Northwest Berkeley in Alameda County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Delaware Street Historic District
Period of Significance, 1854-1910
— City of Berkeley Landmark - Designated 1979 —
(Rehabilitated and Partially Reconstructed in 1986. William Coburn, Historic Architectural Consultant)
In the 1850s, Gold Rush-era farmers and merchants began settling in this rural bayside area. Delaware Street connected Jacob’s Landing, a freight wharf constructed on the waterfront in 1853, with Bowen’s Inn (1854), which stood on the old stage road that is now San Pablo Avenue. At that time, the bay shoreline was approximately were 2nd Street and the eastern side of Aquatic Park are located today. This area, called Ocean View, was the first settlement of what was to become Berkeley.
In the late 1960s the City of Berkeley created a redevelopment project in West Berkeley that would have replaced residential neighborhoods with large-scale manufacturing. Local residents and historians fought to save the Victorian buildings on the 800 block of Delaware Street as well as the other sites in the area. Some of the buildings in the District have been reconstructed to meet new code standards and accommodate contemporary uses; others were moved onto this block from elsewhere in the area. Many surviving buildings of the larger Victorian-era Ocean View neighborhood remain on nearby streets.
Erected 1998 by Berkeley Historical Plaque Project.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1986.
Location. 37° 52.209′ N, 122° 17.963′ W. Marker is in Berkeley, California, in Alameda County. It is in Northwest Berkeley. Marker is at the intersection of 5th Street and Delaware Street on 5th Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1817 5th Street, Berkeley CA 94710, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Bowen’s Inn/Higgins Grocery (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Spenger’s Fish Grotto (about 800 feet away); 935 Hearst Avenue (approx. ¼ mile away); Workingman’s Hall (approx. ¼ mile away); Church of the Good Shepherd (approx. ¼ mile away); Toveri Tupa – Finnish Hall (approx. 0.3 miles away); Fullen Market Building (approx. half a mile away); American Photoplayer Co. (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Berkeley.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 6, 2012, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 698 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on February 6, 2012, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. 5. submitted on March 1, 2012. 6. submitted on February 6, 2012, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.