heart of the East Bay, MLK Jr. Shoreline Park and environs are rich in cultural history. This tour brings to life activities of past centuries. Learn of verdant historic salt marshes, creation of the Oakland tidal canal, making Alameda an island, 19th-century history from oysters to channeled creeks, and visit a recent art installation inspired by the natural wonders of this site. 2 mile roundtrip. Bring binoculars or call (510) 521-6887 to reserve tours. A level walk. —Nancy Krebs
Sunday, August 30, 10 am–12:30 pm
Oakland Point And The West Oakland Marsh
• In front of the Southern Pacific Train Station, 16th and Wood Streets
In the 19th century, proximity to the Bay made Oakland Point the prosperous, populous terminus of the transcontinental railroad, “where rail and water meet.” The meeting of land and water was gradual, however, and the Point neighborhood was embraced all around by the West Oakland Marsh. The marsh has been filled, drained, landlocked, and built upon, but it lives on in the land uses, lot sizes, and neighborhood names of West Oakland. A level walk. —Betty Marvin
These tours are based in part on the research of the Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, a project of the City of Oakland Strategic Planning Division, and on the resources of the Oakland History Room, Oakland Main Library.
Thank you: to Another Planet Entertainment for hosting us at the Fox Oakland Theater, to Whole Foods for providing food for the Historic Tour Squares walk, and to Seventeenth Street Studios for graphic design.
Proceeds from these walking tours sustain Oakland Heritage Alliance. Begun in 1980, OHA seeks to promote adaptive reuse of Oakland’s most historic buildings and counts among its preservation successes City Hall, Floral Depot, Fox Theater, Hotel Oakland, The Rotunda, Preservation Park, and Tribune Tower.
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Oakland Heritage Alliance Lecture Series
*June 11: Joint AIA/OHA lecture.
Pierluigi Serraino discusses his book NorCalMod: Icons of Northern California Modernist Architecture. Lecture also includes a wine and cheese reception and book signing. Location: AIA, 1405 Clay Street (NW Corner of 14th and Clay Streets). Taking BART? Exit at the 12th Street/City Center Station. Parking: Clay Street Garage between 14th and 15th Streets.ADVANCED RESERVATION REQUIRED. Please visit www.aiaeb or call (510) 464-3600.
September 10: TOM DEBLEY
Author Tom Debley will draw from his book, The Story of Dr. Sidney R. Garfield, The Visionary who Turned Sick Care into Health Care. Dr. Garfield co-founded Kaiser Permanente with industrialist Henry J. Kaiser. The lecture will focus on Dr. Garfield and his persistence over five decades, in the face of strong opposition to new ideas or any involvement of government, to broaden access to health care. Dr. Garfield died with his dream of health care as a right in the U.S. unfulfilled.
October 8: WOODY MINOR
Architectural Historian Woody Minor will talk about two Victorian
homebuilders based in Alameda in the 1890s, the subject of his new book, A Home in Alameda. The firms of Marcuse & Remmel and Joseph A. Leonard designed and built hundreds of houses in the East Bay and San Francisco. This lecture will shed light on their business practices and varied architectural approaches.
Partners in Preservation Recap
Thank you to everyone who attended our 2009 Partners in Preservation awards event. It was a huge success! If you missed the action, you can see the night’s winners by clicking HERE for a slide show and HERE for the narrative.
2009 Partners in Preservation Event and Guidelines
2008
Lecture by Richard Moe - Sustainable Stewardship:
Historic Preservation’s Essential Role in Fighting Climate Change
2007
Chapel of the Chimes Lecture Series
2006
Chapel of the Chimes Lecture Series
Oakland Heritage Alliance at 25 years
2005
Partners in Preservation Award Winners!
Annual Meeting & Partners in Preservation Awards
OHA Partners in Preservation Nominations
OHA 2005 Walking Tours Press Release
OHA 2005 Walking Tour Brochure
Action / Volunteer / Resources / Archives / Partners in Preservation
