Updated with new map – May 11, 2019
Every day while taking my kids to school, we would pass a street called Rifle Lane. I thought that was a weird name, and I wondered why (they named it that), as I do many times as I drive around Oakland.
Fast forward a few years later. I looked up the history of the area. I lived in the area until 2012. The area is now called the Eastmont Hills (kind of boring). It goes back to 1925 when the C.P Murdock Company sold it as Melrose Highlands. It was just up the hill from the new Chevrolet Assembly Plant (now Eastmont Town Center). An excellent place to live if you work at the plant.
In my research, I came across the following article from July 1925. The Upper San Leandro filter plant (7700 Greenly Drive) and the State Rifle Range are adjacent to Melrose Highlands. I thought, wow, there was a rifle range right about where Rifle Lane is now. Solved that one. Well, not really, but…close.
Maybe now, some of the smart people who read this blog can help me figure out where the range was located. Maybe someone remembers it.
From the Oakland Tribune Oct 29, 1929 – Major fire in the Oakland Hills – threatens the rifle range. Map of the fire below –
A bit of history
The range has been called the following:
- National Guard rifle Range
- California National Guard rifle range
- State Rifle Range at Leona Heights
- Leona Heights Rifle Range
In 1917 the National Guard rifle range was transferred from Marin County to Leona Heights in Oakland. They had purchased “140 acres of land directly back of the quarry for the purpose”. The land was formally the property of the Realty Syndicate. The range opened in 1920. The location varies. Close to Mills College, 2 miles from Mills College, a top of Seminary Drive, and the back of the Leona Quarry.
In July 1921, a major fire destroyed most of the range. For more on the fire – Oakland Tribune Jul 04, 1921
It may have also been the location of the stables of the 143rd Field Artillery Regiment. I know there were horse stables there.
The California Guardmans highlighted the rifle range in their Feb-March 1925 issue. You can see it here.
“A California National Guard range and local training area located in the Oakland Hills of Alameda County. It may have also been the location of the stables of the 143rd Field Artillery Regiment. The site was developed approximately 1919 and was actively used until at least 1941. The site supported elements of the 143rd Field Artillery, 159th Infantry, and 250th Coast Artillery Regiments. The April 1919 edition of The American Rifleman, stated that there were 60 firing points for rifles with targets placed between 200 and 600 yards. There was also a pistol range with 14 firing points. The range was described as one of the finest ranges west of Camp Perry, Ohio.”
Military Museum site.
More Info:
- Leona Heights Rifle Range to Open – Oakland Tribune Mar 14, 1921
- Youth Shot at Rifle Range – Oakland Tribune April 24, 1921
- Good Scores at Target Range – Oakland Tribune August 21, 1921
- Google search – Leona Height State Range
Do the Melrose Highlands homes still exist?
Yes, lots of them. This is the area where they are. https://goo.gl/maps/6DUAMK2iA7WzmtUH8
They did a munitions clean up in the location of the former range recently: https://www.ebparks.org/sites/default/files/Leona-Heights-Remedial-Action-Fact-Sheet-July-2022.pdf
I’ve never been able to decide whether the rifle range was above Rifle Lane or over the ridge at the mouth of Leona Canyon, but the cover photo from the California Guardsman is strong evidence for the latter. The stream in the foreground appears to be Rifle Range Branch and the contour of the hills is a better match to the topography there. There is no stream in front of Rifle Lane. On the other OTHER hand, the 1929 fire map puts the rifle range where Seminary meets Mountain, i.e. west of the quarry. That would also match the photo as well as the text description of Melrose Highlands.
I was looking at Google maps and Rifle Lane still exists but it’s south of Seminary past Edwards. Could it be one entered on Rifle Lane and followed what is now the freeway toward Seminary? But that doesn’t make sense as old rock quarry where they built all of the houses across from Edwards would be between Rifle Lane and Mountain/Seminary. Maybe they rerouted Seminary and Mountain after the freeway was put in. Anyone know if the original Chabot Observatory was there before the rifle range? I think it was.
Just read the article about the4 boy who was shot and looks like was killed at the rifle range. The article states the range was at the end of seminary at Mills College. Fire map show Chabot observatory and the Rifle Range just to the right. But Rifle lane today is well over a mile away on the other side of the old rock quarry. It looks like the fire started where Holy Names is now. (Maybe it was there then.) And it looks like it burned the area where Oak Knoll Hospital was past where the Zoo is now and then some.