Eight charming five-room homes of Spanish and Mission architecture were built by Willis F. Lynn on Nicol Avenue. Five of the homes were sold before they were completed. The last three went on sale June 14, 1925.
Oakland Tribune June 14, 1925
Each house has:
Breakfast room or nook
Dining room with built-in buffet
laundry room
Hardwood floors throughout
Automatic water heaters
Seperate garage
Priced at $5950.00 in 1925.
Oakland Tribune June 14 , 1925Lynn Homes Nicol Ave today – Google MpasNicole Avenue today – Google maps2639 Nicol Avenue – today Google Maps
Lynn Homes on Best Avenue
Oakland Tribune Nov 15, 1925
Another group of homes went on sale November 15, 1925. Located on Best Avenue between Brookdale and Trask. The homes have an attractive and varied style of architecture.
Each of homes has six-rooms, garage and laundry room.
Melrose Highland is the area off of Keller Avenue to the King Estates Open Space and over to Field Street and up to Crest Avenue – The area is now called Eastmont Hills.
Melrose Highlands to Open
In June of 1925 preliminary construction work on a new track, called Melrose Highlands was nearly finished and ready to open.
Oakland Tribune 1925
Melrose Highlands is a part of the ‘old Houston ranch” (have to find out more about Houston) and a portion of the property was used by the National Guard as a rifle range ( see my blog here). It lies between Leona Heights and Sequoia Country Club and the Upper San Leandro filter plant (7700 Greenly Drive) on west side.
The tract opened on July 19, 1925
C.P. Murdock was the developer of the tract and the sales agents for Melrose Highlands.
The Tract Office –
Looking up Earl Street towards Keller Avenue
Oakland Tribune 1925
A group of 12 homes was almost complete. Oakland Tribune – July 26, 1925
Display Home Opens
On opening day a display home was ready to be toured.
FOR THE WORKINGMAN
In Melrose Highlands we are going to give the working man a chance to get the sort of house to which he has long looked for
states C.P. Murdock, Inc. – Oakland Tribune – July 12, 1925
3 Offers to pick from
House and homesite complete – $100 down and $1 a day.
Homesite and material for a house – $50 down and 75c. a day
Homesite – $25 down and 50c.a day
Transportation
Oakland Tribune 1926
Due to the interest in Melrose Highlands CP Murdock set up a a bus system to bring potential buyers to the site and for the residents.
Oakland Tribune Jan 15, 1926
New School for Melrose Highlands
In 1923 the “Columbia Park School” was built on Sunkist Drive. It was next to the home of Susie Thompson and her husband Roy who lived at6886 Sunkist Drive.
Mrs. Thompson was the custodian of the one room school building for three years, when only 14 families lived in the area.
The school was later destroyed in a high wind, was replaced by a new school (down the street) and later that school was renamed the Charles Burckhalter School. Oakland Tribune May 10, 1969.
Oakland Tribune Aug 30, 1925
Obituary for the custodian of Columbia Park School – May 10, 1969
The First Resident – Earl Street
In September of 1925 Anton J. Krajnc moved into his new home with his wife and daughter. This was his first time buying a home.
It’s Paying Me To Live In Melrose Highlands
A.J. Krajnc
Oakland Tribune Sept 1925
From the 1928 Directory – 234 in now 7957
Oakland Tribune Oct 01 1925
We have a baby girl just learning to walk and this is going to be a fine place for her to run around and grow up.
The new of William E. Adams on Earl Street. Their home was located at lot No. 232 which is now 7941 Earl Street , but the houses don’t look the same.
From the 1928 Directory
The Willard Booth Home – Earl Street
Croup Cured – by the Warm Climate of Melrose Highlands
Mrs. W. Booth – Jan 1926
Oakland Tribune Jan 17, 1926
1927 Oakland Directory – Anderson Street is now Keller Avenue
Willard Booth Home – 7908 Earl Street
Moved from San Francisco
Oakland Tribune Jan 31, 1926
House similar to the A.De Backer home
Homes and Life in Melrose Highlands
Oakland Tribune Apr 1926Oakland Tribune Aug 29, 1926
Many New Homes
Oakland Tribune Jan 1927
New Store
In January 1927 new store was opened by John G. Koch. The store was located in the 7979 Macarthur (give or take a few numbers). The building was later in way of the construction of the MacArthur Freeway (580).
We have a fast-growing community here, and as fine a place to live as any could want
J. Koch, the first grocer in Melrose Highlands
Oakland Tribune 1927 – Shows the new store
You can see the store both the upper and lower articles
Oakland Tribune 1927
Oakland Tribune Jan 1917
More Melrose Highlands Homes
Oakland Tribune 1927
The below article shows the progress of Melrose Highlands as of June 1926. The streets with the most homes are Earl Street, Winthrope Street, Keller Avenue and Greenly Drive.
I have shared a few of the photos from an album entitled “Lakeshore Highlands” thatwas prepared for Frederick Law Olmsted who was hired by Walter H. Leimert .
The album is from the archives of Olmsted at the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Siteand Courtesy of the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service.
Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903) is recognized as the founder of American landscape architecture and the nation’s foremost parkmaker. Olmsted moved his home to suburban Boston in 1883 and established the world’s first full-scale professional office for the practice of landscape design. During the next century, his sons and successors perpetuated Olmsted’s design ideals, philosophy, and influence.
I believe the photos were taken by Cheney Photo Advertising Company.
C 1914 Courtesy of the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.
View Southwest from between Wesley Avenue and Radnor Road – June 1914
Looking at Wesley Avenue and Lakeshore Blvd, Lake Merritt and downtown.
C 1914 Courtesy of the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.
View North Between Excelsior and Beacon Avenues – June 1914
C 1914 Courtesy of the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.
View Northwest from Between Hillgirt Circle and Haddon Road – June 1914
C 1914 Courtesy of the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.
View Southwest towards Haddon Hill – June 1914
You can the see what is now the corner of Lake Park Ave and Grand Avenue. The future home of the Grand Lake Theater.
Looking North from Hillgirt Circle North and Hillgirt Circle South – Haddon Hill – Today Prospect Avenue and Hillgirt Circle – June 1914 –
You can see Santa Clara Avenue, Grand Lake Avenue . The future location of the Grand Lake Theater , Lakeview School and the MacArthur Freeway
C 1914 Courtesy of the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.
Looking Northwest from Haddon Hill Towards Sather Tract Entrance – June 1914
Looking towards the Trader Joe’s parking lot and the Trestle Glen Road. You can see Rand Avenue and Mandana Blvd.
C 1914 Courtesy of the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.
LAKESHORE HIGHLANDS OAKLAND, c 1918 Lake Shore Highlands; Wickham Havens –Sather Tract, formerly –Leimert, Walter H Courtesy of the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.
Map of HADDON HILL c1914 Courtesy of the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.
William Pinkney Toler(1829-1899) and his wife Maria Antonia (1836-1926) owned 330 (349) acres of land in the foothills of Elmhurst. Maria was the daughter of Hermenegildo “Ignacio” Peralta. William and Maria were married in 1853.
The Ranch was on the foothills road between Elmhurst and San Leandro , later known as Foothill Blvd and is now MacArthur Blvd. The ranch was close to both the Talbot Farmand theDunsmuir Home.
Oakland Tribune Oct 08, 1888
Toler Ranch Sold
After her husband’s death Mrs. Toler sold the ranch to the Realty Syndicate for $110,000-$120,000. The land was then subdivided and placed on the market.
Oakland Tribune Mar 26, 1906
SF Call July 30, 1906
Oakland Tribune Jan 1906
Map of Toler Heights – 1907
Shows block and lot numbers, measurements, land ownership, etc. Covers area bounded generally by Stanley Rd. [i.e. Ave.], Wise [i.e. 99th] Ave., Foothill [i.e. MacArthur] Blvd., and Hillcrest Ave. [i.e. Seneca St.]. Panel title: Map of Toler Heights, Elmhurst, Oakland. Oriented with north toward left. Cadastral map. c1907 Historic Maps of the Bay Area – Toler Heights
Opening Day 1907
Toler Heights went on sale in 1907. A group of Investors owned the property and it the Southwest Securities Company was handling the sales for them.
In 1910 the Henderson & Tapscotts Company purchased Toler Heights. The made a lot of improvements to the tract. Opening day in was held on May 22, 1910
Looking towards Thermal Street and 90th Avenue Cheney Photo Advertising Company c1910 Previously sold on eBay
The photo above might be showing the Silva Ranch on Foothill Blvd
In 1922 Rose’s daughter Mary Mulrooney (Mulroony) and her son James still lived on a small piece of the farm on Peralta Street (now Coolidge). I found in 1933 Mary lived at 2844 Georgia Street which is part of small commercial area that Loard’s Ice Cream is today. Mary died in 1933.
From 1933 Directory
2844 Georgia St – Google Maps
Hopkinstown Like City Within a City ;In Oakland
Oakland Tribune
Oakland Tribune Aug 14, 1922
Get a Home — Your Own Buy — Build –Live In Hopkinstown All for $49 First Payment
Oakland Tribune Aug 17, 1922
The fastest growing “small home” community in the state.
Oakland Tribune 1922
Every lot is a GOOD lot, and NO HILLSIDES!
“HopkinsTown” Is the Latest
Oakland Tribune Aug 20, 1922 His home was on Georgia Street
NO MISTAKE! FREE Home Plans
Oakland Tribune Sept 1922
Oakland Tribune Sept 07, 1922
Oakland Tribune Sep 07, 1922
From Bare Ground to Housekeeping in Two Days
Oakland Tribune Sept 14, 1922
Church for Hopkinstown
Oakland Tribune Sept 14, 1922
Oakland Tribune Oct 1922
I didn’t find many homes that were built in Hopkins Town, at least they weren’t advertised. This is area I live in now so I drove around the area trying to locate some of the homes. I did notice a number of small homes on deep lots.
In the late 1950s the unsold Hopkins Town lots were being rezoned for duplexes or apartment building. The large lots zoned for single family homes has long caused the planning department problems.
Oakland Tribune 1959
Today I noticed on Morgan Street there is lots of building going on. They are converting a few of the Hopkins Town Tract “lots’ into duplexes or triplexes.
Allendale Terrace is group of twenty-seven homes built east of High Street on Allendale Avenue. They were built and sold by K.A. Johnson.
Fifteen homes were ready for inspection in 1930. The area is most likely is considered Maxwell Park.
Oakland Tribune May 11, 1930
Twenty -seven unusually beautiful English designed homes. Five, six and seven rooms, basements, furnaces, water heaters and laundry rooms. Close to new schools.
All basements are sufficiently large to provide space for a social hall. The five room homes can be converted to six room homes by completing another room upstairs, the stairways are already built.
Claremont Circle is a real estate development by the E.B. Field Company. It opened in 1935.
Oakland Tribune Sep 1935
Claremont Circle has magnificent panorama view of SF Bay, Golden Gate, Marin County and Mount Tamalpais
Oakland Tribune 1935
Oakland Tribune Sep 1935
Oakland Tribune Sept 1935
Oakland Tribune 1935
Oakland Tribune 1935
The homes of Claremont Circle
Oakland Tribune Aug 1936 38 Sonia Street
Oakland Tribune Sept 1936 No sure of the location
Oakland Tribune Oct 1936 No sure of the location
Wide Horizons Display Home
Oakland Tribune Feb 14, 1937 34 Sonia Street
In February of 1937 the E.B. Field Company held a contest to name their newest display home that opened. The winning name was “Wide Horizons”. The house was located at 34 Sonia Street
The Home of Today is located Claremont Circle a small real estate development by E.B. Fields Co. on Sonia Street. It opened in May of 1937. The address is 58 Sonia Street.
Oakland Tribune Apr 1937 58 Sonia Street
The Home of Today was designed and built by Earl R. MacDonald and Herman A. Schoening
