A bit of history of the automotive industry in Oakland from 1911 to the mid-1960s. This is just a bit of history, as I have spent way too much time on this one post and need to get to work and finish the other 28 posts I have in draft form.
Be sure to check both pages of this post.
In 1913, automobile registrations in California reached 100,000. In 2021, California was the federal state with the highest number of motor vehicle registrations in the United States, with 14,268,528.
Detriot of the West
In 1915 General Motors (G.M.) introduced the Chevrolet Series 490 sedan, selling for $490. The demand for this car was strong all over the country.
After surveying the coast, the leaders of G.M. decided Oakland was the logical place to build a new plant.
Oakland was ideal, with facilities for Southern Pacific, Santa Fe, and Western Pacific railroads and deep-water ports.
In 1916 G.M. opened a Chevrolet Assembly Plant at 69th and Foothill Blvd.
A large Fisher Body plant came next adjacent to the Chevrolet plant. Then the Buick Motor Company, Olds Motor Works, and Pontiac Motor Car Company opened warehousing facilities.
A-C, Delco, United Motors, and tire and truck companies added plants, factories, and warehouses.
- Oakland Now “Detroit of the Pacific” – Oakland Tribune June 3, 1934
- Eastbay Once The Center of West’s Manufacturing of Automobiles – Oakland Tribune June 2, 1996
California Motor Car Company
Oakland’s first automobile manufacturer and the city’s first city’s most short-lived motor-car maker, opening in May 1911, the California Motor Car Company was housed in a two-story concrete building built in 1908 for the California Cotton Mills and located on the east side of High Street at the corner of San Leandro Blvd.
The owners, Walter Sachs (president) and A.J. Schram, proudly proclaimed that Oakland was to have
“the only large automobile manufacturing on the Pacific Coast.”
The first car, the Pacific Special, was ready to be tested in 1912.
By 1914 the company was bought out by Cole California Car Company, and by 1915 the “Pacific Special” was no longer made.
More Info:
- First Factory in Bay Region will turn out the Pacific Special – S.F. Examiner June 7, 1911
- Auto Factory at Fruitvale Ready – Oakland Tribune April 23, 1911
- Pacific Special on the Market – Oakland Tribune February 20, 1912
- Pacific Special – California Motor Car Co – Oakland Tribune June 23, 1912
- First Model of the Pacific Special – Oakland Tribune June 26, 1912
- Making Automobiles in Oakland Factory – Oakland Tribune November 3, 1913
- Cole California Car Co. Car Stock Sold – Oakland Tribune April 13, 1916
Chevrolet Assembly Plant
In 1916, Chevrolet opened the auto industry’s first West Coast assembly plant in Oakland in Elmhurst.
According to the Oakland Tribune, the plant was built in 90 days. A crew of twenty men poured 7,000 yards of cement in forty-six days.
Photos by Cheney Photo Advertising
Chevrolet Motors became a division of General Motors in 1918. In 1923 plant expanded to include Fisher Body Division.
Production of the Chevrolet Series 490 began on September 23, 1916.
During the first year (1917) of full production, the plant assembled 10,089 cars.
By 1923 the original plant had been enlarged three times, increasing the workforce to 1,300.
Real Estate
Real Estate developers used the erection of the plant to their advantage. They advertised that you live close to your job at the plant. One development was named “Chevrolet Park. Melrose Highlands announced the “working man home.”
During World War II, the plant stopped the production of automobiles for commercial use and contributed to the war effort by producing mutations. When commercial manufacturing resumed, Chevrolet’s most well-known vehicles during the 1950s were built at the plant.
50 millionth General Motors Car
In November 1954, General Motors celebrated the fifty million passenger car by making a solid gold 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air. In Oakland, they celebrated by giving public tours of the assembly and truck plants.
Plant Closes
In 1963 the plant closed and moved its operations to Fremont, CA.
Before the factory closed and moved to Fremont in 1963, more than 4 million Chevys rolled off the assembly line.
In 1965 the old factory was demolished to make room for the 13 million-dollar Eastmont Mall.
More Info:
- Oakland Assembly – Wikipedia
- Bay Area Will Celebrate The 50,000,000th G.M. Auto – S.F. Examiner November 23, 1954
- Large Site at Fremont – S.F. Examiner December 15, 1960
- New GM Plant- S.F. Examiner September 13, 1961
- New School on Chevy Site? Oakland Tribune October 9, 1963, and here
- New GM Plant – Oakland Tribune March 16, 1964
- Shopping Center in Old G.M. Site – S.F. Examiner June 3, 1964
- What did Oakland’s Eastmont Mall site look like in decades past? – The Oaklandside
- Sanborn Fire Insurance Map Elmhurst 1925 Vol 6 Image 27 – Library of Congress
Fageol Motors Company
“Fageol Signs Up For New Factory”
The Fageol Motors Company of Oakland bought four acres of land between Foothill and Hollywood Boulevards (now MacArthur Blvd) and 107th Avenue to build an auto and truck plant.
GROUND BROKEN FOR FAGEOL PLANT
“Oakland City Officials Join Company Heads in Celebrating Event – Trucks and Tractors to Be Built
“Factory is Welcomed To Oakland Auto Parade Celebrates Event”
Oakland Tribune June 19, 1917
Speeches were made by John L. Davie, mayor of Oakland, Frank R. Fageol, secretary and manager of the Fageol Motors Co., and Joseph H. King, president of the local Chamber of Commerce. After the groundbreaking, three short racing events entertained the large gathering of spectators. The celebration closed with a demonstration of the new Fageol tractor.
“Fageol Plane is a Mecca of Big Crowds”
Oakland Triobune June 19, 1917
The plant’s first unit was to be built immediately at Hollywood Boulevard and 107th Avenue for $100,000, with more than 15,000 square feet of floor space. The structure was made of steel and brick, and cement.
Photos by Cheney Photo Advertising
“Since the founding of Fageol Motors Company, there had been a plan to build automobiles. Frank R. and William B. Fageol, with Louis H. Bill, built and marketed what was to be the most expensive luxury car of the time using the Hall-Scott aircraft engine. Marketed as the “Fageol Four Passenger Touring Speedster,” only three were known to have been produced before the government took over the engine manufacturing plant to build war planes, ending production.” From Wikipedia
The factory produced trucks and tractors; in 1921, Fageol became the first company to build a bus from the ground up.
In 1938 the factory was bought by T.A. Peterman.
“On a 1938 business trip in San Francisco, Peterman learned that Fageol Truck and Motor Company was to be sold. Seeking an opportunity to expand into new vehicle production, he acquired Fageol from Sterling Motor Company for $50,000, receiving the 13.5-acre Fageol plant in Oakland, California, its tooling, and parts inventory; the purchase was completed in 1939″
Wikipedia
Peterman died in 1945, and the business was sold in 1947 to a group of Peterbilt executives. His wife, Ida Peterman, retains ownership of the land.
In 1960 site was sold to the Draper Companies of San Francisco for the development of a $2,500,000 shopping center to be known as Foothill Square. Peterbilt moved to a new factory in Newark, CA.
More Info:
I am not sure if the factory was on land that was 4 acres or 13.5 acres. I bet they purchased more land later, bringing the total from 4 to 13.5.
- Fageol Signs Up for New Factory – Oakland Tribune May 6, 1917
- Fageol Plant Will Ber Rushed To Completion – Oakland Tribune May 20, 1918
- Auto Racing Will Feature Ceremony – Oakland Tribune June 17, 1917
- Hall-Scott Is Pioneer in Eastbay Area – Oakland Tribue Feb 1931
- Plant Site Bought for Shopping Center – Oakland Tribune August 24, 1960
- Truck Plant SIte to Become Shop Center – Oakland Tribune October 11, 1960
Durant Motors
In 1921 William Durant started Durant Motors, and a year later, opened a 20-acre, 300,000-square foot plant in Oakland along East 14th between 107th and 109th.
The site included a spur (an extension of the Stonehurst branch) built by Southern Pacific. They laid two miles of track on the factory grounds.
The chassis was assembled on the first floor, and bodywork was done on the second floor. When the completed chassis arrived at the end of the assembly line, the completed body was lowered on it.
The Oakland plant assembled Durant Model Fours and Sixes and later the economical Star Car.
Durant Motors operated until 1931 when it was renamed De-Vuax-Hall Motors. In 1936 the facilities were sold to General Motors, becoming Chevrolet Trucks, General Motors Truck, and Coach Division.
Later the plant was used as a regional parts warehouse.’
In the 1980s, two wings of the plant were converted into a marketplace bazaar called Durant Center (Durant Square Mall.)
More Info:
- Ground at Durant Site Has Been Cleared – Oakland Tribune December 4, 1921
- New Durant Factory – Oakland Tribune December 18, 1921
- Auto Plant To Open Here On March 2 – Oakland Tribune February 4, 1931
- New Plans for ex-Durant Motors Site – Oakland Tribune January 16, 2000
Willys-Overland Pacific Company
The Willys-Overland Pacific Company opened a new distributing plant at East 14th (now International Blvd) and 57th Avenue (5625) in November 1925.
In 1929 the company introduced the new Whippet Sedan four and six models.
More Info:
- Willys-Overland Pacific Company Opens Plant – Oakland Tribune November 22, 1925
Very interesting!! I thought Toyota and then Tesla were the only East Bay car plants, and I’d never heard of Fageol before now — so thank you for this!
My pleasure.
My grandfather and subsequently my mom worked at that Chevy plant in Oakland 👍
Dot you out did yourself with this one. Thank you for sharing this piece of history about Oakland. Anyone read the Time Capsule article from the Oakland Tribune? I had to do several double takes. The Tribune says in 1917 the new Fageol Motors be factory at MacArthur and 107th. What? MacArthur Blvd wouldn’t be named that for another 40-50 years. Dot to the rescue. As I continued reading through Dot’s material I found MacArthur was originally called Hollywood Blvd. Thanks Dot.
I had no idea there was so much motor vehicle manufacturing going on in Oakland. With the decline in the late 50s/early 60s it must have lead to a lot of people losing their jobs and Oakland turning into a rust belt city. The similarities between Oakland and Detroit.
I spent a lot of time on this piece. I didn’t realized how much manufacturing was going on here in Oakland, either. Your comment mad it worth the time. Yes, Oakland has its own Hollywood. Dorothy
This was a fun read and well documented/researched. We live very close to the old Durant so exciting to learn about
Thank you!
Great piece
I am in the uk and own a 55 Chevy truck that was built in Oakland and have been looking to put sign writing on the doors but need the address of the factory…. Am I right in assuming it was 69th ave foothill blvd Elmhurst ?
The plant that assembled trucks was located on East 14th (now International Blvd) and 106th Avenue.