Pinehaven - A Bit of History

Early Montclair, Neighborhoods, Real Estate, Tract or Subdivisions

A Log Cabin in Pinehaven

Posted on August 11, 2024August 11, 2024 by Dorothy Londagin

Growing up, I heard stories about Montclair having summer homes that belonged to the rich people of San Francisco and a few cabins that belonged to hunters. This is what I found.

In 1922, few people outside the hikers of the Contra Costa Hills Club knew much about Pinehaven and its beautiful canyon. Pinehaven has all the characteristics of the most picturesque parts of Marin County. Roads have now been opened up. The property was initially laid out as Upper Piedmont, but the owners changed the plans and decided to put it on the market for those who want summer home cabins close to downtown and transportation.

Pinehaven is located in Montclair.

Lawrence Block of the Villa Site Sales Company was in charge of the sale of the property, and Block said:

“Pinehaven is a summer home colony with its pretty cottages and cabin homes nestling in the side-hills, overlooking canyons and within twenty minutes from City Hall. You awaken in the morning to the song of the birds refreshed and full of vigor and imagine you have traveled a hundred miles to the wilds of some distant state.“

This was Villa Site Sales Company’s first big sale, offering it at mortgage prices. The sale price was as low as $175.00. More than 50 cabins and cottages were being planned. Pinehaven went on sale on April 9, 1922.

Lots of Building

Building Bungalows in Foothill Canyons

Cabin Sites of 1/4 acre each sold for $85 to $385 each with payments of $2.00 a month.

John’s Family

Pitch a TeePee

Pinehaven Colony

“In a rustic setting of ferns and pines and little streams among rolling hills is located Pinehaven” Oakland Tribune

Log Cabins

6466 Pinehaven Road was advertised as a “Log Cabin” in 1946, 1956, and 1980. There is no picture avaiable online for this home. I will have to venture into the world and check it out myself.

I believe this is one of the Log Cabins. It is advertised as being built in 1890, but I doubt it. It is located at 7135 Pinehaven Rd, close to Broadway Terrace.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/7135-Pinehaven-Rd-Oakland-CA-94611/24818860_zpid/

Another possibility might be this log cabin on Heather Ridge Way. Built in 1922, it is in the correct time frame.

“The log cabin harmonizes seamlessly with the natural surroundings, inviting you to step into a world where old-world charm meets modern comfort. The rustic, cozy living/dining room has preserved the cabin’s historic appeal.” Redfin.com

More Info:

Pinehaven Goes On Sale – Oakland Tribune April 8, 1922
Summer Homes in City Limits – Oakland Tribune April 9, 1922
Pinehaven Looms As Summer Colony – The Oakland Post Enquirer April 29, 1922

The End

I did a blog on this before, but it was messed up when transferring my site.

Advertisment, History

Montclair is…

Posted on April 17, 2022April 22, 2024 by Dorothy Londagin

The Birth of Montclair

The 1920s were economic boom years in the United States and California.

Economic growth was fueled by the general post–World War I recovery and oil discoveries in Los Angeles and, most notably, the automobile’s widespread introduction.

Oakland expanded during the 1920s, flexing enough to meet the influx of factory workers.

Between 1921 and 1924, 13,000 new homes were built in Oakland, more than 1907-1920.

Many of the large downtown office buildings, apartments, and single-family houses still standing were built during the 1920s, reflecting the architectural styles of the time.

Moraga Road District

After running a contest in Oakland Tribune in 1919, Montclair was the name given to the new area. You can read more about that here: Sunalta or Montclair?

Montclair Opens

Oakland_Tribune_Wed__Jun_30__1920_ — **1920**

They sold $460,000 worth of property in Montclair during the first year.

Her First Birthday

Where is Montclair?

Oakland_Tribune_Sun__Jun_7__1925_ — **The Montclair of the 1920’s – Oakland Tribune**

Today, Montclair covers a much larger area. It includes the neighborhoods (or tracts) of Pinehaven, Merriewood, Fernwood, Glenwood Glade, Forest Park, Montclair Highlands, and Piedmont Pines.

During the first years of the 1920s, much money and effort went into selling property in Oakland, whether through free houses or lot giveaways or providing car service to the sites from downtown (just 15 minutes away). The Realty Syndicate even provided buses ( see The First Bus lines in Oakland ).

I thought I would show you some clever ads from the Oakland Tribune and the San Francisco Chronicle.
In the months leading up to the day Montclair went on sale, they ran small teaser-type ads all through the paper.

Teaser Ads

What is Montclair?

Armistice Day 1920 in Montclair

Oakland_Tribune_Wed__Nov_10__1920_ — **Oakland Tribune**

The End

Homes

Old Timers Recall

Posted on March 16, 2022May 30, 2023 by Dorothy Londagin

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

**212 Glenwood Glade** – **Today, google** **maps**

More Info:

Robert Darmsted – The Union October 4, 2007
Douglass Darmsted – The Sacramento Bee July 2017
6515 Pinehaven – Zwillow
1011 Leo Way – Realtor.com
212 Glenwood Glade – REDFIN

The End

History

1937 Fire – Upper Broadway Terrace

Posted on July 22, 2019September 29, 2025 by Dorothy Londagin

Updated Sept 2025

Wow, the above headline is sensational at its best.

A fast-moving brush fire that destroyed at least four homes in Oakland threatened at least 50 more homes in the area of Pine Needle Road and Upper Broadway Terrace. This was on September 25, 1937.

The photo below was taken at the height of the blaze, but before the fire jumped Tunnel Road.

Families Flee

Oakland’s civilian defense police knocked on doors to tell the residents of Broadway Terrace, Upper Montclair, and Piedmont Pines to evacuate.

Their families fled their homes in fear; others who sought to save their belongings were ordered out by the firefighters.

Big Trees Burn

The fire started close to the home of Police Inspector Jesse Jackson at 6019 Pinewood Road at around 3 pm on September 25, 1937, possibly due to someone burning trash in their yard.

During the first six hours, the fire had burned across the western edge of the Pinehaven district, up Broadway Terrace to a point just below Skyline Blvd., and then back down another canyon to the west.

Flames burned through acre upon acre of brush and climbed up into the tops of pine and eucalyptus trees.

Hoselines Burned

Several hundred feet of hose laid across brush to ease the link from the pumps to the fire area were destroyed by flames. Lack of water was a problem; they had used up all the water in the reservoirs (tanks) in the immediate area.

The abnormally high temperature, combined with the heat of the flames, made it difficult to fight the fire.

**Oakland Post Enquirer, Sept 27, 1937**

Eyewitness Accounts

C.F. Humphrey – 13025 Broadway Terrace

Mrs. Marguerite Risley – 6493 Farralone Way

Homes Lost or Damaged

Homes Destroyed

6142 Ruthland Road
6539 Gwin Road
15030 Broadway Terrace

**“The photo at left shows the flames encircling the little summer home Ted Gould on Broadway Terrace. A few minutes later it had been engulfed.” Oakland Tribune, Sept 26, 1937**

Homes Damaged

16060 Broadway Terrace
17014 Broadway Terrace
17044 Broadway Terrace
17050 Broadway Terrace
6142 Pinewood Road

Arrest

The fire started when a “backyard bonfire” got out of control. An Oakland music teacher was arrested the Monday after the fire for burning trash in his home at 6064 Mountain Blvd. He stated the fire got out of hand and spread up the canyon towards Skyline Blvd.

The music teacher was charged with a misdemeanor and was freed on $100 bail after explaining to the court that he did not know he needed a permit. He also said, “a sudden gust of wind spread the fire.”

Later, the court suspended his sentence and the $100 fine, as it did not believe he had set the fire intentionally, but rather due to carelessness. The teacher was put on probation for 180 days.

1929 Fire

There was a fire in November 1929 in the same area. Some of the same homes were damaged at that time. The Powers home at 6142 Ruthland Road was damaged in 1929, only to be destroyed by fire in 1937. The Albright home at 16060 Broadway Terrace was damaged in both fires.

More Info:

Flames Sear Path In Oakland – Oakland Post Enquirer Sept 27, 1937
Music Teacher Arrested – Oakland Tribune, Sept 27, 1937
Man Who Started the Fire – SF Chronicle Oct 30, 1937

Tag: Pinehaven