Downtown Berkeley in Alameda County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Site of the Kellogg School
Berkeley History
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, April 5, 2012
1. Site of the Kellogg School Marker
Inscription.
Site of the Kellogg School. Berkeley History. An apple orchard, two houses, and a tailor shop once occupied this block. In 1879, six local businessmen and a university professor financed the purchase of part of the block near Oxford Street as the site for one of the city’s first public schools. The building was named for Board of Education president Martin Kellogg, the University of California’s seventh president. The wood frame Victorian-style Kellogg School had three classrooms and separate entrances for girls and boys. Students ate their lunches along the banks of nearby Strawberry Creek behind the schoolyard., At the time, high school attendance in California was not compulsory and many working class parents objected to paying taxes for a school their children might not attend and which was far from West Berkeley. With four graduates in 1884, the school became the first high school in the state to be accredited by the University of California., In 1918 the building served as a place of worship for Berkeley’s First Hebrew Congregation. Later, commercial buildings were constructed on the site.
An apple orchard, two houses, and a tailor shop once occupied this block. In 1879, six local businessmen and a university professor financed the purchase of part of the block near Oxford Street as the site for one of the city’s first public schools. The building was named for Board of Education president Martin Kellogg, the University of California’s seventh president. The wood frame Victorian-style Kellogg School had three classrooms and separate entrances for girls and boys. Students ate their lunches along the banks of nearby Strawberry Creek behind the schoolyard.
At the time, high school attendance in California was not compulsory and many working class parents objected to paying taxes for a school their children might not attend and which was far from West Berkeley. With four graduates in 1884, the school became the first high school in the state to be accredited by the University of California.
In 1918 the building served as a place of worship for Berkeley’s First Hebrew Congregation. Later, commercial buildings were constructed on the site.
Erected 2000 by Berkeley Historical Plaque Project.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Churches & Religion • Education. A significant historical year for this entry is 1879.
Location. 37°
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52.203′ N, 122° 15.967′ W. Marker is in Berkeley, California, in Alameda County. It is in Downtown Berkeley. Marker is at the intersection of Oxford Lane and Oxford Street on Oxford Lane. This marker is on the Oxford Lane (Rue de Soleil) side of the building at 2136 Oxford Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Berkeley CA 94704, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 11, 2012, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 589 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on April 11, 2012, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.
