May 22, 2019 - A Bit of History

It is located where Foothill Blvd meets Trask Street and 55th Avenue. 55th Avenue was formally called Central Avenue, and Foothill Blvd was often referred to as the Scenic Boulevard. Central Terrace also includes Ruth Avenue, Laverne Avenue, El Camille Avenue, and Kingsland Avenue. The area now is considered to be an extension of Maxwell Park or the Fairfax District, depending on who you talk to.

Mutual Realty Co.’s Central Terrace office,
Foothill Boulevard at 55th Avenue and Trask Street looking north
Cheney Photo Adv. Co., photographers. C 1912
Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.

Brochure for Central Terrace

The Mutual Realty Company put the Central Terrace Subdivision on sale in April of 1912. The agent was Fred T. Wood, who later took over the project. Then they added the Central Terrace Extension and Scenic Park Knoll

Earth Sciences and Map Library,
The University of California, Berkeley -Cadastral map. Historic Maps of Bay Area

“Central Terrace is surrounded by modern schools and educational institutions of the very highest standard, the John C. Fremont high erected at the cost of $140,000, the Melrose School, the W.P. Frick School and the Lockwood Grammar School and the famous Mills Seminary for young ladies, all are within short walking distance from any part of Central Terrace”

See brochure below

Central Terr 1915_side — Earth Sciences and Map Library,
University of California, Berkeley –
Historic Maps of Bay Area

centarl-terrace-brochure-front — Earth Sciences and Map Library,
University of California, Berkeley –
Historic Maps of Bay Area

Foothill Blvd at 55th Avenue
Photo By Cheney Advertising c 1912
Previously Sold on eBay

**Laverne from 55th Ave**
**Photo By Cheney Advertising c 1912**
**Previously Sold on eBay**

**Ruth Ave from 55th Ave**
**Photo By Cheney Advertising c 1912**
**Previously Sold on eBay**

**Photo By Cheney Advertising c 1912**
**Previously Sold on eBay**

**Ruth Ave**
**Photo By Cheney Advertising c 1912**
**Previously Sold on eBay**

More to come –

I’ve always been curious about the meaning behind a street name. Some are obvious, like Broadway or Main Street. I’ve lived on Capricorn Ave (zodiac), Thornhill Dr. (Hiram Thorn), Georgia St. (the state), Athol Ave (still haven’t figured that one out), and Lynde St.

Lynde Street was declared a public road in 1886.

Lynde Street is in the Fruitvale District.

George L. Lynde owned the land in 1878

Map of Oakland and vicinity map number nine.
Published by Thompson & West, Oakland, Cala., 1878

Lynde Street was named for George L Lynde, a landowner. I don’t know precisely when he purchased the land in the Fruitvale District. I found him living there in 1866.

California Voters Registration 1866

George Lee Lynde was born in about 1838 in the state of Vermont. By 1860 he was living in California with his parents and siblings. In 1861 he married Cassandra Jane Hewitt in San Francisco. They had four children.