Tag Archives: 1918

Oakland – 1918 Flu Pandemic – WWI

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The 1918 Flu Pandemic (aka the ‘Spanish Flu’) infected and killed millions of people globally, including killing more than 1,400 in Oakland, California. (The population at that time was about 216,000.) 

There were two major outbreaks in Oakland, one in the fall of 1918, and another in January 1919. 

In one particularly grim 24 hour period in November 1918, 39 deaths were recorded.   2 Schools were closed, and citizens were required to wear masks to help prevent the spread of the disease. (https://oaklandwiki.org/1918_Flu_Pandemic)

Oakland Tribune November 2, 1918

S.O.S! Need Ten!

Wear you mask whenever you on the street”

Oakland Police

The police arrested 488 overnight on November 03, 1918. Every arrest was held over for $10.00 bail. Many stay overnight because they couldn’t raise the bail. Oakland Tribune – Nov 03, 1918

Makeshift Hospital

The Oakland Municipal Auditorium is being used as a temporary hospital with volunteer nurses from the American Red Cross tending the sick there during the influenza pandemic of 1918, Oakland, California, 1918. (Photo by Underwood Archives/Getty Images)

The Oakland Auditorium (now the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center) was used as a makeshift hospital because the existing hospitals were overwhelmed.

Volunteer caregivers from the American Red Cross preparing surgical dressings for sufferers of influenza during the great flu pandemic of 1917-1918. 

The War is Over! Celebrate!

Oakland Tribune Nov 11, 1918

World War I ended in November 1918. News about the pandemic was put on the back burner, even more.

The city of Oakland invited everyone to come and celebrate the end of the war on November 11, 1918. The event was held at the city hall plaza.

Oakland Tribune November 11, 1918

The event was to be held in “open-air” as ordered by the health department.  Oakland Tribune November 11, 1918

“Bring your Flags” and “Wear your Masks”

Official Proclamation – November 11,1918

Oakland Tribune November 1918


Oakland Tribune November 13, 1918

Britain Day!

Oakland celebrated our British allies with a parade on December 08, 1918. Thousands of people attended.  Oakland Tribune – December 08, 1918

Oakland Tribune Dec 08, 1918

No wonder there was another outbreak in November 1918 and January 1919.!  

New Cases

January 11, 1991

On January 11, 1919, 312 new cases and 17 deaths were reported in the 24 hours ending at 9 am that morning. By 11 am, that same day, another 112 new cases and three additional deaths were reported.  Oakland Tribune January 11, 1919

Be safe and stay home!

The End

School War Work in 1918

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Oakland Tribune October 15, 1918

War work in the Oakland Public Schools during 1918 was considered one of the most essential items in the curriculum by both the school administration and the teachers.

They felt the first duty of the schools was to aid the national government in winning the war to the best of their ability.

Service became the keynote of all work. Oakland’s boys and girls realized that they had a particular part to play in making the world a safe place to live in.

Sewing and Knitting Classes

Oakland Tribune July 07, 1918

During the summer vacation, thousands of garments for refugees were made by the children as part of their regular classwork.

Sewing Classes
Board of Education 1919

Boys and girls of all ages learned to knit, and tireless little hands were busy every spare moment making garments for sailors, soldiers, and people of stricken countries.

Berkeley Schools also helped
Oakland Tribune August 25, 1918
Oakland Tribune August 25, 1918

School and Home Garden Army

The urgent need for higher food production led to the organization of the School and Home Garden Army in Oakland. Fifteen thousand children enlisted, and 6,00 brought their gardens to successful harvests.

Oakland Tribune April 18, 1918
Gardens
Board of Education 1919

Jackson Furniture Company offered two silver loving cups as prizes, one for the school having the best school garden, and one for the best home garden.

Oakland Tribune April 18, 1918

Luther Burbank visited Oakland and personally inspected many of the war gardens.

Oakland Tribune May 15, 1918

Jefferson School won the School Garden Cup, and Lakeview School won the Home Garden School Cup.

Oakland Tribune October 04, 1918
Oakland Tribune June 16, 1918

The Art Department devoted its time propaganda of publicity of the was needs through posters.

Oakland Tribune May 06, 1918

The Manual Training shops worked closely with the Red Cross. They created items needed for hospitals.

Liberty Loans

The schools helped raised money through the various Liberty Bond/Loan Campaigns.

Board of Education 1919

More Info

Looking back at a 1918 parade that helped spread the deadly flu, leaving nearly 13,000 dead – SF Gate – September 22, 2019

1918 Flu Pandemic – Oakland Local Wiki

The End

Sather Park – Photos from 1914

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Sather Park – 1917

Sather Park Tract is now known as Lakeshore Highlands and Trestle Glen.

I have shared a few of the photos from an album entitled “Lakeshore Highlands” that was prepared for Frederick Law Olmsted who was hired by Walter H. Leimert.

The album is from the archives of Olmsted at the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site and Courtesy of the United States Department of the Interior,
National Park Service.

Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903) is recognized as the founder of American landscape architecture and the nation’s foremost park maker. Olmsted moved his home to suburban Boston in 1883 and established the world’s first full-scale professional office for the practice of landscape design. During the next century, his sons and successors perpetuated Olmsted’s design ideals, philosophy, and influence.

I believe the photos were taken by Cheney Photo Advertising Company and Morton Photo Company.

The album can be viewed here: Album 1 – Lakeshore Highlands Job #5945 –

Sather Park – June 1914

Now Lakeshore Highlands and Trestle Glen

C 1914
Courtesy of the United States Department of the Interior,
National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site

Sather Park – June 1914

Now Lakeshore Highlands and Trestle Glen – The “Glen” (a.k.a. Indian Gulch)

C 1914
Courtesy of the United States Department of the Interior,
National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.

View Southwest from between Wesley Avenue and Radnor Road – June 1914

Looking at Wesley Avenue and Lakeshore Blvd, Lake Merritt and downtown.

C 1914
Courtesy of the United States Department of the Interior,
National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.

View North Between Excelsior and Beacon Avenues – June 1914

C 1914
Courtesy of the United States Department of the Interior,
National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.

View Northwest from Between Hillgirt Circle and Haddon Road – June 1914

 

C 1914
Courtesy of the United States Department of the Interior,
National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.

View Southwest towards Haddon Hill – June 1914

You can see what is now the corner of Lake Park Ave and Grand Avenue. The future home of the Grand Lake Theater.

Looking North from Hillgirt Circle North and Hillgirt Circle South – Haddon Hill – Today Prospect Avenue and Hillgirt Circle – June 1914 –

You can see Santa Clara Avenue, Grand Lake Avenue. The future location of the Grand Lake Theater, Lakeview School and the MacArthur Freeway

C 1914
Courtesy of the United States Department of the Interior,
National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.

Looking Northwest from Haddon Hill Towards Sather Tract Entrance – June 1914

Looking towards the Trader Joe’s parking lot and the Trestle Glen Road. You can see Rand Avenue and Mandana Blvd.

C 1914
Courtesy of the United States Department of the Interior,
National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.
LAKESHORE HIGHLANDS OAKLAND,
c 1918
Lake Shore Highlands; Wickham Havens –Sather Tract, formerly –Leimert, Walter H
Courtesy of the United States Department of the Interior,
National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.
Map of HADDON HILL
c1914
Courtesy of the United States Department of the Interior,
National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.

I will talk more about Sather Park later.

The End