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.
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 the 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
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
Due to the interest in Melrose Highlands, CP Murdock set up a bus system to bring potential buyers to the site and for the residents.
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 at 6886 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 then that school was renamed the Charles Burckhalter School. Oakland Tribune, May 10, 1969.
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
The W.E. Adams home on Earl Street
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.
The Willard Booth Home – Earl Street
Croup Cured – by the Warm Climate of Melrose Highlands
Mrs. W. Booth – Jan 1926
Moved from San Francisco
Homes and Life in Melrose Highlands
Many New Homes
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 the 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
You can see the store both the upper and lower articles
More Melrose Highlands Homes
The article below 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.
More on Melrose Highlands
- In Melrose Highlands – Oakland Tribune Jan 31, 1926
- Large Sales in Melrose are Reported – Oakland Tribune May 02, 1926
- Own Homes in Melrose Highlands – Oakland Tribune April 24, 1927
To be continued with the next phase of homes built in the 1930s to 1940s
