Leona Heights Neighborhood Newsby Gordon Laverty |
Isn’t it great to live in such a historic neighborhood? |
An ad in a 1927 edition of the Oakland Tribune urges Oaklanders to “Own your own chicken ranch in the Leona Heights Development! Accessible acreage is available!” In those days, two roads traveled east from downtown Oakland: E.14th St., now International Blvd., and our very own Mountain Blvd. There were as yet no electric traffic lights, but much less traffic. Winding Mountain Blvd. ran as it does now, along the southwestern edge of Leona Heights and was about the same width in essentially the same location. In any case, it seems a few early-birds bought good-sized lots but not many started chicken ranches. Mills College’s Lake Aliso lay where it does now, close to Mountain Blvd., and Mills students would ride the No. 5 electric street car to and from the Mills Station, once located near the intersection of what is now Davenport Ave. and Calaveras Ave. The same tracks used by the street car were also used by trains from the sulfur mines that traveled to Richmond to deliver the ore for processing. Leona Street was the old rail route to the old Leona Hotel, a local landmark once located near the old Chabot Observatory entrance. If you’re new to the neighborhood, perhaps this brief glimpse into the area’s history will add to your enjoyment of how rich our neighborhood is. Gordon Laverty can be reached at lavertyhillmob2\@sbcglobal.net. |
