This post, originally published in 2019, has been updated and expanded.
November 7, 2025
A few of the homes that were built in the Montclair Highlands area of Oakland in the 1930s and 1940s.
Drake Drive
In 1936, Frederick L. Confer designed a “modernistic” (now Art Deco) home for Mr. and Mrs. George H. Everest and their two daughters. The Everest family had been living at 1760 Mountain Blvd before moving into their new home in Montclair Highlands at 1831 Drake Drive.
Emge and Stockman developed the home, and James H. Anderson, who had previously worked with the architect, was the builder.
The house features four bedrooms upstairs, each with its own bathroom. The lower floor features one bedroom, a bathroom, and a private entrance.
The house was completed in May 1937
Behold the fantastic views from all the upstairs bedrooms, the dining room, the living room, and the patio. The large corner lot also has a large yard.
The House has been on the market many times since 1937.
In 1969, it was listed for $46,500
In March of 2019, it was listed for sale at $1,695,000.
- 1831 Drake Drive – Zillow
The houses at 1881 and 2001 Drake Drive were also built around this time.
Narragansett House
Cape Cod colonial architecture characterizes the nine-room Narragansett House in the Montclair Highlands Section on Balboa Drive, built as a model home in 1937. Fully furnished by H.C. Capwell’s.
The home opened in February 1937; by the end of the first week, 3,500 had toured the house, and by the end of April 1937, over 25,000 had visited.
The site for the home was selected due to its panoramic view of the San Francisco Bay. The enjoyment of the view played a big part in the design of the house. The living room has a large plate-glass window that frames the San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate.
“Three large bedrooms, two tile baths, an extra lavatory, and games room make a complement of rooms adapted to the needs of the most exacting home seeker.” Oakland Tribune Jan 31, 1937
- Narragansett House
- New England Colonial Style
- 1937
- 5946 Balboa Drive
- Earl R. MacDonald – Architect
- Emge & Stockman – Sales Agents
The house last sold in 2020 for $ 1.5 million.
The Windsor Display Home
Phil Hearty announced the opening of The Windsor Display Home in Montclair Highlands on April 18, 1937. Fitch Robertson was the builder.
Tomorrow’s Home Today
Tomorrow’s Home Today was the first Oakland Home constructed under the Precision Built system, and it opened in December 1939. It is located at the corner of Balboa and Colton Boulevard in Montclair Highlands, with a sweeping view of the San Francisco Bay.
Montclair Realty Company sold the home.
“The walls and ceilings were built with Homasote, the oldest and strongest insulating and building board on the market. The walls were prefabricated by the Precision-Built process in the shop of a local mill under standards of exacting accuracy, which ensure tight joints, freedom from sagging, and permanently crack-proof walls and ceilings”. Oakland Tribune Jan 21, 1940
- Tomorrow’s Home Today
- John Wagenet – Architect
- Mac Jordon – Builder
- Arthur Cobbledick – Landscaper
- Opened December 1939
- 5500 Balboa Drive –
