Storybook firehouse on Moraga Avenue in the Montclair
Circa 1934
Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.
The photo below is overlooking the area that is now Montclair Elementary School, and in the distance, you can see the intersection of Thornhill and Mountain Blvd and the Women’s Club.
Tracks for the Oakland, Antioch and Eastern Railway
(later Sacramento Northern Railway) in Montclair
Circa 1925
Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.
Then
LaSalle Avenue looking down the hill towards Mountain Boulevard
Montclair Real estate offices and trolley depot in view.
circa 1927
Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.
Now
Looking down LaSalle Ave towards HWY 13 – Google maps
The photo below is probably on LaSalle Ave from Mountain Blvd. the small building is where Highway 13 is now.
Sales offices of real estate broker and home builder Cos Williams in Montclair –
circa 1925 Eston Cheney, photographer.
Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.
The photo below is probably taken from where Highway 13 is now. Off in the distance is the Sacramento Northern Station. Located at what is now the top of LaSalle Ave, as seen in the above photos.
Graded and staked lots in the undeveloped Montclair
Signs for the Cos Williams Montclair sales offices
circa 1925
Eston Cheney, photographer.
Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room
Then
Northeast corner of Mountain Boulevard and Medau Place
Fred F. Chopin on Montclair Realty Co.
circa 1950
Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.
Now
Corner of Mountain Blvd and Medau Place – Google Maps
Then
Sidewalk construction on Mountain Boulevard near Antioch Street Montclair
Circa 1958
Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.
Now
Looking Up Mountain Blvd. Google Maps
Then
Construction Scout Road and Mountain Boulevard in the Montclair
circa 1955
Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.
Now
Scout Road and Mountain Blvd – Google Maps
The photo below is overlooking the area that is now the intersection of Oakwood and Thornhill Drives. Showing houses on Oakwood Drive
Looking out towards the bay from near the ridge-line above the Montclair
Several winding dirt roads and homes in view.
circa 1930
Eston Cheney, photographer
Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.
Some time ago, I found this picture on the Oakland History Room online site.
Homes near Fruitvale Avenue and Hopkins Street (later MacArthur Boulevard) in the Dimond district of Oakland, California. A large vegetable garden dominates the foreground, and Higgins Church on Hopkins Street is in view towards the back. DATE: [circa 1905] Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.
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.
Oakland Tribune Mar 1896
Oakland Tribune Mar 1896
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.
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.
Oakland Tribune Nov 1970
I now have clues for the house and a different church. So off I went to find out more.
The house is located at 3231 Boston Ave at Harold Street.
From Google maps – 3231 Boston Ave today from Goggle maps -2460 Palmetto – todayThe church is located at 2464 Palmetto St. While it is no longer a church, I believe this is the same building. See below
The Church today
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.
Recently, someone asked about when 7-Eleven came to Montclair, which was about 1958. I thought I would go back a little farther and tell you about the first store in Montclair.
A Bit of History.
In 1925, Otto Schuneman bought land on Thorn Road and built a store. His store was a combination fountain, grocery store, and service station. The address was 281 Thorn Road.
The Montclairion – circa 1957
From 1935
Early residents of the area remember the place as a tourist bus stop, where refreshments were served at the fountain and an outdoor terrace.
The original building is still standing behind the 7-11 store.
Showing the location of the first store
Mr. Schuneman leased the store. E.G., Nickerson of 408 Florence Ave (now 5800 Florence Terrace) in 1926, and Captain Baldwin in 1928.
The Monclarion
From the Montclarion 1964
Funk’s Grocery – 1930-1940
In March of 1930, Davis L. Funk leased the store from Schuneman and bought out his remaining stock. Mr. Funk had owned a couple of other stores in Oakland.
He called his store Funk’s Grocery and Montclair Grocery.
The Funk family lived at 5677 Thornhill in the mid to late 30s to early 40s.
In the early 1960s, the Montclair Presbyterian Church bought the house from the owners.
My ex-husband and I worked for the church from 1983- 1987 and lived in the house.
Note: Montclair Presbyterian Church (MPC) and the Montclair Library were formed in March 1930.
1941 Directory for Montclair
Montclair Food Center 1940-1957
Montclair Food Center – Carrol Mauro 1951
From Carrol Mauro
In 1940, Funk took on a partner, his son-in-law Malcolm “Scotty” Hodge, the husband of his daughter Lenore, and the store was renamed the Montclair Food Center.
Funk and Hodge ran the store together until Funk died in 1949 at his home on Grisborne Avenue behind the store.
Oakland Tribune 1949
Hodge and his wife continued until 1957 when they couldn’t negotiate a new lease with Otto Schuneman, the owner. I thought it was because he could make more money leasing it to Speedee Mart.
Montclarion 1957
Montclarion 1957
When the store closed in 1957, it was the last one in Montclair to maintain a credit and delivery service. Montclair Food Center was more than just a store for many of its customers.
By 1957, Montclair was also changing. Payless Grocery Store (soon to be Luckys) and LaSalle Avenue Market were located in the business district, and a new Safeway would soon be built.
Min-a-Mart and Speedee Mart 1958-1966?
A Min-a-Mart opened in about 1958.
In 1959, the store was leased by Speedee Mart Corporation.
In 1964, the parent company of the 7-Eleven Stores bought all the Speedee Mart franchises in California.
They began slowly changing the name to 7-Eleven (7-11)
I recently found an article from 1961 about the discovery of an underground tunnel in what was the MacDermont Mansion in West Oakland. Here is what I discovered when I looked into the mansion.
Updated July 2024
Forgotten Tunnel Revives Dimming Memories
In 1961, the Peralta Villa, a 20-year-old WWII housing unit, was being demolished to make room for new low-rent apartments. It was located in the area bounded by 7th, 8th, Center, and Cypress Streets.
While clearing the land, a workman discovered a long-forgotten concrete-lined tunnel that was never recorded in the city records.
Was it a WWII bomb shelter? Did rum runners use it during prohibition?
The guesses proved to be wrong, but it was an exciting story.
Oakland Tribune Mar 23, 1961
The Tunnel
The tunnel (built between 1905 and 1910) was the work of Louis MacDermot, the son of a prominent early Oakland family who owned the land. The MacDermont’s home (1407 8th St) was built sometime before 1876 (some say it could have been the French consul). Charles F. MacDermont’s name appears on title records as early as 1870. The home was a showplace with landscaped grounds covering the entire block. In the 1920s, the city proposed buying the site for a park, but the plan fell through. The home stood empty and decaying behind a wooden fence until 1941, when it was razed to make way for war-time housing. The tunnel went undetected then.
The MacDermont Property 1407 8th Street Oakland CA
The concrete-lined tunnel ran across the stable yards from the brick boiler room near the family home to a machine shop. It was about 3 feet wide and 4 1/2 feet high. There were L-shaped hooks with oval rollers embedded on the sides. Conductors for electrical wire had were installed on the ceiling. The hooks held steam lines that heated the machine shop.
The man who built Railroads – the small ones
Louis MacDermot – 1901 From the ppie.org
Railroad buffs might know Louis MacDermot. He built miniature railroads and, with his mechanics, designed locomotives, freight cars, and coaches in great detail.
From the ppie100.org
In 1913, he was awarded the concession to build and operate an intramural railway at the Panama Pacific International Exposition(PPIE), due to open in February 1915. He set out to design and develop the locomotives at home and assembled the railroad cars in a large building nearby. However, during construction, PPIE management expressed concern about pedestrian safety in crowded areas and found more convenient means of transportation.
Three of the Overfair locomotives under construction at the MacDermot estate before the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition.Photo from the Swanton Pacific Railroad Society collection.
The success of the Great Fair was not transferred to the Overfair Railway.First, they were relegated to the very edge of the fair, thus reducing its economic potential. MacDermont absorbed most of the railway’s costs out of his pocket.
The first completed locomotive was the working engine No. 1500, an 0-6-0T type.
The Railway earned only slightly more than $22,000 in revenues. By contrast, B. F. Fageol’s Auto trains earned over $307,000 in nickels and dimes. Exposition management claimed the Overfair’s buildings and right-of-way were a leasehold improvement, so they kept them. The railway cost MacDermot an estimated $250,000 to build.
Altoona Tribune Mar 10, 1915
The Overfair Railway ran along the Marina between Fort Mason and the Presidio. A 10-cent fare provided transportation to the Polo Field, State and foreign buildings, the California Building, Exhibit Palaces, the Yacht Harbor, and The Zone.
Over open Railway on the Marina – San Francisco Bay -1915 –SAN FRANCISCO HISTORY CENTER, SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Oakland Tribune 1915
The Decline of the MacDermot Estate
After the Fair, MacDermot became an eccentric recluse, quartered on the deteriorating grounds of the family’s Oakland mansion.
Old house of Chas. McDermott N. E. corner 7th and Center Sts. Jesse Brown Cook Collection–Bancroft Library
Unfortunately, this fate was also shared by the Overfair Railway wooden passenger and freight cars. The locomotives had the luxury of spending their “retirement” in sheds. The others did not fare so well.
MacDermot Estate c 1940 -Swanton Pacific Railroad
Another photo of the MacDermot home with one of the cars in the yard – OMCA
The Mountain Lion Railway
Oakland Tribune Nov 10, 1940
In 1941, he agreed to build the “The Mountain Lion Railway” for the Oakland Zoo. He moved three engines and the twelve best passenger cars to the Alameda County Zoological Gardens (today’s Oakland Zoo). The operation started on August 1, 1941, with two cars running behind a forlorn No. 1913. The faithful Pacific lost its boiler jacket and leading truck, relegating No. 1913 to a 0-6-2. The Overfair equipment had substantially deteriorated, and MacDermot’s increasingly erratic behavior soon forced the Zoo’s management to eject the Railway. Please see – Swanton Pacific Railroad Society Newsletter January 2008
Moving Day 1940 or 1941 and Overfair train coming up the grade at the Oakland Zoo with Sid Snow’s home in the background – (which I believe is from the Talbot Estate and not the Durant Estate as noted) from the Swanton Pacific Railroad Society Newsletter December 2007
Moving Day
Various photos at the Oakland Zoo –Photo from the Swanton Pacific Railroad Society collection.
Photos from the Swanton Pacific Railroad Society collection.
Lost Dream
Louis MacDermot died in poverty on February 28, 1948. His passion for perfection, like his health, had long since eroded. For the princely sum of $5,200, Billy Jones bought all the disassembled Overfair locomotives from MacDermot’s trustee in 1948. Jones’ purchase undoubtedly saved the miniatures from the junk pile. Under his guidance, the fleet was restored to its Exposition glory. The engines, however, were converted from coal to oil, a more practical fuel in California. Mechanical lubricators were added. See
Oakland Tribune Jan 1959Oakland Tribune 1968
Oakland Tribune 1969
The Railroad Today
Swanton Pacific Railroad in Davenport, CA
The Swanton Pacific Railroad serves as an operational memorial to Al Smith, who acquired and relocated the trains to the Swanton Pacific Ranch. The rolling stock consists of three one-third-scale Pacific-type steam locomotives built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, a diesel switcher locomotive, and a variety of passenger and maintenance railcars.
Until Al Smith’s death in December of 1993, the Swanton Pacific Railroad was essentially a partnership between Smith and Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture. Although volunteers came from “all walks of life,” to build, maintain, and operate the railroad, the University has been central to the preservation and continued operation of the Overfair Railway.
Al Smith left for the University’s College of Agriculture, both the Swanton Pacific Ranch and Railroad. Smith also created an endowment for the railroad to provide operating capital. Al Smith had secured the future of the Overfair Railway.
History Lost
In August of 2020 the CZU Lightning Complex Fire tore through northern Santa Cruz County, the rail yard for the Swanton Pacific Railroad, the ⅓-scale passenger train system was heavily damaged, along with adjacent buildings. At least two steam locomotives — built by Oakland inventor Louis M. MacDermot for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco — also burned. The Mercury News – August 29, 2020
The front smoke box of a burned locomotive is stamped with the name of its maker, Louis MacDermot, who built the railway for the 1915 Pan Pacific International Exposition.
Following the fire, the volunteers who had maintained the railroad for decades were once again rolling up their sleeves to pitch in with the rebuilding.
A dean with Cal Poly University emailed the volunteer-run Swanton Pacific Railroad Society to inform them that the school intends to donate the antique steam engines and equipment to an outside organization rather than rebuild and operate the popular railroad that’s run on the land since the 1980s. The school said it would instead focus on educational pursuits on the land.
“Though invaluable from a historical perspective,” wrote Dr. Andrew Thulin, dean of Cal Poly’s School of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, “the railroad does not fit within the strategic intent of the ranch when viewed through that lens.”
Audrey Robinson was the first African American teacher at Thornhill Elementary School in Oakland, Ca.
Thornhill School 1966-1967
Early Years
Audrey Lucinda Robinson was the daughter of Charles Nelson and Maude Gibson. She was born in 1915 in Oakland. She attended Peralta School and graduated from Claremont in 1930 and University High in 1933. The family lived at 6148 Colby Street.
Oakland Tribune 1928
She was a member of the Colored YWCA at 8th and Linden in West Oakland. She was a member of a club that included Lionel Wilson, the former Mayor of Oakland.
Audrey married Frederick D. Robinson, a Washington, D.C. police officer in 1941, shortly before he was deployed to fight in World War II. In 1944 Robinson died during combat in Italy.
Oakland Tribune April 1942
Thornhill Elementary School
She was the first African American teacher at Thornhill School in the Montclair District of Oakland. She taught kindergarten for 10 years from 1966-1976. She said that she never experienced any form of racism from the children, staff, or parents. She said about one African American child would join her class every year. She loved her time at Thornhill and love the children. She was loved by the children.
Retirement
Audrey was dedicated to preserving the history of African Americans in the City of Oakland, and she volunteered with the African American Museum and Library of Oakland (AAMLO). She also became very active at the Oakland Museum, serving as Docent Chairman for the History Department. She also served as Vice President of Administration for the Cameron-Stanford House Preservation Association.
Audrey passed away in June of 2008 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Audrey was predeceased by her husband, a WW II fatality, and her son. She is survived by her daughter, Jeri, her grandson Frederick and two great-grandsons.
A special edition of my blog in honor of Black History Month and a wonderful man.
Calvin Simmons Conductor
I was lucky enough to know Clavin Simmons personally. He was the conductor of the Oakland Symphony when I worked there.
Let me back up a little bit. My mom Sarah Chambers started working at the Oakland Symphony in 1977 when I was still in high school. She began as the receptionist and worked her way up the ladder to the Director of Education.
SF Examiner January 28, 1985
She would sign me up during the summer to hand out flyers at lunchtime events. One of our board members would do the same with her daughter Libby Schaff was the Mayor of Oakland from 2015-2023.
I was hired in 1980 as the receptionist and worked my way up the ladder to Box Office/Marketing Assistant. We both worked for the Symphony until September 1986, when they filed for bankruptcy.
Before the Oakland Symphony
Calvin was born in San Francisco in 1950 to Henry Calvin and Mattie Pearl Simmons.
Music was a part of his life from the beginning. He learned how to play the piano from his Mother.
Balboa High School Yearbook 1968Balboa High School Yearbook 1968
Calvin attended Balboa High School in San Francisco, where he was a member of the orchestra.
“did tons of conducting with school orchestra.”
Madi Bacon
SF Examiner September 19, 1969
The Maestro Kid
He was the assistant conductor with the San Francisco Operafrom 1972 to 1975, winning the Kurt Herbert Adler Award.
He remained active at the San Francisco Opera for all his adult life, supporting General Director Kurt Herbert Adler, first as a repetiteur and then as a member of the conducting staff. He made his formal debut conducting Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème with Ileana Cotrubas. His later work on a production of Dmitri Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District drew national attention.
In 1979 he conducted the premiere of Menotti’s La Loca in San Diego.
He made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, conducting Engelbert Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, returning the following year. He was on the musical staff at Glyndebourne from 1974 to 1978.
Oakland Symphony
with Harold Lawrence, manager Oakland Symphony circa 1978
Simmons became musical director of the Oakland Symphony Orchestra at the age of 28 in 1978. He was one of the early African-American conductors of a major orchestra.
His debut audition was in early 1978.
SF Examiner April 16, 1978
SF Examiner April 23, 1978
A Maestro Wordless – September 1978
SF Examiner September 26, 1978
Windsor Star January 22, 1982
Calvin joined the Youth Orchestra tour in July 1982
Calvin July 1982 Oakland Symphony Picnic – Photo by Bill Londagin
On Sunday, August 22, 1982, I was next door helping my husband, who was repairing our neighbor’s roof. All of a sudden, my mom screams out the window that Calvin has died. Such a sad day. It took another week to find his body. It was such a loss to Oakland and the music world. He was on his way to greatness.
SF Examiner August 23, 1982
Calvin was visiting friends in Upper State New York. Connery Pond was where he went a lot to unwind and regroup. While waiting for dinner, Calvin took a canoe ride out in the pond. He was by himself about 150 feet from the shore; he was a good swimmer. A woman was taking pictures of the sunset from the beach. She pointed her camera towards Calvin, and he must have noticed that, and being the ham he was, he stood up to pose. He then fell into the water.
SF Examiner August 23, 1982
Philadelphia Daily News August 24, 1982
A Final Tribute
There was a memorial service on September 07, 1982, at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco; more than 2200 people attended.
There was a memorial concert on September 20, 1982, at the Paramount Theatre.
In 1926 the First Presbyterian Church of Oakland approved the plans to build a Bible School in the Montclair District of Oakland.
Drawing by Charles Williams circa 1926
The building was to cost about $25,000. It became necessary because they had outgrown the temporary accommodations at the school. They started out with seven students in January of 1926; by July, they had eighty.
Thorn Road StudentsCicra 1926Thorn Road Students
In June of 1927, it was announced that the school would be open for four weeks during summer vacation.
Oakland Tribune June 1927
The 1920s showed significant growth in Montclair, and the bible school started having Sunday services for the area’s residents. They held Easter Services up on Skyline Dr and festive Christmas services.
Sunrise Service Circa 1928
Christmas circa 1928
ThornRoad Bible School Circa 1928
Oakland Tribune April 05, 1930
In 1930 Montclair Presbyterian Church was organized with 90 Charter Members.
Oakland Tribune April 1930
In 1938 they built a new Chapel which was there until they made the present complex in the mid-1960s at 5701 Thornhill Drive.
This is a continuation of a previous post called “Oakland Tribune Yearbooks and More”. Annual Yearbooks Tribune Magazine Tribune Auto Section Tribune Fashion Section
In May 1921, The Key System began operating a motorcoach service. The first line opened to Mills College on May 16, 1921; a week later, on May 21, service to Montclair began.
The Realty Syndicate purchased and paid the bills for the motor coaches to provide transportation for potential customers to Montclair. The coaches were painted to match the streetcars.
There is a little dispute about which line was first, the Montclair or the Mills College lines. I think it’s a tie – they both started in May 1921.
The first tract office was a tent; later, it became a small building. The tract office was then moved to the triangle land at Mountain Blvd, Antioch St, and Antioch Ct. The building later became the offices of Winder Gahan, real estate agents dealing with Montclair. The photo shows that the original site was on the opposite side of Moraga Rd (at LaSalle), now in the middle of the Warren Freeway (Hwy 13).
Oakland Tribune Feb 25, 1940
The Schedule
During the commuting hours, 6 am-9 am and 5 to 7 pm every 20 minutes. During the remainder of the day, a 40-minute service. The fare was 6¢ with transfer privileges to streetcars. In 1924 they offered a service to run until midnight. Before this, bus transportation had been confined to the out-of-town service along the highway.
New Terminal – October 1928
In 1928 a new $18,000 Terminal was built in Montclair. It was located at the corner of Mountain Blvd and La Salle, a short walk to the Sacramento Northern station. Local architect Hamilton Murdock designed the Spanish Style building, the first building structure in Montclair. An Architectural Guide – Pg. 276
The building is still standing and is located at 6206 La Salle Ave.
A Reunion
In September 1961, a forty-year-old photo led a reunion between two former drivers who pioneered local motorcoach service in the East Bay.
J.L. “Marty” Martin started working in May 1921, and C.E. Pehrson began in September of that same year. They met in Montclair at the approximate site of the first terminal and discussed new verses or coaches and how much things had changed.
Various from the Oakland Tribune
Sept 1961 – Reunion – Please see link ( 2) below to read the online version of this
More Info:
Historical Photo of Early Bus Found Transit Times April 1975
