Trestle Glen in Oakland in Alameda County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Trestle Glen
The name Trestle Glen dates back to 1893 when Francis Marion "Borax” Smith's Oakland Traction Company extended a trolley line from downtown Oakland, up Park Boulevard to Grosvenor Place. From a point just above where Holman Road crosses Grosvenor to about Underhills Road, a large wooden trestle was built to carry carloads of picnickers across Indian Gulch and into Sather Park. Mark Twain was among the many people who took the trip.
Trestle Glen, once called Indian Gulch, was named as a boundary by Louis Peralta when he divided his Rancho San Antonio among his four sons. It is thought that the name comes from an Indian Village that once extended near the junction of Lakeshore Avenue and Trestle Glen. These Indians, the Chochenyo or Huichium, would have been part of the Ohlone group, which inhabited the coast of Central California. The site of an Indian village among the redwoods at what is now Trestle Glen, would have provided shelter from the winds, proximity to the fish and waterfowl of the estuary (Lake Merritt) and fresh water from the creek running through the canyon to the bay.
"Borax” Smith quickly consolidated the various East Bay Railway lines into the Key System connecting it to San Francisco by way of an elaborate ferry system. Key system lines were laid in 1920 through Lakeshore Highlands on a private right-of-way, up to Underhills Road. The system was in operation until 1958 when the electric rail lines were replaced by motorbuses. This development was hastened by the elimination of ferries, once the Bay Bridge was,opened for electric train traffic on January 15, 1939.
Erected 2008 by Guy W. Hager, Lakeshore Homeowners Association.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Native Americans • Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical date for this entry is January 15, 1939.
Location. 37° 48.432′ N, 122° 14.263′ W. Marker is in Oakland, California, in Alameda County. It is in Trestle Glen. Marker is on Trestle Glen Road near Brookwood Road, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Oakland CA 94610, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within one mile of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Cleveland Cascade (approx. 0.7 miles away); Francis Marion “Borax” Smith (approx. 0.8 miles away); The Maze (approx. 0.9 miles away); Morcom Amphitheater of Roses (approx. one mile away); Eucalyptus Amphitheater (approx. one mile away); Lakeside Park Duck Feeding Area (approx. one mile away); Lake Merritt (approx. 1.1 miles away); Memorial (approx. 1.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Oakland.
More about this marker. The marker is located in a small pocket park on Trestle Glen Road just past the intersection of that road with Brookwood Drive. Brookwood actually intersects Trestle Glen Road twice - the marker site is at the westernmost of the two intersections.
The marker was installed in May 2008 by Guy W. Hager as part of an Eagle Scout project.
Also see . . . Our History. Lakeshore Homeowners Association website entry (Submitted on November 3, 2021.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 3, 2021, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 345 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 3, 2021, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.