As Oakland took root and grew, it built itself up by using, and using up, its abundant natural resources inherited from its indigenous caretakers and from the Ice Ages before human times. Starting near the 19th Street BART station and ending at City Hall, our 2.5-mile walk around central Downtown will visit remnants of those first decades as we witness Oakland's changing fashions in building stone along the way.
Meeting Location: Snow Park, at the corner of 19th and Harrison Streets
Tour Guide: Andrew Alden is a geologist and geoscience writer who has worked for the US Geological Survey and reported for KQED and Bay Nature. Long fascinated with rocks and landscapes, Alden is one of the foremost experts on Oakland’s natural history and found inspiration for his debut book, Deep Oakland, in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, which, as he writes, “ripped the city open and revealed to us its heart and character.” Through his writing Alden raises awareness for what he calls the deep present: the appreciation of the ancient underpinnings that shape the modern-day surroundings of daily life. His website is oaklandgeology.com.
Fees: $15 Members / $20 Non-Members
Accessibility Note: Walk will take place on city sidewalks and are expected to be paved and accessible for those using mobility devices. 2 mile walk is mostly flat.
NOTES:
PLEASE MEET 15 MINUTES BEFORE listed time to allow for registration.
We kindly request you register in advance. In-person registration will be first-come-first-served on a space available basis. We cannot guarantee a spot will be available.
We offer fee waivers for limited income residents— just ask!
Comfortable walking shoes, sun hats and sunscreen are recommended. Bring water.
Vouchers, limited-income accommodation, and any other special circumstances should be handled in advance. Please email info@oaklandheritage.org for assistance
If you need assistance navigating Eventbrite, please reach out to us at info@oaklandheritage.org or call our office at (510) 763-9218 and we’d be happy to help.
Due to the ongoing presence of Covid, we will continue to make masks available. If you feel ill the day of a tour, please stay home. If after a tour, you become ill and test positive, please let us know as soon as possible. Thank you.
Please check out the profiles of tour leaders. We are grateful for their skill and generosity.
These tours support Oakland Heritage Alliance, a non-profit that tells Oakland’s story through walking tours, lectures, newsletters and advocacy. We welcome volunteers and new members!
