Coast Tire and Rubber Company – Pacific Coast Rubber and Tire Company
In 1919 Coast Tire and Rubber Company announced they were building a factory in Oakland to manufacture tires. They purchased a six-acre site on East 12th Street between 48th and 50th Avenues.
Oakland Tribune January 8, 1920
The site was close to rail connections. The main building was designed to make further additions and extensions occasionally without disturbing the machinery. Additional stories could also be added to the main building when found necessary. The building cost $263,000 when completed.
The first unit of the factory was expected to produce 300 tires and 500 tubes in 8 hours.
Polk Directory 1924
In 1935 Pacific Rubber & Tire Mfg Company was the successor to Coast Tire, using the same factory on 12th Avenue.
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“The Only California Owned Tire Manufacturing Plant on the Pacific Coast“
Oakland Tribune 1935
Pacific Rubber began serving the army during WWII in 1942, devoting 94% of its activity to production for the armed forces. In 1945 a million dollars was spent new wing added to the building and the purchase of new equipment to mix rubber to manufacture and cure tires. This enabled the factory to double the production of tires for the army.
There was a factory located at Foothill and Stanley Ave, and it housed at least four different tire companies and a pencil factory. Sometime in the late 1940s, a 41-unit apartment building replaced the factory.
Pacific Tread Tire Company – National Tire & Rubber Company
In 1916 Varney K. Sturges purchased land in the Beverly Terrace section of East Oakland and 105th, Foothill, and Stanley Avenue.
Oakland Tribue 1916
To celebrate the addition of the new factory in Oakland in March 1916, there was an automobile parade through the downtown streets ending at the new factory’s site, where they held a barbeque.
V.K. Sturges saw the possibilities offered on the Pacific coast for manufacturing automobile tires. He realized it would be cheaper to manufacture tires in California because raw materials are close to the surface – crude rubber from South America and the Far East.
The factory manufactured the Sturges Cord Tire Sole.
Oakland Tribune April 25, 1917
In 1920 the factory was enlarged to include a new machine shop for cutting tire molds and cores.
Oakland Tribune October 12, 1919
C & L Tire and Rubber Company
Oakland Tribune
Chanslor & Lyon Company was formed in Los Angeles in 1904 by Walter G. Chanslor and Phillip H. Lyons. In 1923 they began manufacturing tires under the name of C & L Tires in California.
“California is an ideal place to manufacture tires”
SF Examiner 1923
Oakland Tribune 1923
The California climate and low humidity were valuable aids in curing tires uniformly. Also, California and the West Coast states were/are big consumers of tires.
Oakland Tribune June 1923
C & L Tires updated and equipped the factory at Foothill and Stanley Ave.
9 thoughts on “Detroit of the West – Oakland California”
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!
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
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 ?
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.