I thought I would show you a little “Then and Now” images for downtown Oakland.
Enjoy!
Washington St – West Side from 7th and 8th
The 1896 Illustrated Directory of Oakland, California – https://localwiki.org/oakland/The_Illustrated_Directory_of_Oakland%2C_CaliforniaWest side of Washington Street between 7th and 8th Streets. Hersh’s Apparel, Grutman’s Army and Navy Store in view. DATE: 1955 Downtown Property Owners Association, Inc., photographers. RIGHTS:Permission to use this image must be obtained from the Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.Google MapsSouth side of 8th Street between Washington and Clay Streets. Drug store and pharmacy in view. DATE: 1958, Mar. Downtown Property Owners Association, Inc., photographers. RIGHTS:Permission to use this image must be obtained from the Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room. FILENAME/TITLE:ohrphoto.dpoa1.050Google Maps
Washington Street West Side from 8th to 9th
The 1896 Illustrated Directory of Oakland, California – https://localwiki.org/oakland/The_Illustrated_Directory_of_Oakland%2C_CaliforniaWest side of Washington Street between 8th and 9th Streets. TV Tradin’ Post, Brick’s in view. DATE:1955 Downtown Property Owners Association, Inc., photographers. RIGHTS:Permission to use this image must be obtained from the Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.Google mapsWest side of Washington Street between 8th and 9th Streets. Oakland Household Co. in view. DATE: 1955 Downtown Property Owners Association, Inc., photographers. RIGHTS:Permission to use this image must be obtained from the Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.Google Maps
Ninth Street – North Side from Washington to Broadway
The 1896 Illustrated Directory of Oakland, California – https://localwiki.org/oakland/The_Illustrated_Directory_of_Oakland%2C_CaliforniaNortheast corner of 9th and Washington Streets. Arlington Hotel in view. DATE :circa 1937 SIZE M.L. Cohen Co., photographers, for Downtown Property Owners Association, Inc. RIGHTS:Permission to use this image must be obtained from the Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.Google maps
Washington St – East Side from Ninth to Tenth
East side of Washington Street between 9th and 10th Streets. Savemore Dry Goods, Kaplan’s Army Surplus, Acme Market in view. DATE 1955. Downtown Property Owners Association, Inc., photographers. RIGHTS:Permission to use this image must be obtained from the Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.East side of Washington Street between 9th and 10th Streets circa 1913 Cheney Photo AdvertisingEast side of Washington Street between 9th and 10th Streets circa 1937Google Maps
Broadway West Side from Ninth St to Tenth St
The 1896 Illustrated Directory of Oakland, California – https://localwiki.org/oakland/The_Illustrated_Directory_of_Oakland%2C_CaliforniaWest side of Broadway between 9th and 10th Streets. White Onion, Eagle Loan Co., Moler Barber College in view. DATE 1955 Downtown Property Owners Association, Inc., photographers. RIGHTS:Permission to use this image must be obtained from the Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.West side of Broadway between 9th and 10th Streets. Lucky Club, A. Binneweg, Hill’s Loan Office in view. DATE 1955 Downtown Property Owners Association, Inc., photographers. RIGHTS:Permission to use this image must be obtained from the Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.Broadway West Side from Ninth St to Tenth St – Google maps
Wilcox Block, Front and North side, Oakland (c.1860-70) http://www.calisphere.universityofcalifornia.edu/institutions/Society+of+California+Pioneers
The 1896 Illustrated Directory of Oakland, California – https://localwiki.org/oakland/The_Illustrated_Directory_of_Oakland%2C_CaliforniaWest side of Broadway between 8th and 9th Streets. Stag Clothing Co. in view. DATE: 1955. Downtown Property Owners Association, Inc., photographers. RIGHTS:Permission to use this image must be obtained from the Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.West side of Broadway between 8th and 9th Streets. Stag Clothing Co. in view. DATE: 1955. Downtown Property Owners Association, Inc., photographers. RIGHTS:Permission to use this image must be obtained from the Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.Google MapsGoogle Maps
As I take a little break from my series on the schools in Oakland, I thought I would share this little bit of history with you.
Historic American Buildings Survey, Creator. Thomas Mahoney House, 69 Eighth Street, Oakland, Alameda County, CA . Documentation Compiled After. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/ca0013/>.
These photos have popped up many times over the years, and I didn’t give them much thought. They popped up again yesterday. I decided to look into them and see what I could find.
Historic American Buildings Survey, Creator. Thomas Mahoney House, 69 Eighth Street, Oakland, Alameda County, CA . Documentation Compiled After. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/ca0013/>.
Both photos are online at the Library of Congress. Please note there is a typo in the LOC description. The address is 669 Eighth Street.
I don’t know what became of the house after these photos were taken. I will let you know if I find out anything.
Early Pioneer
So, I started looking into Thomas Mahoney (sometimes spelled Mahony). Wow, I was amazed to find a Thomas Mahoney living at 669 Eight Street in 1871. In the 1880 census, he lived there with his wife and four children. I then located in an obituary from January 1900. In the obituary, I notice his daughter Laura’s married name is Bassett
!8718 Directory
1888 Directory
Mahoney came to California in the 1850s. He mined for a while in Tuolumne County before retiring on his ranch in the Hills of Oakland. In 1863, he sold his ranch and moved to the home on Eighth Street next to St. John’s Episcopal. He was married in 1863 and raised four children in the home. His wife died in 1891, and he died in 1900.
His obituary
Oakland Tribune Jan 29, 1900
Thomas Mahoney, a well-known pioneer of this city, died at his home at 660 Eighth Street, last evening, in the 71st year of his age.
The deceased was a native of Ireland and came to this State many years ago, where he engaged in ranching. He owned a large quantity of land to the north of the present city limits, from which the sites now comprising Mountain View, St. Mary’s, and the Jewish Cemeteries were purposed by the managers of those several burial places.
The deceased was a widower, his wife having died several years ago. He was the father of Mrs. Laura J. Bassett, Louise H., Emma E., and George Mahoney.
The funeral services will be held next Wednesday in St. John’s Episcopal Church. The interment will take place in St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Oakland Tribune Jan 29, 1900
Family members continued to live in the home until around 1913.
St. Mary’s Cemetery
In 1863, Archbishop Alemany purchased 36 acres of land known as the ” Mahoney Ranch” from Thomas Mahoney. The land is now called St. Mary’s Cemetery, next to Mountain View Cemetery. Thomas Mahoney was buried there in 1900.
Laura Mahoney Bassett was well known for her reminiscences in the Sunday Knave in the Oakland Tribune. She was the oldest daughter of Thomas Mahoney, and she was born in Oakland in 1866, where she lived most of her 80 years. She died in 1950.
