In 1948, as part of the promotion for the movieMr. Blandings’ Builds a Dream Housestarring Cary Grant and Myrna Loy, the studio built “dream houses” in cities across the United States. Oakland was chosen as one of the locations.
They initially planned to build 100 replicas of the home in the movie. In the end, only 73 dream houses were built. Some homes were sold by raffle, and some were auctioned off, with a percentage of the proceeds going to local charities. The charity in Oakland was Childrens’ Hospital.
Before the movie’s release, blueprints were sent to local builders by the studio, asking that they build the homes as close to the specifications as conditions would permit.
Children’s Hospital
They charged 50 cents to tour the house, with the proceeds going to the Children’s Hospital.
Funds from the sale of tickets to Mr. Blandings’ California Dream House were used to purchase a large Autoclave sterilizer for a new wing at Oakland’s Children’s Hospital.
Children’s Hospital branch members served as hostesses at the open house.
The Dream House
“This is very likely the most famous modern home in the world today”
Oakland Tribune September 18, 1948
The Oakland Dream Home was located in the Chabot Park area at 11000 Cameron Street. It was situated on three choice free from fog and only minutes from downtown Oakland. The lots overlooks the entire Bay Area (that might be a stretch) and five counties, adjoins Lake Chabot Golf Course and miles of bridle trails.
The had two large bedrooms, and a combination den or bedroom, a 36 foot living room with a 12 foot plate glass window overlooking the bay. There was a badminton court a double car garage, a rumpus room connected to a large outdoor area.
It was for sale in 1981 for $151,000, but sometime between then and 1994 it was demolished and a new house was built.
Oakland Tribune 1981
The house today – photographby author
More Info:
A Visit to Mr. Blandings’ Fictional Dream House – Blog
I found these photos during my research for my piece on Detroit of the West.
In 1931 Russell J Maynard opened his gasoline service station and repair shop on the northeast corner of 36th and Grove Street (now Martin Luther King Jr. Way) at 3601 36th St.
At that time Oakland had more than 200 service stations along the cities main thoroughfares. in the days before the freeways San Pablo Avenue, Grove Street, East 14th Street, Telegraph Avenue and Foothill Blvd were main traffic arteries entering and leaving Oakland.
Oakland Tribune October 2, 1951
In 1931 Grove Street had 17 service stations, East 14th Street 29, Telegraph Avenue 22, San Pablo Avenue 22, and Foothill Blvd 17.
Loose zoning regulations and available land combined helped the expansion of service stations in the city in the 1940s.
These early stations architecturally were unique . Many had columns or faintly resembled Spanish haciendas or Italian Villas. Mr. Maynard’s station reminds you of a Southwestern Pueblo.
Mr. Maynard’s station, under numerous owners was there until 1951. In its place a freeway pillar now stands.
Misc. Photos
C. J. Bowers Union Oil service station, possibly at 3761 Park Boulevard in Oakland, California. DATE: 1940s Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.
Shell service station and undeveloped woods at Broadway Terrace and Harbord Drive in the Broadway Terrace district of Oakland, California. DATE:1933 Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.
I found an article written by William Sturm (Oakland History Room) in the Oakland Heritage Alliance Newsletter for the Summer of 1993 on the Elmhurst Presbyterian Church. 1993 the church was celebrating its 100th Anniversary.
The article piques my interest, and I thought it should be easy to find more history to share with you. Well, it wasn’t. I didn’t see much more than what was included in his article and another from the Oakland Tribune. The church doesn’t seem to have a website but does have a Facebook page, but no history there.
A Bit of History
View of Elmhurst, California, looking west from the adjacent hill. DATE: circa 1907 Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.
In the 1890s, the town of Elmhurst was farmland and orchards with few houses here and there.
In May 1892, traction service began along the north-south on what is now International Blvd., on the Oakland, San Leandro, and Hayward Electic Railway. To power the engines, a modern dynamo and roundhouse were built at Elmhurst on what is now 98th Ave. Elmhurst was just 17 minutes from central Oakland.
Electric street car approaching a stop on East 14th Street at 96th Avenue, looking east, in the Elmhurst district of Oakland, California. Date circa 1909. Vernon Sapper’s collection. Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.Interior of shops at Elmhurst in 1895, from a print of W.F. Krueger – https://purl.stanford.edu/gh405bd4246
Land Donated
Elmhurst was just a year old when Andrew Jones, a pioneer, farmer, and landowner of the town, donated a piece of land on the east side of Jones Ave (now 98th Ave) near East 14th Street (now International Blvd) to the church.
Ch n le June 25, 1893
Jones donated land across the street from the two-story home he built in 1882.
OaklandTribune July 19, 1882
Residence of Andrew Jones Elmhurst – date unknown Oakland Public Library History Room
Oakland Tribune August 23, 1882
Church Organized
On June 4, 1893, the church was organized with 20 charter members, and on August 30, the ground was broken for a new house of worship.
“the Sunday school has a membership of fifty”
The Oakland Enquirer
Undated drawing of the church
On November 25, 1893, the church bell rang out, and the first service was held in the new building.
The Elmhurst Presbyterian was the pride of the area.
By 1902, Elmhurst had 1100 residents, a newspaper, a public school, several churches, and numerous businesses, including a hotel, livery stables, restaurants, grocery, and hardware stores.
Jones Avenue ( later 98th Avenue), looking southwest, in Elmhurst, California. DATE: [circa 1905] Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.
In 1909 Elmhurst, along with Fruitvale, was annexed into Oakland. The church remained at the heart of the community, a link to the beginning of Elmhurst and a source of community strength.
Oakland Tribune 1922
In the 1960s, the congregation became predominantly African-American. The Rev. Michael Dunn, pastor from 1972-1981, made notable contributions to the church’s ministries; a chapel is named in his honor.
The church is still standing, and according to the Oakland Heritage Alliance Summer 1993 newsletter, they were using the same bell.
Home on Grand Avenue (now 90th Avenue) in Elmhurst, California Circa 1896 .Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room. Willow’s Block in Elmhurst, California. Elmhurst Shoe Store and other businesses in view. DATE: circa 1907 Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.
Montclair East is a shopping center with business offices located at 2220 Mountain Blvd. It is now called Village Square.
James Fernhoff, a local real estate broker, was the initial developer.
The Site
Sidney Chown owned the 2 1/2 acre plot before the building of Montclair East.
California Department of Transportation 1956
Sidney Chown was one of Northern California’s best-known horsemen when he died in 1961. He owned and operated grocery stores in Oakland and Berkeley.
California Department of Transportation 1957
The Chown’s purchased the land in approximately 1920. They were considered some of the founding residents in Montclair.
California Department of Transportation 1956
Chown and his friends organized Piedmont Trails Club. He built up his ranch to include 12 stalls and an arena for horses.
California Department of Transportation 1960
After his death, his wife Lucille sold the property.
Project Approved
During an Oakland City Planning Commission public hearing where Lucille A. Chown was asking for her property at 2220 Andrews St (the site) to be rezoned as commercial.
Fernhoff stated “the project would include parking for 110 cars, rustic architecture with shake roofs and no bowling alleys, drive-ins, car washed or super markets.” He said only ‘high class” businesses would be permitted.
Opponents, including several business owners, complained it would “spilt the business district” and isn’t needed. Apartments would be better, some said.
In August 1963, the city council approved the $750,000 project after the planning commission spilt 3-3 on its recommendation.
Montclair East Fought
In October 1963, a group of twelve property owners near the site brought a suit against the City of Oakland.
They charged that a new shopping center was unnecessary, would create traffic problems, and damage residential property values.
The Montclarion Oct 1963
James Fernhoff contended that the site is unsuitable for residential development because it was the site of the future interchange of the Warren and Shepherd Canyon(unbuilt) Freeways.
Now Leasing
Oakland Tribune Jan 09, 1964
Groundbreaking
The Montclarion Feb 17, 1965
The groundbreaking was held in February of 1965. A gold-plated shovel was used to break the hard old ground.
The Montclarion Feb 17, 1965
Construction and Design
Truck hauling dirt down the hill at a construction site on the north west corner of Scout Road and Mountain Boulevard in the Montclair district of Oakland, California. Circa 1960s Oakland History Room.
Construction for Montclair East, a 1.2 million dollar shopping center, began in May of 1965.
The Montclarion 1966
The plans called for a 28,000 square foot building with 20,000 feet on the ground floor devoted to a restaurant and 12 shops and 7,600 feet on the second floor to eight offices. The parking lot would accommodate 111 cars.
The Montclarion 1966
The center was designed by Robert B. Liles, an architect from San Francisco.
First Store to Open
Fox’s Market
The Montclarion Sept 21, 1966
Jim Fox opened his fourth supermarket located in Montclair East on September 21, 1966.
From Bill Fiset Column Sept 16. 1966
The new store featuring wall-to-wall carpeting was the first to open at the shopping center. The store occupied 6,000 square feet
Captain Satellite made an appearance at the formal ceremony held the following weekend.
It has been awhile since I have published a new post. I have been dealing with an major medical issue in my family. It is still ongoing. This is something I put together a while back.
A bungalow court is a group of small bungalows or workers cottages built around a court or central yard. An apartment court is a group of buildings built around or have a central courtyard.
Reminiscent of the early history of California the Seville was built by Barr and Sons.
886 Cleveland – Google Maps
“The exterior of lime white stucco in monk finish with wrought iron balconies and, rails, the Spanish court effect with landscaped slopes, broken stepping stones and green shrubbery, the tiles roof of handmade Spanish tiles laid as the early day padres would lay them”
20 apartments of 2,3, and 4 rooms furnished from $57.50 up in 1927.
Originally called “The Famous Clothing Company.” Later it was renamed “Smith’s Money-Back Store and Money-Back Smith.” You probably knew it as Smith’s Department Store.
William Smith founded the first store in Oakland in 1885 (according to the Oakland Tribune)
Unique Nickname
“Money Refunded If Goods Are Not Satisfactory.”
Oakland Tribune
Willam “Money-Back” Smith
His friends, relatives, neighbors, and patrons were so used to the policy of ‘money-back” being associated with William Smith that became his nickname.
First Store
The first store was on Broadway, between 7th and 8th Street, later moving one block to 9th Street.
Brilliant Opening
Oakland Tribune
The Famous Clothing Company proprietors held a grand opening reception on March 16, 1892, at 909 and 911 Broadway.
The Berkeley Gazette March 18, 1904
In 1896, Smith chose a new location at 10th and Washington, where the firm remained until 1912.
They then moved to 12th and Washington, which was enlarged and modernized several times.
1935-Blake Estate Co. building (the Blake Block) W. F. Woolworth, Money Back Smith inM.L. Cohen Co., photographers, for Downtown Property Owners Association, Inc. :Permission to use this image must be obtained from the Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.
Another New Location
Circa 1933 – M. K. Blake building (the Blake Block), southwest corner of 12th Street and Washington Money Back Smith in view. M.L. Cohen Co., photographers, for Downtown Property Owners Association, Inc. Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.
By 1912 the store was located at 12th and Washington Streets, and it was called “Money-Back Smith.”
Circa 1935 -M. K. Blake building (the Blake Block),.12th and Washington Money Back Smith in view. Downtown Property Owner’s Association. Volume 4. . M.L. Cohen Co., photographers, for Downtown Property Owners Association, Inc.
“Charge It” Plan
Oakland Tribune 1940
Breaking all precedents, Money-Back Smiths had for 54 years had a “cash only” policy offered a liberal 90-day charge plan. The plan had no downpayment, no interest, and no carrying charge.
More than 10,000 Eastbay residents opened accounts in the first six months.
“Charge it!”
They made the term “Charge it” a common word in the vocabulary. Smith declared September 27, 1940
55th Anniversary
“Founded back in 1886 – literally the horse and buggy days of the city, the store has grown with Oakland.”
Oakland Tribune September 27, 1940
“We Couldn’t possibly cut a birthday cake large enough for all the of our customers, and so were cutting prices instead.”
Expansion
Blake Block [ SW corner of 12th and Washington. Creator/Contributor:Cohen, Moses L., 1884-1975. Downtown Property Owners Association (Oakland, Calif.). Date:1944
In 1941 the store embarked on a program of remodeling and expansion that doubled its size. Two additional floors were added, which gave them three floors for selling merchandise.
Oakland Tribune Dec 1951
In 1945, the store acquired 30,000 Sq.Ft. of additional space in the Blake Building on Washington Street.
M. K. Blake Estate Co. building (the Blake Block), southwest corner of 12th and Washington Streets. Smith’s in view. – 1949, Jun. 27 . Camera Corner, photographers, for Downtown Property Owners Association, Inc. RIGHTS:Permission to use this image must be obtained from the Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.
First Western Bank Building
Oakland Tribune 1955
In 1955 the old Henshaw Building at 14th and Broadway, built-in 1891, was demolished. The Henshaw building housed the MacDonough Theatre, one of Oakland’s first legitimate showhouses.
The First Western Bank Building was completed in 1958.
In March 1886, the Board of Supervisors created a new school district. That took from portions of the Piedmont, Peralta, and Fruitvale districts representing about 44 children.
Hays Canyon Schoolhouse Students pose with their teacher, in this photo and of the six children sitting down. Walter Wood is 2nd from the left, his brother Alfred Wood is 4th from the left, Harry W. Logan is seated on the far right, and his brother Maurice Logan (the painter) is standing on the far right. The Logans and the Woods lived at Lake Temescal. c 1900-1910 Oakland History Room
The new district was called the Hays School District in honor of the late Colonel John Coffee Hays.
The superintendent appointed the following residents of the area as trustees:
W.H. Mead
J.H. Medau
Mrs. Susan Hays
Land Donated
Hetty S. Henshaw gave the district the land for the school. The Montclair Firehouse was built on the spot in 1927, using the front part of the lot.
Oakland Tribune July 16, 1886
New School House Built
Requests for bids to build the school were made in July of 1886.
Oakland Tribune July 1886
The completed school was small at only 32×36 feet, with just one classroom. It was Gothic in design with a graceful-looking bell tower. It had two entrances, one for the boys and the other for the girls, with each entry having a 6×6 vestibule. The sash bars of the windows are all horizontal, copying the style of European schools.
Oakland Tribune July 07, 1886
The construction cost about $2,500 and took about two months to build.
The dedication of the school was held in October 1886. It was attended by most of the families that lived in the area. Judge EM Gibson and W.H Mead made opening remarks. Some of the families in attendance:
The students from the school provided entertainment under the direction of their teacher Miss Lucy Law. The following students performed:
Clara Gibson
Gussie Gibson
Carrie Mead
Daisy Mead
Susie Mead
Mattie Mead
Edith Medau
Louise Medau
Oakland Tribune February 11, 1888
Oakland Tribune November 23, 1889
Graduation 1901
Hays School was the scene of brightness and beauty on Friday, June 14, 1901. Friends and family gathered to witness the closing exercises. The four graduates were:
Jessie Logan
Robert Shepherd
August Carson
Scott Monroe
Oakland Tribune June 1901
School Trustees
In 1904, Mr. S. Morrell and Mr. Johnson were appointed to fill the vacancies caused by George Hunt’s and G.W. Logan’s removal.
Attendance for the year ending 1911 for the Hays School was 11 students.
Oakland Tribune August 01, 1911
School Closes
The school was closed around 1913, and the building was demolished. It was probably due to the Oakland, Antioch, and Eastern Railway construction, later known as the Sacramento Northern. For more on the Sacramento Northern, please go here. The East Bay Hills Project
Montclair Firehouse
The Montclair firehouse was built on the same site in 1927. The storybook-style building was designed by Eldred E. Edwards of the Oakland Public Works Department.
Storybook firehouse on Moraga Avenue in the Montclair district of Oakland, California. 1934, ohrphoto.districts.031. Oakland. Buildings Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.
More on the mansions that once graced the streets of Oakland
Koa Hall – Bailey Mansion
W. H. Bailey, who owned plantations in Hawaii, hired W.J. Mathews to design his home, costing $70,000 to build circa 1889.
Bailey Mansion on Jackson Street – 1898Oliver Family Photograph Collections Bancroft Library http://ark.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt0n39q1p1
The main hall’s woodwork was made of beautiful koa from the Hawaiian Islands. Koa carvings were also found by the main staircase. The reception room’s woodwork on one side of the hall was bird’ s-eye maple. Antique oak was used in the library and the dining room.
Oakland Tribune May 31, 1891
It was converted into a rooming or boarding house.’
Oakland Tribune March 11, 1916
The old mansion was razed in the late 1920s, and the Hotel Lakehurst was built.
Oakland Tribune Feb 02, 1930
It is now called Lakehurst Hall.
Location: 1369 Jackson St, now 1569 Jackson Street, at the corner of 17th Street.
The three-story, five-bedroom home was built in 1872 by Dr. Samuel Merritt.
In 1874, Roland Geir Brown, a capitalist, purchased the home. Brown was one of the early members of the San Francisco Stock Exchange.
Mr. Brown sold sewing machines for Grover and Baker. The Oakland Tribune reports that Brown was one of the wealthiest men in 19th-century Oakland.
Roland G Brown with two adults – in the carriage. – Courtesy of UC Berkeley, Bancroft Library – http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt409nc89b/?order=1
The Brown home was less than a block from Lake Merritt, before the lake shore was filled in.
Old Brown Home – undated (maybe 1956)
When President William McKinley was in the Bay Area for a week in May 1901, he visited the Brown home.
Oakland Tribune July 25, 1956
Lilian Brown, Roland’s daughter, lived in the mansion until her death in 1955.
The old Brown home at 1889 Jackson Street was demolished in 1956 to accommodate a parking lot.
Location: 1889 Jackson – between 17th and 19th Streets
“Aloha, nui,” or “Love be unto you.” It is carved above one of the entrances
Samuel T. Alexander came to Oakland from Hawaii in the early 1880s. He was one of the founders of Alexander & Baldwin, an American company that cultivated sugar cane.
Oakland Tribune
In 1882, Alexander purchased a lot on the northwest corner of Sixteenth and Filbert for $6,000.
Artistic Homes of California
Artistic Homes of California
The three-story Queen Anne-style home was designed by Clinton Day and was completed in 1883 at the cost of $20.000
Move to Piedmont
The family lived there until 1912 when Mrs. Alexander moved to Piedmont to be closer to her son, Wallace Alexander.
Rooming House
Sometime after 1912, the mansion was converted to a rooming house, and rooms were rented out until the mid-1960s.
Oakland Tribune 1919
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Oakland, Alameda County, California – Vol 1 1903
New Life for Old Mansion
In 1967, the once venerable mansion stood deserted, and in despair, its boarded or broken windows were scheduled to be demolished.
The Oak Center Neighborhood Association members decided that the old mansion could be given a facelift and become a community “Neighborhood House.” Thus, demolition was halted.
Oakland Tribune 1967
They visualized a rehabilitated building with office space for the Oak Center Association, a children’s library and study hall, an adult library and reading room, a large all-purpose room for meetings and socials, and a room for individual and group counseling.
Vandals Strike
The group succeeded in saving the old mansion from the wreckers, only to have it nearly demolished anyway –by vandals. The house was broken into, ruined beyond repair, and finally demolished in 1968.
It was built in 1865, the 14-room house of rococo architecture. The barn had room for ten horses and room for 20 tons of hay.
Oakland Tribune
The house had 14 rooms made of redwood. The barn had room for 10 horses
Oakland Tribune
The mansion had a wood and coal furnace, and the radiators are believed to have been the earliest models of that kind in the country. The rooms were paneled with massive doors 9 feet high. Beautiful mirrors adorned the wall.
Oakland Tribune
It was reported that Susan B. Anthony once slept there.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Oakland, Alameda County, California – Vol 2 1903
The house and barn property were purchased by Marston Campbell, Jr, as an investment. It was torn down in 1948.
Edward P. Flint, a land developer and San Francisco businessman, moved to Oakland in 1860. He lived at 13th and Clay before moving to this house.
Oakland Tribune 1964
The site where he built the house at 447 Orange Street was part of a larger parcel he subdivided in Adams Point.
After Flint died, Admiral Thomas S. Phelps, a veteran of the Spanish-American War, purchased the property. In 1939, M.A. Marquard purchased the propertyand lived in the house until 1964.
The house was demolished in 1964 and replaced with a “modern 28-unit apartment building.
The new structure has 15 two-bedroom and 12 one-bedroom apartments, plus a penthouse. Al Colossi designed the building. It is located at 447 Orange Street.
Mr. and Mrs. Marquard lived in the penthouse of the new apartment.
“We are building this clubhouse beyond our immediate requirement but with an eye to the future”
Mrs. E.T. Jepson Nov 08, 1925
A New Clubhouse
Press release
“A very handsome $10,000 structure is planned for the Montclair Clubhouse. It will be 109 by 40 feet and will contain a large auditorium, stage, dressing room, dining room, kitchen, check room, restroom, and basement space, which will be utilized as billiard room.”
Oakland Tribune
Construction Started
The groundbreaking celebration was held in March of 1925 at the junction of Thorn Road (now Thornhill Drive) and Mountain Blvd.
Members of the Montclair Improvement Club inNovember of 1925 and began constructing the new clubhouse.
New Clubhouse Opens
In March of 1926, the Montclair Improvement Club held the $ 20,000 Montclair Community clubhouse formal dedication.
The structure is one-story and is of Spanish architecture. Features included an auditorium with stage and fireplace, dining and reception rooms, an electrically equipped kitchen.
Montclarion
John Perona was the builder who donated his services. Contributions of labor from club members reduced the cost of construction.
They also planned to have tennis and handball courts, a playground for children, and a golf course.
In March of 1926, the Montclair Improvement Club held their first dance at the new clubhouse.
A Bit of History
The beginnings of the Montclair Improvement Club can be traced back to as early as 1923.
Oakland Tribune March 1923
After a few years, it became the Montclair Bussiness Assoc.
Montclarion
Membership was made up of residents of Montclair, Merriewood, and Forest Park.
Copy of Newsletter
The Women’s Auxiliary to the Montclair Improvement Club was also formed in 1923. The name was changed to Montclair Women’s Club in 1925 when it became affiliated with the California Federation of Women’s Clubs
Montclair Women’s Clubhouse
In May of 1928, the women’s club purchased the clubhouse from Montclair Improvement Club.
Oakland Tribune 1928
They held their first dance in August of 1928.
Clubhouse Damaged in Fire
In November of 1928, a fire damaged the interior of the clubhouse.
Oakland Tribune November 10, 1928
Clubhouse is Sold
In 1996 the Montclair Women’s Club was sold. From 1996 until 2015, it was an events center called the Montclair Women’s Cultural Arts Club.
A bit of history of some of the mansions that once graced the streets of Oakland. More to come at a later date.
Burnham Mansion
Burnham Mansion was at the corner of Lakeside Drive and 17th Street. The three-story mansion was built in 1902 by John Russell Burnham.
Oakland Tribune 1955
The Burnham family selected the site on Lake Merritt’s edge because of its similarity to Lake Geneva.
The city’s first stall shower and an automobile garage were the house’s distinctive features. The Burnhams were the owners of one of the first two automobiles in Oakland.
Oakland Tribune 1955
The mansion was turned over to the American Red Cross for a hospitality center at the beginning of WWII. Alcoholics Anonymous occupied the home until 1955.
In 1956, construction was to begin on ne 60-unit apartment building. The new structure was expected to cost $2.5 million. Each of the 60 apartments ran completely through the building with views of Lake Merritt. Other features included parking on two levels, the elimination of corridors, an extensive elevator system, individual patios, and a rooftop garden.
Lake Merritt – Anthony Chabot’s Home – circa 1886 – Photo by Frank B. Rodolph – http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt9d5nd40c/?order=1
The old home of Anthony Chabot, founder of Oakland’s modern water system, was torn down in 1952. The city had declared the house a fire and health hazard. The home was located at 104 East 15th and 2nd Avenue.
Lake Merritt – Anthony Chabot’s Home – circa 1886
The building had been used as a rooming house for years, taking in enough money to pay the taxes, and was still owned by Ellen Chabot Bothin.
The home was a modest one, considering the owner was a millionaire. The house was two stories with an attic, its rooms with high ceilings, marble mantels, and velvet embossed walls.
The Chabot’s name is a part of our history, with the following named after them.
Chabot Road
Chabot Observatory
Chabot School
Lake Chabot
Goodall Mansion
Edwin Goodall built an elaborate mansion in 1880. The house was located at 1537 Jackson Street.
The home had paneled walls, a bed carved out of mahogany, and a small theater with dressing rooms.
In 1918, Dr. M.M. Enos purchased the home and operated it as the St. Anthony Hospital until 1923, when it became theJackson Lake Hospital.
Oakland Tribune 1960
In 1960, the hospital was razed to make room for an apartment building called the Jackson Lake Apartments.
Oakland Tribune Sept 23, 1960
Jackson Lake Apartments
King Mansion
Charles H. King built his mansion in about 1884.
King City, a rural community in the Salinas Valley, was named in 1886 for Oakland’s Charles H. King.
In 1971, the old and neglected King family Mansion still stood at 1029 Sixth Avenue and East 11th Street. The home at one time had 38 rooms. Not sure exactly when the home was razed.
Mein Mansion
Oakland Tribune 1964
The mansion of Capt. Thomas Mein was located at the corner of Jackson and 15th Street.
Oakland Tribune 1964
The three-story, 16-room Victorian was built in 1899 and included a winding staircase and marble fireplaces.
Oakland Tribune 1964
In 1964 home was razed to make room for a new 34-unit apartment called the Delphian.
Oakland Tribune 1965
Palm Knoll
Oakland TribuneJan 12, 1947
Palm Knoll, was the home of Governor (later Senator) George C. Perkins (1839–1923). The 24-room mansion, Vernon and Perkins Street, was built in 1890.
Palm Knoll was razed in 1947 to make room for apartments.
How it looked before it was demolished Oakland Tribune Jan 12, 1947
Playter Home
Ely Welding Playter, a successful hardware merchant in San Francisco, built the mansion in 1879 at 14th and Castro Streets. The area was the center of Oakland’s elite. He lived there with his family until 1885.
YWCA (old Player Home) at 14th and Castro Streets in Oakland, California. Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room. Undated
It was a three-story structure with long, narrow windows.
Playter was the 24th Mayor of Oakland. He served two terms, 1885 and 1886, and was a Republican.
In 1907, the YWCA raised enough money to purchase the home to be used as the association’s headquarters and a home for “working girls.”
Oakland Tribune Feb 18, 1907
The house was torn down in 1948 to make room for a service station.
The hospital was Once a Mansion.
The original home of the Solomon Ellsworth Alden family, then the John Edgar McElrath family.
