Temescal in Oakland in Alameda County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Here, Over Time
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, August 10, 2020
1. Here, Over Time Marker
Inscription.
Here, Over Time. . Before Spanish missionaries came to the Bay Area in 1775, the Huchiun Ohlones had been living off the land's bounty in this part of the East Bay for some 3,000 years. By 1810, the last Huchiuns were gone, and in their place came the Californios, families of Spanish and Mexican descent who established large haciendas. Following the discovery of gold in 1848, their way of life, too, came to an end. For Vicente Peralta, whose 8,000 acre rancho included what is now this neighborhood, the onrush of new settlers forced him to sell off most of his land by 1853.
Six hundred acres of that land were purchased in the late 1850s by Solomon E. Alden, who built a mansion a few blocks west of here and planted extensive orchards along Temescal Creek. In 1868, Alden created his first subdivision, Temescal Park, on the east side of Telegraph Road. The next year, he subdivided the Alden Tract, on this side of Telegraph. In 1870, a horse car line was extended north from Oakland along Telegraph to Temescal Creek (51st St.) where a car barn was built, thus ensuring jobs and a fast transportation link to Oakland and beyond for the young town's residents. Temescal's early role as a transit node was cemented in 1873 when the new university in Berkeley opened and the street car line was extended to the campus.
This Site. The land on which this building stands was inherited by Alden's married daughter, Elsie A. McElrath. In the 1880s, the property consisted of three adjoining, undeveloped parcels - one on this corner, one midway down 48th St., and the third on the northeast corner of 48th and Shattuck.
In 1887, Ellen Cavanaugh purchased the corner lot at 4801 Telegraph where she built the Railroad House, a two-story boarding house. Soon after, she bought the other two lots. She later subdivided the two corner lots and in 1905 erected a residence at 4808 Shattuck. In 1909, she built a five-room cottage on the middle lot, at 510-48th St., and a one-story structure at 4803 Telegraph (now 4811–where you are standing). The corner lot on Shattuck was never built upon.
Despite efforts to the contrary by local townspeople, Temescal was a magnet for saloons. Located midway between the Berkeley campus, where the sale of liquor was prohibited within one mile of the school, and the city of Oakland, where liquor licenses were heavily regulated, Temescal in the 1880s had as many as fifteen bars. The first floor of the Railroad House was soon given over to this use as well. In 1897, Temescal voted to be annexed by Oakland, and from 1899 to 1907, 4801 Telegraph was home to the Alden Free Library - Temescal's first branch library. Except for this period, and during Prohibition, 4801 Telegraph was a tavern, with residences upstairs.
In 1941, Ellen Cavanaugh's descendants sold the properties to Joseph A. Fiorio, who in 1922 had opened Fiorio Hardware on the corner across 48th St. (Two successive generations of Fiorios continued to run the hardware store until it closed in early 1990.)
From 1949 until 1965, the Question Mark bar was on this corner. In March 1965, the Gold Cup took over - but not for long, as a fire that December destroyed the building and the adjacent American Savings and Loan office, here at what had been 4803 Telegraph.
The house at 4808 Shattuck was demolished in 1969. Ten years later, the dwelling on 48th St. was also torn down, and once again a narrow, unbroken swath of vacant land extended from Tele- graph to Shattuck. The entire parcel was then paved and leased as a parking lot to the post office next door at 4869 Telegraph (where it had been from 1938 until 2001 when it moved to a new facility at 4900 Shattuck.)
In 2002, partners Roy Alper, Ron Kriss, and Patrick Zimski purchased the parcels from the Fiorio family and consolidated them into a single property with the plan to develop a six-story building consisting of 25 condominiums and a storefront commercial space. Designed by Thomas Dolan Architecture and incorporat- ing several "green building" features-including what was the largest rooftop solar panel system in Oakland, Temescal Place opened in June 2004. Researched and designed by Jeff Norman/Shared Ground, 2004. Commissioned by Temescal Place.
The Alden library has been for the past number of years located at Forty-eighth and Telegraph avenue, and is a favorable location. The Board has paid a rental of $15 per month. , OAKLAND ENQUIRER , October 7, 1905 ,
Before Spanish missionaries came to the Bay Area in 1775, the Huchiun
Ohlones had been living off the land's bounty in this part of the East Bay
for some 3,000 years. By 1810, the last Huchiuns were gone, and in their
place came the Californios, families of Spanish and Mexican descent who
established large haciendas. Following the discovery of gold in 1848, their
way of life, too, came to an end. For Vicente Peralta, whose 8,000 acre
rancho included what is now this neighborhood, the onrush of new settlers
forced him to sell off most of his land by 1853.
Six hundred acres of that land were purchased in
the late 1850s by Solomon E. Alden, who built a
mansion a few blocks west of here and planted
extensive orchards along Temescal Creek. In 1868,
Alden created his first subdivision, Temescal Park,
on the east side of Telegraph Road. The next year,
he subdivided the Alden Tract, on this side of Telegraph. In 1870, a horse car line was extended north
from Oakland along Telegraph to Temescal Creek
(51st St.) where a car barn was built, thus ensuring jobs and a fast transportation link to Oakland and beyond for the young town's residents. Temescal's
early role as a transit node was cemented in 1873 when the new university
in Berkeley opened and the street car line was extended to the campus.
This Site. The
Click or scan to see this page online
land on which this building stands was inherited by Alden's married daughter, Elsie A. McElrath. In the 1880s, the property consisted of three adjoining, undeveloped parcels - one on this corner, one midway down 48th St., and the third on the northeast corner of 48th and Shattuck.
In 1887, Ellen Cavanaugh purchased the corner lot at 4801 Telegraph where she built the Railroad House, a two-story boarding house. Soon after, she
bought the other two lots. She later subdivided the two corner lots and in
1905 erected a residence at 4808 Shattuck. In 1909, she built a five-room
cottage on the middle lot, at 510-48th St., and a one-story structure at
4803 Telegraph (now 4811–where you are standing). The corner lot on Shattuck was never built upon.
Despite efforts to the contrary by local townspeople, Temescal was a magnet for saloons. Located midway between the Berkeley campus, where the
sale of liquor was prohibited within one mile of the school, and the city of
Oakland, where liquor licenses were heavily regulated, Temescal in the 1880s had as many as fifteen bars. The first floor of the Railroad House was soon
given over to this use as well. In 1897, Temescal voted to be annexed by
Oakland, and from 1899 to 1907, 4801 Telegraph was home to the Alden
Free Library - Temescal's first branch library. Except for this period, and
during Prohibition, 4801 Telegraph
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, August 10, 2020
2. Here, Over Time Marker - wide view
was a tavern, with residences upstairs.
In 1941, Ellen Cavanaugh's descendants sold the properties to Joseph A.
Fiorio, who in 1922 had opened Fiorio Hardware on the corner across
48th St. (Two successive generations of Fiorios continued to run the hardware store until it closed in early 1990.)
From 1949 until 1965, the Question Mark bar was on this corner. In
March 1965, the Gold Cup took over - but not for long, as a fire that
December destroyed the building and the adjacent American
Savings and Loan office, here at
what had been 4803 Telegraph.
The house at 4808 Shattuck was
demolished in 1969. Ten years
later, the dwelling on 48th St. was
also torn down, and once again
a narrow, unbroken swath of
vacant land extended from Tele-
graph to Shattuck. The entire
parcel was then paved and leased
as a parking lot to the post office next door at 4869 Telegraph (where it had been from 1938 until 2001 when it moved to a new facility at 4900 Shattuck.)
In 2002, partners Roy Alper, Ron Kriss, and Patrick Zimski purchased the
parcels from the Fiorio family and consolidated them into a single property
with the plan to develop a six-story building consisting of 25
condominiums and a storefront commercial space.
Designed by Thomas Dolan
Architecture and incorporat-
ing several "green building"
features-including what was
the largest rooftop solar
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, August 10, 2020
3. Here, Over Time Marker - wider view
panel system
in Oakland, Temescal Place opened in June 2004.
Researched and designed by
Jeff Norman/Shared Ground, 2004.
Commissioned by Temescal Place.
The Alden library has been for the past number
of years located at Forty-eighth and Telegraph
avenue, and is a favorable location. The Board
has paid a rental of $15
per month.
OAKLAND ENQUIRER
October 7, 1905
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1965.
Location. 37° 50.111′ N, 122° 15.78′ W. Marker is in Oakland, California, in Alameda County. It is in Temescal. It is at the intersection of Telegraph Avenue and 48th Street, on the right when traveling south on Telegraph Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4811 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland CA 94609, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in California’s San Francisco Bay Area and on the Coast Ranges. It is also on the American Pacific Coast. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also Mexicos Alta California.
Another marker is no longer nearby. The Black Panther's First Office (was approx. 0.6 miles away but has been confirmed missing).
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 11, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 397 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on August 11, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
