Some time ago, I found this picture on the Oakland History Room online site.
I love to try and figure out the who, what and where. I would instead try to figure it out all by myself before asking for help. That is the fun part for me. Sometimes it is effortless. Other times it is not.
The biggest clue to this photo was the Higgins Church on Hopkins, which is now MacArthur Blvd. I started there.
I started looking into the Higgins Church. The church in 1898 was located near Fruitvale Ave and Hopkins in the old Fruitvale School building. It had some connection to the Fred Finch Orphanage.
In 1907 they laid the cornerstone for a new church at the corner of School St and Boston. The church was renamed Fruitvale ME Church. Joaquin Miller read a poem at the groundbreaking. The church building was dedicated in 1908.
The church building is still there with a few additions or modifications and is located at 3111 Boston. It now called the First Samoan Congregation Christian Church
A couple days ago, I found a Knave article “Memories linger for Dimond District Pioneers” in the Oakland Tribune in November 1970. The 2nd page of the article included this same picture with some new clues.
I now have clues for the house and a different church. So off I went to find out more.
I think the location has been solved. I thought the house was moved or demolished due to building the freeway, and it almost was. I am so glad it is still there.
