Old Timers Recall

A bit of history of some of the early residents of Montclair from the 1920s.

The Montclarion

In 1918 Mr. and Mrs. Otto H. Darmsted bought three and a half acres from Villa Site Sales in the Pinehaven Tract for $1800. The land was cleared of pine trees, and the logs were advertised as free giveaways to the buyers to build a log cabin.

The Darmsted’s were married in 1911 and raised five boys in the home on Pinehaven.

The Montclarion 1961
The Montclarion June 15 1960

The Darmsted’s lived at 8 Pinehaven Road, which was later changed to 6515 PInehaven Road. One of their sons lived at 6501 Pinehaven.

6515 PinehavenZillow
The Montclarion 1961

On Leo Way

George and Sadie Davidson and Dellos Miller (Sadie’s brother) jointly purchased a lot on Leo Way in the Glenwood tract of Montclair in 1921. At that time, there were only two other homes in the neighborhood.

The Montclarion

They completed building their home in 1925.

In a 1970 article in Montclarion, Mrs. Davidson said they “really pioneered.” She cooked on a wood stove since they had no gas, phone, or mail delivery. They had to walk down Broadway Terrace to pick up their mail.

They lived at 1011 Leo Way until the mid-1970s, over 50 years.

On Thorn Road

The Montclarion

George and Edith Mullen moved to Montclair in about 1922. When they moved there, Thornhill Drive was still called Thorn Road, and it went straight instead of turning right by the swimming pool like it does today.

The Montclarion

In a letter shared with the Montclarion in 1960, Mrs. Mullen shared that

“Merriewood was a solid mass of trees… planted ages ago so taxes would be on forest land.”

She also said real estate developers planted Thorn Road with Royal Ann cherries and Gouldin Road with apricots.

The Montclarion

They lived at 570 Thorn Road, which was later changed to 6022 Thornhill Drive. George died in 1933, and Edith lived there until the late 1950s. They were the members of Montclair Presbyterian Church, Improvement Club, and Montclair Women’s Club.

I couldn’t find any current photos of 6022 Thornhill. The last time it sold was in 1989.

Glenwood Tract

Glenwood Tract Map
The Glenwood Tract

In 1921, George and Marie Annereau purchased two Glenwood Tract lots that spanned from Glenwood Glade and Duncan Way. Their house at 212 Glenwood Glade was the second one built in the tract. Dave Duncan, for whom Duncan Way was named, was the first. The Duncans live in a tent on their property while they built their home. There was no electricity then, and they cooked on a wood stove. They lived at 132 Duncan Way.

Oakland Tribune Feb 25, 1926

Mr. Annereau was a founding member who helped build the Montclair Improvement Club House at Thorn Road (now Thornhill Drive) and Mountain Blvd. The Montclair Women’s Association ended up buying the clubhouse and used it until the early 1990s.

The Annereau’s created a beautiful garden on their large double lot; each had a separate hothouse. They opened their garden each year for tours, and they had many blue ribbons for their exhibition entries.

Oakland Tribune May 3, 1953
212 Glenwood Glade Today, google maps

More Info:

The End

Thornhill Park

I wish I had more to share about Thornhill Park. I only learned about it by accident when looking into Judge EM Gibson’s home, who lived on a ranch where Thornhill School is now and over to Aspinwall Drive. He lived there in the late 1880s.

The boundaries of Thornhill Park from REDFIN.com

Thornhill Park went on sale in May 1917. The Reality Syndicate handled the sales at first.

Thornhill Park was an area of small farms of 1/4 acre to 1 acre where you could grow your food or raise chickens, as noted in the ad below.

Oakland Tribune May 1917
Oakland Tribune 1922

The home of F.M. Boggs was the home of Judge EM Gibson (more about him later), and after the home of Dr. Mark Emerson, Alameda County Coroner, and now St. Johns Church, is in that location. Approximate location 1707 Gouldin Road

Oakland Tribune
April 1922

By 1922 they were having a “Liquidation Sale” and trying to “close out” the rest of the tract by selling 1/2 acre lots for 66 cents on the $1.00.

It seems Thornhill Park wasn’t a big seller. I noticed it wasn’t advertised as much as any other tracts in Montclair, like Forest ParkMerriewood, or Fernwood, were. 

Later, Phil Hearty, a developer and agent who had an office at 5815 Thornhill for years, took over the sale of the remaining Thornhill Park lot. Now Thornhill Park is part of Forest Park and Montclair Highlands.

Some of the homes in Thornhill Park –

Oakland Tribune April 1922

A September 1919 advertisement for “6-Room Bungalow on One Acre in Beautiful Thornhill Park” located at 650 Thorn Road is now 6116 Thornhill Drive. The Langdon family lived there from about 1923- 1945.

Oakland Tribune Sept 24, 1919

6138 Thornhill Drive is another of the original homes in Thornhill Park. Back in the 1920s, the address was 670 Thorn Road. The Bullard family lived there until the 1990s.

6022 Thornhill Drive, Col. George, and Edith Mullen also moved there in about 1917 when the address was 570 Thorn Road. The Mullen’s played a significant role in the Montclair Women’s Club and Montclair Presbyterian Church.

Oakland Tribune Jul 28, 1943
6067 Aspinwall

For now, this is all I have.

The End