A Bit of History

The Rabbit Hole

Posted on April 23, 2018July 18, 2019 by oaklanddots

I started this blog because I have collected so much information on the history of Oakland that I couldn’t wait to share. Posting in Facebook groups isn’t the best outlet for me. I love sharing what I know and reading what others share. But things get lost on Facebook.

So with the help of my dear friend Phil (setup and how to), I got started and I was off running, well sort of. This should be easy I say to myself because, in my mind, I had already laid out actual pages and everything I wanted to say.

But it wasn’t.

I tend to get bogged down in the details. I worry about not getting my facts correct. It is hard for me to find a happy medium between too much and too little. So, this is a work in progress, so bear with me.

Down The Hole, I Go

But I have digressed from the topic of this post. Often when researching one thing you find something else that has nothing to do with what you are looking for, but it piques your interest. That happens to me a lot.

You might know this as the “Internet rabbit hole” you know when you try to research one thing, and then accidentally go to Wikipedia, and then you are trying to find out what happened to Jimmy Hoffa? That is it in a nutshell.

One rabbit hole I get sucked into often is I will see a picture like this one and want to know more about it.

Oakland_Tribune_Sun__Apr_2__1911_ (1) — Oakland Tribune Apr. 02, 1911

Location
Is it still there?

Those two things can be very hard as sometimes the location is very vague and wrong. Sometimes the location is correct in the form of an address right below the picture. When looking up the location I am also curious as to who the house was being built for, were they famous or rich, maybe both?

I have compiled a lot of these pictures of newly built houses. I decided to create a map using Google Maps. The map I have created is called “What was there or still is… Oakland California”. I have already added lots of the homes that I have found while down in the rabbit hole.

What was there or still is… Oakland California

Description of the Map

Some from long ago and long gone, but some still there. Based on clippings, newspapers, and photos. May not be accurate as address numbers have changed and locations were often vague.

Maroon – Still there
Black – Gone
Yellow – Landmark
Green – Berkeley
Purple – Piedmont
Red – Questions – researching

Here is a link to the map. Click on it to see. Please feel free to share it.

I still have lots of pages in the works just have to get myself out of this hole.

This might help explain Rabbit Hole.

Uncategorized

The History Bug Strikes

Posted on September 16, 2017July 22, 2019 by oaklanddots

I grew up in the Montclair District in Oakland. I moved there in early 1972 after my Mom remarried. We moved into a four-story home that my step-father had built pretty much by himself.

In 1983 my ex-husband and I were hired by the Montclair Presbyterian Church (where I went as a young child) as custodians. We moved into the house the church owned next to the Sanctuary.

It was at church that I started to get the history bug. I found out that the church had celebrated its 50^th Aniversary in 1980. I was amazed that the church had been there so long, the same as the house we lived in which was built in about 1927.

In about 1985 or so I went on a walking tour of the Fernwood neighborhood put on by the Oakland Heritage Alliance. From then on it was my mission to find out more about the history of Montclair and Oakland.

First blog post

East Oakland, History, Oakland, West Oakland

Backyard Fence War

Posted on August 20, 2019 by oaklanddots

In June of 1965 the Oakland Housing Authority (OHA) began what was called a “Beautification Program”.

Under the housing authority’s plan, fenced in yards were to be removed and replaced with turfed areas in the following projects:

According to the tenants of the Peralta Villa housing projects in West Oakland, they first heard about the program when the a group of boys from the Alameda County Central Labor Council (funded by a grant from the War on Poverty) started demolishing the backyard fences and flower gardens.

The fences were removed, Housing Authority officials say, as the first step in a program of “beautification”

The tenants were really angry because some had paid the OHA for the fences and planted their gardens. No advance notice was given – the workers just started tearing everything up.

They Organize

The War on Poverty ran into a major obstacle this week – the War on Poverty
Oakland Tribune June 30, 1965

As a part of the War on Poverty‘s a work-study program was funded to provide the salaries of University of California students to work with the tenants .

The students worked with the residents of Lockwood Gardens to help them develop a sense of community identity and to learn how to help themselves.

It was these students that encouraged the tenants to form the Lockwood Improvement League .

The program funded by the War on Poverty the same people funding the “Beautification Program” and removing their fences.

The tenants of Peralta Villas met at Cole school and formed the Peralta Improvement League. Thirty tenants volunteered to form their own “human fence” they wrote up a list of demands and began their fight to save their gardens.

Stop tearing down the remaining fences
Rebuild the fences already taken down
Reimburse the tenants whose private property was destroyed
Consult the tenants first before doing any further work

The labor for the “Beautification Program” was provided by the Alameda County Labor Council through a grant from the War of Poverty.

Lockwood Gardens

The OHA decided to on June 25, 1965 to “beautify” the projects. They started with Lockwood Gardens.

The people of Lockwood Gardens newfound sense of community identity was outraged.

Each of the thirty- plus dwelling units in Lockwood Gardens had its own yard and most had fences. Some had lawns and some had shrubs and flowers.

The enclosed yards gave the tenants a sense of individuality, security, and pride.

All backyard fences would come out, the lawns, shrubs and flowers would be dug out. A common turf area without fences would replace individual yards.

They had been using my yard as adverstiment for years.
Jim Sorenson 1137 65th Ave – Oakland Tribune

They were also upset by the lack of advance warning. They got 200 signature in favor of keeping the fences.

The Lockwood Gardens tenants were all for beautification but not at the expense of their backyards. One tenant was upset because he had just rebuilt his fence. Not all the tenants of the tenants took care of yards or kept their fences in repair. But they felt the OHA could work it out with those tenants.

The Protests

The tenants of both Peralta Villa and Lockwood Gardens protested and managed to halt or limited the amount of work that could be done at either of the projects.

The OHA laid out a new backyard fence policy “Residents must keep their backyards neat and in repair; no new fences could be installed; no satisfactory fence will be torn down now, but eventual elimination of all fenced areas can be expected”

In August of 1965 the OHA board voted to poll each family of Campbell Village, Lockwood Gardens and Peralta Villa if they want a fence. Everyone was to be asked even the people who lived in the 2nd floor. There was a total of 916 total units in the three projects.

The tenants were given 2 choices in the questions asked :

It appears to be a lower-the-cost- maintenance program
The Pro-Fence group leader

In July 1966 all the fences had been removed and the place looked like a dump reported one tenant. The lawn was dead in most places as it wasn’t being watered.

The End

Buildings, Oakland, People

First Framed House in Oakland

Posted on August 12, 2019 by oaklanddots

Oakland in the Days When Oaks Were Here and the Peralta’s Owned all the Land
Oakland Tribune Feb 1891

The house was located at N. E. corner east Eighth Street and Fourth Avenue, East Oakland. The address was first 202 East Ninth Street. East Ninth Street was later renamed East Eight Street and house was renumbered from 202 to 404. The final address was 404 East Eight Street.

From the 1884 directory

From the 1912 Directory

Oakland Tribune May 01, 1932

In Search of Gold

The lure of the gold drew Moses Chase and his son George to California in 1849. They sailed from Boston on aboard the Capitol on a 176-day voyage. He hoped to make his fortune panning for gold, then return home to marry Mary Ellen Clinton. They had no luck at finding gold and soon they found themselves back on the coast.

Chase then became the first white man to settle in Oakland and he first camped at the foot of what is now Broadway, in 1849.

He then leased land from the Peralta Family just east of what is now Lake Merritt. the land later became part of Township of Clinton which later became a part of Oakland.

The Cabin

It was on this land he built a small cabin of 14 feet wide and 24 feet, from ship timbers, driftwood and rough boards. He intended to bring his new bride back to California from Boston and live in the cabin. But she died before he arrived back home to marry her. The Township of Clinton was named in her honor.

In 1856 the front part was added. This would become the main section of the house. Over the years other alternations and additions expanded the cabin into a two-story building of 17 rooms during its 86-year occupancy by Chase, his son and his grandson. The original section, after standing intact until 1936 when it was cut in half and became the laundry room.

Bancroft Library – Jesse Brown Cooke Scrapbook
http://ark.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/tf7k40107n 
BANC PIC 1996.003:Volume 27:089–fALB
I0051808a.tif

As you see in the photograph, the house is in first class condition today, October 5, 1928. Photo taken by Jesse B. Cook and Joseph A. Murray.

Bancroft Library – Jesse Brown Cooke Scrapbook
http://ark.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/tf3f59p0hs 
BANC PIC 1996.003:Volume 27:090–fALB
I0051809a.tif

See: While Oakland was Finding its Place on the Map of the World – Oakland Tribune May 01, 1932

First Settler Laid to Rest

The Oldest Inhabitant has Gone to Rest

Chase spent the later years of his life a near recluse on Bay Farm Island, but he died in the family home February 17, 1891 at the age of 84. He was laid to rest at the Mountain View Cemetery.

A Wedding Takes Place

In May of 1925 Albert B. Chase was married in the same room he was born in 45 years before. Albert was the son of George Chase (1841-1919) the only child of Moses Chase.

At the time of his wedding Albert was the only surviving member of the Chase family. His older brother had died in 1924 and his sister in 1925.

Oakland 80th Birthday

In honor of Oakland’s 80th Birthday in May of 1932 the Clinton Improvement Association erected a sign on the home noting its historical significance. Oakland Tribune Apr 07, 1932

Razing the Old Home

In 1946 workman from the Symon Brothers Wrecking Company started razing the “old Chase home” a small rear portion of which was the original cabin to which Chase built in 1849.

Through three generations the old home continued at the family residence, until in 1936 Albert died. Albert’s widow sold the home to Guido Pacini, a trucking contractor. Pacini graded the adjoining lot for his trucking business. The old home was completing renovated and was use as a residence, most recently the home of Picini’s daughter and her husband.

Cook Brothers Equipment Distributors began a 10 year lease of old homestead after it was cleared. Oakland Tribune July 02, 1946

**Showing the 404 East 8th Street in 1951 – Sanborn Map**

The End

Business, Early Montclair, Montclair, Real Estate

Montclair Realty – Pioneers of the Hills

Posted on August 5, 2019 by oaklanddots

In 1924 brothers Paul and Herman Pause formed Montclair Realty Co. Before that Paul worked for the Realty Syndicate.

The business district of Montclair looked like this when Montclair Realty was formed. Cos. Williams a builder was the only other business at that time.

Sales offices of real estate broker and home builder Cos Williams
in the undeveloped Montclair circa 1925
Photo by Cheney Photo Advertising
Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.

In 1932 they moved into their new offices at 6466 Moraga Avenue. The building was occupied by B. Brooks another real estate agent. The building is still standing in 2019.

6466 Moraga Avenue – 2019

Montclair Highlands

Montclair Highlands “All the World No View Like his”

In 1928 Montclair Realty was the developer and selling agents for a new tract behind the business district of Montclair. One of the first homes was the “Model View Home” built in 1928. Please see my page on this – The Highest Home in Oakland

10th Anniversary

In the 1934 Montclair Realty celebrated their 10th anniversary. During this time they specialized in the development of the Montclair area. Oakland Tribune 1934

They worked on the following tracts:

Fernwood
Montclair Acres
Montclair Estates
Montclair Highlands

They opened Piedmont Uplands a new tract along Moraga Avenue at Maxwelton Road. The land was owned by the Henry Maxwell family who ran a dairy called Maxwelton Farm. Before that is was the picnic grounds of Blair Park.

Montclair in 1937

Below is an aerial of Montclair’s business district in 1937. – Oakland Tribune Jul 18, 1937

In 1936 Paul Pause was the President of the Montclair Improvement Club for 1937. – Oakland Tribune Dec 12,1936

13th Anniversary

In 1937 Paul Pause announced that Montclair Realty Company had a new home. The new two-story building was designed by Harvey Slocombe in true Spanish style, complete with patio and tile roof. Howard Gilkey designed the garden.

Dramatically different the Pent House Model home brings to you “Ideas of 1938” in colorful interior finishes and modern furnishings. – Oakland Tribune 1937

**Montclair Realty Staff and Pent House Living Room 1936 vd**

**New Montclair Realty Office – Oakland Tribune 1937**

The building was demolished in 1961 to make room for the expansion the Standard Station next door.

Silver Anniversary – 1949

Paul Pause was a founding member of the Montclair Improvement Club. He was a member of the Oakland Chamber of Commerce residential committee and its highway and transportation committee. He was also a member of the Commonwealth Club.

Death and New Owners

Paul Pause died in 1950. He was an important figure in the development of Montclair since the beginning.

Lucille Chasnoff purchased the company some time after Pause died in 1950. John Mallett purchased the company from her.

New Office in 1954-56

In 1954 a new office building was built at 2084 Mountain Blvd. Montclair Realty offices were on the ground floor. It was the only office building that had its own off-street parking. The offices featured gold walls with charcoal woodwork with built in desks and partitions. In 2019 a brand new building replaces the old and outdated Montclair Realty Office Building.

**2084 Mountain Blvd – Google Maps 2011**

Different Logos –

Free Map

The End

Montclair, Uncategorized

Rock Concerts – Montclair Park

Posted on August 1, 2019August 1, 2019 by oaklanddots

**Montclair Recreation Center 6300 Moraga Avenue Oakland, CA**

The bands were not obscure, but rather the sort of bands that headlined local clubs or played third on the bill at the Fillmore West.

In the early 1970s the Montclair Recreation Center held bi-weekly rock concerts. The shows were co-sponsored by the Center and the Montclair Junior Women’s Club.

Admission was a $1.00 to $1.50

Not sure why the concerts stopped but they did in the middle of 1972.

**From the Forgotten Montclair Group Facebook**

I found the advertisements for the concerts in the “Wednesday “Teen Age” and the “What’s doing…where…” sections of the Oakland Tribune.

The Concerts lasted until the fall of 1972.

Sample section from the Oakland Tribune

I commend the leaders of the recreation center for doing this. I can imagine a lot people in Montclair did not like the idea at.

I was alive and living in Montclair during this timeframe . But, I have no memory of them. I know I would have enjoyed going to them.

Speaking of memories there lots of locals who remember bigger named bands playing there, I don’t doubt them just can’t locate any info on them.

The Concerts

This is not all of them but most of them. A couple concerts were held at Montera Jr High.

September 06, 1968 – Two Teen Rock Groups
June 13, 1970 – Artichoke Jones – Summer Festival
June 26, 1970 – Fox Glove & Leviticus – Montera Jr High
July ??, 1970 – Backwater Rising – Montera Jr High
August 15, 1970 – Loveship *
August 22, 1970 – Cookin Mama and Rags *
August 30, 1970 – Loveship * back again
September 5, 1970 – Crystal Garden *
September 19, 1970 – The Tyde *
October 3, 1970 – Frontier Constabulary
October 10, 1970 – The Fog *
October 24, 1970 – AB Skhy *
October 31,1970 – Loading Zone featuring Linda Tillery *
November 7, 1970 – Loading Zone featuring Linda Tillery *
November 14, 1970 – Loveship *
November 21, 1970 – Beggar’s Opera *
November 28, 1970 – Joy of Cooking
December 5, 1970 – Little John featuring John Hart*
New Year’s Eve – Little John featuring John Hart*
January ??, 1971 – Barry Melton and the Fish
January 9, 1971 – Loading Zone
January 23, 1971 – Commander Cody *
January 23, 1971 – Boz Scaggs
January 30, 1971 – Joy of Cooking *
February 6, 1971 – Tyde *
February 11, 1971 – Loading Zone featuring Linda Tillery – Skyline High
February 13, 1971 – Little John featuring John Hart *
February 20, 1971 – John Hooker Group *
February 27, 1971 – Cat Mother *
March 13, 1971 – Full Moon (formerly The Womb)
March 20, 1971 – Loading Zone featuring Linda Tillery
March 27, 1971 – Pipe *
April 17, 1971 – Little John featuring John Hart *
April 24, 1971 – Western Addition with John Celona
May 1, 1971 – Ice Band *
May 8, 1971 – Barry Melton and The Fish *
May 15, 1971 – Cat Mother*
May 22, 1971 – Loading Zone with Linda Tillery *
May 29, 1971 – Gold *
June 05, 1971 – John Lee Hooker
June 12, 1971 – Malo – with Jorge Santana brother of Carlos*
June 23, 1971 – Liquid Heart
June 26, 1971 – Fox Glove & Leviticus – Montera Jr High
July 3, 1971 – Sopwith Camel
July 10, 1971 – Clover *
July 17, 1971 – Little John featuring John Hart “Montclair Favorite“
July 24, 1971 – Gold
September ??, 1971 – Crystal Garden *
September 19, 1971 – Loading Zone
October 2, 1971 – Barry Melton and The Fish
October 16, 1971 – Full Moon *
October 23, 1971 – Jabo Stokes
November 6, 1971 – Cat Mother
November 13, 1971 – Grootna
November 20, 1971 – Loading Zone – featuring Linda Tillery
December 03, 1971 – Malo – with Jorge Santana brother of Carlos*
January 19, 1972 – Gold
February 19, 1972 – Little Sister, Gunn, and Thunderclap
March 04, 1972 – Little John featuring John Hart
April 08, 1972 – Loading Zone –
September 30, 1972 – Anglo Saxon – with John Hart formerly of Little John
November ?? 1972 – Gold

*Green Death did the light show

From the Forgotten Montclair Group – Their light shows were essentially two shallow glass bowls, placed on an overhead projector. The bottom bowl held oil and food coloring and the top bowl fitted inside it, allowing them to squish the colors around in kaleidoscopic patterns. They set up their equipment and chairs on top of a table in the back of the room where the band played. Despite the low-tech process, their light shows were very cool and added a lot to the atmosphere of the rock concerts.

The End

History, Montclair, Oakland

1937 Fire – Upper Broadway Terrace

Posted on July 22, 2019July 24, 2019 by oaklanddots

A brush and timber fire that destroyed at least four Oakland hill area homes and menaced at least 50 more burned in the area of Pine Needle Road and Upper Broadway Terrace and came close to the buildings of the new Broadway Low-Level tunnel (Caldicott Tunnel). This was on September 25, 1937.

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

Families Flee

Scores of families fled their homes in fear; others who sought to save the belongings were ordered out by fireman.

**Mrs. G.H. Cowles with Eunice and Hazel Cowles**
**of 6142 Pinewood Road**

**The W.R Powers Family lost their home at 6142 Ruthland Road.**

**Edith Thorpe 6, holds her pet Rhode Island Red Hen**

Burned Area

The fire started close to the home of Police inspector Jesse Jackson at 6019 Pinewood Road at around 3 pm September 25, 1937. 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 back down another canyon to the west.

The fire chief estimated the fire burned over 9 square miles of rolling hill county.

Hose lines Burned

Several hundred feet of hose laid across brushy areas to link the pumps to the fire area were destroyed by flames. Lack of water was a problem, they had used up all the water in reservoirs in the immediate area.

Eyewitness Accounts

C.F. Humphrey – 13025 Broadway Terrace

Mrs. Marguerite Risley – 6493 Farralone Way

Homes Lost or Damaged

15030 Broadway Terrace – Ted Gould – gone
16060 Broadway Terrace – S. Albright – damaged
17014 Broadway Terrace – Ed Pohley – damaged
17044 Broadway Terrace – S. Sund – damaged
17050 Broadway Terrace – S.C. Purser – damaged
6539 Gwin Road – V. Sagues -damaged
6142 Pinewood Road – G. H. Cowles – damaged
6142 Ruthland – W.R. Powers – gone

Fire Started –

The fire started when a “backyard bonfire” got out of control.

1929 Fire

There was a fire in November of 1929 in just about the same area. Some of the same homes were damaged then. The W.R. Powers home was saved in 1929 only to burn down in 1937.

1933 Fire

The was a fire in 1933 with the loss of one home at 7135 Pinehaven Road.

The End

East Oakland, Fruitvale, Montclair

1933 – Oakland Hills Fire

Posted on July 18, 2019 by oaklanddots

The fire started in the Redwood Road area and raced through to Sequoia Park (Joaquin Miller Park) and down Dimond Canyon and also spread some into Shepard Canyon.

The fire which began around 7 am on November 13, 1933, swept through the East Oakland Hills, burning a man to death, injuring two others and destroying at least a dozen homes. It was under control by 2 pm.

The municipal zoo in Sequoia Park (now Joaquin Miller Park) was surrounded by a ring of flames as the fire approached the animal cages. The zookeeper’s we preparing to shoot the animals, the fire stopped just 100 yards from the cages.

‘The Abbey’ is Spared

The flames spread through the homestead of the late Joaquin Miller and destroyed the home of Miller’s late mother, which was occupied his widow who was 83. Many of her treasures were lost, but she escaped. The historic Abbey was saved!

Shift in Wind

AT 9:20 am the fire was fast approaching the Sequoia Riding Club at 2923 Mountain Blvd. The stable grooms led the frightened horses through the smoke to safely. A shift in wind saves the stables.

Mrs. Abbie L. Miller widow of Joaquin Miller with her niece
Carmela Ward and a couple of the 60 horses she rescued.
Juanita Miller helping fight the fire

Removing the body of Wm J. La Marr who burned to death
All the was left of one hillside home
School boys who left class to fight the flames along Mountain Blvd

List of Homes

The End

Claremont, Estates, People, Rockridge, Tract or Subdivisions

The Pines

Posted on July 17, 2019July 17, 2019 by oaklanddots

“The Pines “ was the beautiful home and the surrounding gardens of Mr. & Mrs. Philip E. Bowles. The home was built in 1910 and it stood at what is now No. 2 Bowling Drive.

Mr. and Mrs P.E. Bowles on a garden path at The Pines

Views of “The Pines”Estate by Gabriel Moulin, ca. 1927 https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/tf0k4006n4/

Land Purchased

In 1909, Philip E. Bowles purchased 51 (58 acres in some publications) acres of land in “Claremont hills” adjoining the Horatio P Livermore Homestead. Bowles was the president of the First National Bank of Oakland and a Regent of the University of California from 1911-22.

The house and grounds had an entrancing view of the bay and all of the surrounding country.

The view from “The Pines”

**The Golden Gate** in **The Distance c 1927**
**Photo By Cheney Photo Advertising**

**Where the Setting Sun Meets the Golden Gate** **c 1927**
**Photo By Cheney Photo Advertising**

The Bowles Home

He signed a contract for the erection of a residence to cost $31,000. The Architect was L.B. Dutton. He engaged an expert landscaper. who designed the grounds of the estate in accordance with Bowles own plans.

**Photo c 1928 Cheney Photo Advertising**

The home was built in the Italian Villa style with twenty-two rooms and a full basement. It had six master bedrooms, dressing rooms, five bathrooms, three sleeping porches, a library, a drawing room and a conservatory .

Inside the home

A Bedroom

Gardens

The home was surrounded a veritable forest filed with quail and dotted with miniature lakes stocked with large rainbow trout and a well stocked bass pond. There was a Japanese Tea garden, with pools containing rare goldfish, golden carp and unusual aquatic plants. There was also a tennis court, a swimming pool, large garage, and a horse stable with a trotting park.

Mr. Bowles purchased from all of the world, he bought the best. The Rhododendrons were especially lovely.

The swimming pool and bathhouse.

A garden path

**Claremont Pines was housing development built around 192**7
**Photo By Cheney Photo Advertising**

Architecture & Engineer

In 1911 the home was featured in January issue of Architecture & Engineer of California Magazine. It states the architect was L.B. Dutton. Architecture & Engineer of California Jan 1911 pg. 204 –

High Society at The Pines

Many dances and social events were held at The Pines.

In 1912 the Bowles daughter Amy married Hiram Johnson Jr. the son of Governor Hiram W. Johnson. The wedding was held at The Pines

The extension grounds surrounding the Bowles mansion were transformed into a fairyland
Oakland Tribune May 30, 1912

Death of P.E. Bowles

On January 20,1926 Philip Bowles died at the age of 67.

Possible Park

The city of Oakland Park board was urged by Mayor Davie to purchase land and home for $700,000^,for a public playground or park. That fell through.

Claremont Pines

In May of 1927, a year after Philip Bowles died, Mrs. Bowles sold the entire estate to a group of men from southern California and they hired the York Company, Inc. of Oakland to handle to development and the sales.

The York company subdivided the land and called it Claremont Pines. The name Claremont Pines came from the nearby district called Claremont and the name of the Bowles Estate .

Claremont Pines Placed on the Market

New Owner

In about 1927 or 1928 Andrew Williams of the Andrew Williams Store, local grocery chain purchase the home which was located at No. 2 Bowling Drive.

After spending two years remodeling and adding new furniture including expensive Persian rugs, Williams put the home up for sale in 1932

Bowles Hall – UC Berkeley

In 1928 in memory of her husband Mrs Bowles donated $250,000 to the University of California to be used to build a dormitory for men, appropriately and completely furnished, on or near the University campus, in Berkeley. The dormitory is known as Bowles Hall.

Announcement of Mary Bowles’ Gift: March 19, 1927

The Wrecking Ball

In 1938 the main house was destroyed by the wrecking and sold off piece by piece. A sad ending to a home that was just 28 years old.

Caretaker House

The was a caretaker house located at front gates of estate. It stood at the portal through the high metal-spiked fence around the estate. The five room bungalow which formally served as the guardian of the estate was used as the tract office from 1928- 1948.

It was at this little cottage where the street car once stopped.

In 1948 the cottage was sold to Charles Ray Jr. of 1028 85th Avenue and he will be placing it on lot next to his.

Photographs

Views of “The Pines” Estate – by Gabriel Moulin, ca. 1927
Claremont Pines – By Cheney Photo Advertising

	Montclair Realty… on Montclair Observation Tower
	10 Overlake Court… on Merriewood
	The Highest Home in… on Montclair Highlands – To…
	oaklanddots on More Early Photos of Mont…
	Nan Greig on More Early Photos of Mont…

Down The Hole, I Go

What was there or still is… Oakland California

They Organize

Lockwood Gardens

The Protests

More on the Beautification Program

The End

In Search of Gold

The Cabin

First Settler Laid to Rest

A Wedding Takes Place

Oakland 80th Birthday

Razing the Old Home

More on Moses Chase

The End

Montclair Highlands

10th Anniversary

Montclair in 1937

13th Anniversary

Silver Anniversary – 1949

Death and New Owners

New Office in 1954-56

Different Logos –

Free Map

The End

The Concerts

The End

Families Flee

Burned Area

Hose lines Burned

Eyewitness Accounts

Homes Lost or Damaged

Fire Started –

1929 Fire

1933 Fire

The End

‘The Abbey’ is Spared

Shift in Wind

List of Homes

More on the Fire

The End

Land Purchased

The Bowles Home

Gardens

Architecture & Engineer

High Society at The Pines

Death of P.E. Bowles

Possible Park

Claremont Pines

Claremont Pines Placed on the Market

New Owner

Bowles Hall – UC Berkeley

The Wrecking Ball

Caretaker House

More on The Pines:

Photographs

The End