Twenty-Fifth Annual Walking Tours

You can now purchase five tours for the price of four! $20.00 for members and $40.00 for non-members. See below for more information.

Oakland Heritage Alliance proudly celebrates its 25th anniversary with a banner season of summer walking tours during July and August weekends, led by local historians. Savor Oakland’s rich legacy—Claremont Hotel environs, Mountain View Cemetery, ‘Pill Hill’ at its 100th anniversary, gardens on the Kaiser Center Roof and at the Oakland Museum, Chinatown, Waterfront Warehouse district, Montclair, and Oakland Point.

Rediscover oakland’s distinctive places with tour leaders, neighborhood experts, some of whom have been with OHA throughout its long history.

Explore early residential neighborhoods—Oakland’s first suburb and Preservation Park, Jingletown in the Fruitvale, Crocker Highlands, Picardy and Mills Gardens, and "modern" Shefeld Village. Revisit romance in early aviation at Oakland’s North Field, whose history includes Bessie Coleman, Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindberg.

These tours are based in part on the research of the Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, a project of the City of Oakland Planning Department, and the resources of the Oakland History Room, Oakland Main Library.

Reservations are not required for tours, except for the August 28 "Claremont" tour. Please meet at least 15 minutes before the listed time of each tour to allow for registration. Comfortable walking shoes and a hat are recommended; bring water. In case of rain, the tour will be cancelled.

Public Transportation is encouraged. Call BART at 510-465-2278 or AC Transit at 510-817-1717 for information.

Donation: $5 members, $10 general. Sign up for membership or renewal the day of the tour and the tour will be free.

Oakland Airport/North Field

Led by Woody Minor • Meet at the Business Jet Center, 9351 Earhart Rd. Park in the lot across from the building and assemble at the plaque facingits opening. Earhart Road is parallel to Hegenberger Rd., accessible from Swan Way. The Business Jet Center is adjacent to Hangar 1 and is the furthest east of the North Field hangars.

Old Oakland Airport (North Field) was dedicated by Charles Lindbergh and often visited by Amelia Earhart. It is one of the nation’s most historic aviation sites and its original facility—five hangars, an administration building, and a hotel, all built between 1927 and 1929—are largely intact. You may wish to visit the nearby Western Aerospace Museum after the tour. (Adults $7, Seniors $6, Children 6–12 $3)

Mountain View Cemetery

Led by Michael Crowe & Barbara Smith •

Meet at Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Ave.

Take a walk into the past in California’s most historic cemetery to meet some of our state’s early movers and shakers along with monuments that preserve their memory. Charles Crocker, Domingo Ghirardelli, and Samuel Merritt are among those you’ll encounter. A hilly walk.

F.M. "Borax" Smith Estate

Led by Phil Bellman • Meet at the redwood tree, corner of McKinley Ave. and Home Place East (one block off Park Blvd.)

Visit the remnants of Arbor Villa, Francis Marion "Borax" Smith’s palatial estate. Smith founded an international industry ("20-Mule Team Borax"), established the Key Route System, and became one of Oakland’s most famous, colorful entrepreneurs. The tour visits the 9th Avenue palm trees, the Mary R. Smith Cottages and historic houses, including examples by Bernard Maybeck and Julia Morgan. A hilly walk.

Montclair Village

Led by Kathleen diGiovanni • Meet in front of the Montclair Branch Public Library located at 1687 Mountain Blvd. (near the corner of Thornhill Dr. and Mountain Blvd.)

Explore the history and architecture of Montclair Village, Oakland’s vibrant hill community. From the early toll road to the freeways, learn about Montclair’s social, residential and commercial development. Montclair’s distinctive buildings—the fire station, women’s club, recreation center library and more will be featured on this walk. An easy walk, up and down a gentle slope. Wheelchairs not advised.

Produce Market and the Waterfront Warehouse district

Led by Gary Knecht • Meet in front of the Oakland Grill, 3rd and Franklin Streets

Explore the history and architecture of the Oakland Produce Market and nearby warehousing and industrial activities that developed adjacent to the Port of Oakland in the early 20th century.Distinctive new construction complements a fine collection of early utilitarian buildings; some adapted as artists’ studios, restaurants, offices, and lofts while others retain their original uses.

Oakland’s First Suburb and Preservation Park

Led by Dennis Evanosky • Meet at 13th St. and Martin Luther King Way

In 1869, Enoch Pardee built a home at 11th and Castro streets in an area considered "the middle of nowhere." While Oakland’s downtown was just a few blocks away, the area was still undeveloped. Italianate, Queen Anne, Arts & Crafts-style homes appeared across 13th Street. The First Unitarian Church, the Greene Library, Oakland High School and the Chabot Observatory were also in the neighborhood.

Kaiser Center Roof Garden and Oakland Museum of California Garden

Led by Annalee Allen, Chris Patillo and Cathy Garrett • Meet at the 20th St. entrance to the Kaiser Center at 300 Lakeside Dr.

These two Oakland public garden spaces warrant a fresh look. The roof garden, designed by Ted Osmundson, atop the Kaiser Center’s garage, marked a revolutionary advance in corporate sponsored landscape spaces when it opened in 1960. The terraced garden levels of the Oakland Museum, where outdoor sculpture pieces can be found amidst flowering shrubs and ornamental tree specimens, also received nationwide attention in 1969 when that complex opened. Enjoy a lakeside stroll between both of these unique public gardens. (You may wish to visit the Oakland Museum galleries. For more information call 510-238-2200)

Jingletown

Led by Betty Marvin and Susana Villarreal • Meet next to Mary Help of Christians Church, East 9th St. and 26th Ave.

Fruit Vale was first an area of orchards and country estates. In the 1880s Fruit Vale had its "below the tracks" neighborhood of mills, factories and working people’s cottages. By the 1910s the neighborhood had a strong Portuguese community, anchored by Mary Help of Christians Church. In recent decades the close-knit neighborhood has organized for rezoning and community improvements.

Uptown Art Deco

Led by Dean Yabuki • Meet in front of the Mary Bowles Building, 1718 Telegraph Ave.

Oakland’s distinctive 1920s–’30s retail and entertainment district has one of the finest collections of Art Deco and terra cotta buildings on the West Coast. The tour includes the Fox Oakland Theater, Oakland Floral Depot, Paramount Theatre, I. Magnin, and many others. Recent preservation efforts and development proposals will also be highlighted. Make it a day: start with a Paramount tour at 10 am; call 465-6400 for more information.

Chinatown

Led by Ernie Chann • Meet at the fountain of Pacific Renaissance Plaza, Ninth St. between Webster and Franklin

San Francisco’s Chinatown may be a tourist attraction, but Oakland’s is a vital, vibrant economic force, ever changing in social dynamics —and culturally diverse. Learn about this fascinating neighborhood and its evolution to "Asiatown" with many recent immigrants from different countries in Southeast Asia. A brisk walk. Parking under Pacific Renaissance Plaza .

Sheffield Village

Led by Michael Crowe • Meet near the traffic island at the southeast corner of Revere Ave. and Marlow Dr.

Sheffield Village was touted in contemporary descriptions as a place "where color schemes and nature blend in perfect harmony." Designated an Oakland City Historic District, Sheffield Village is a 100-acre enclave of single family houses begun in 1939. The tour will explore the site plan, house styles (maybe even a chance to see some interior floor plans), preservation issues, and whether it lives up to the pre-WW II hype. Mostly flat terrain.

Pill Hill

Led by Annalee Allen • Meet at the GM dealership, corner of Broadway and Hawthorne St., former site of St. Mary’s College.

Tour the fascinating Oakland neighborhood where today’s Alta Bates Summit MedicalCenter, celebrating its centennial year, occupies what was historically known as "Pill Hill". Merritt, Providence, and Peralta Hospitals opened their doors to generations of East Bay residents. The area’s history goes back to a time when prosperous lawyers and judges lived amidst fruit orchards and private schools such as McClure’s Military Academy and the Hopkins Academy.

Oakland Point

Led by Betty Marvin • Meet at Liberty Hall, 1485 8th St. at Chester St.

From the 1860s Oakland Point thrived around the terminus of the first transcontinental railroad. Learn about John Ziegenbein, Father McNally, Lew Hing, Captain Shorey, C.L. Dellums, and the early ethnic groups of West Oakland. Look at technical, economic, and ethical issues in rehabilitating the remarkable 19th century housing stock of this National Register-eligible district.

Crocker Highlands

Led by Dean Yabuki • Meet at Mandana and Clarendon Crescent

In the 1920’s a rail line connected this residential area developed by Havens and Leimert to the Key System and residents could get to San Francisco in 20 minutes. Charming period homes designed by architects, Morgan, Maybeck and Schirmer are graced with pocket parks. A hilly walk.

Twenties Time warp: Picardy Drive and Mills Gardens

Led by Andy Carpentier and Deborah Cooper • Meet on Picardy Drive near Seminary, under the "Christmas Tree" in the center median.

World War I ended; the 1920s saw a housing boom in Oakland. Visit two planned neighborhoods created by developers: Mills Gardens and Normandy Gardens, now known as Picardy Drive, famous for holiday lighting displays. Both neighborhoods retain 1920s late bungalow and period revival architectural styles as well as community-oriented designs.

Around The Claremont*

Led by Wendy Markel and Julie Nachtwey.

Please note that the 10 am August 28th Walking Tour of the Claremont is sold out! As a result, we've added a 2nd Claremont Walking Tour with a Talk and Reception at 11:30 am to 12:30 pm with the Tour beginning at 1:00 pm. IMPORTANT: parking is limited in the area. We highly recommend car pooling or taking public transportation.

Tour limited to 30 people—*$20 OHA and BAHA members, $25 non-members. Includes reception and lecture at an elegant home built by Albert Farr, architect.

Please make reservations with OHA: 763-9218.

Why is the Oakland Landmark Claremont Hotel’s address in Berkeley? Find out more and discover the walkways of the Claremont Hotel Tract and Vicente Canyon. Walk the paths where the firestorm of 1991 consumed some houses and spared others. A walk with steep steps.