Joaquin Miller Park in Oakland in Alameda County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Joaquin Miller’s Abbey
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, February 3, 2014
1. Joaquin Miller’s Abbey Marker
Capitons: The Abbey as it originally looked. (upper-left); Cincinnatus Hiner (“Joaquin”) Miller was a cultural icon of the 19th century. He lived from 1841 to 1913 (lower-left); “The Hights” in 1891. The Hights was purchased by the City of Oakland in 1917 and is now a designated California Historical Landmark. (center, upper); Joaquin Miller at the Abbey with is mother (left), daughter Juanita and grandson. (center, lower); Map by Karen Paulsen, Friends of Sausal Creek (map on right); Photos courtesy of the Oakland History Room, Oakland Public Library.
Inscription.
Joaquin Miller’s Abbey. . The tiny cottage known as “The Abbey” was built by the 19th century poet and environmentalist Joaquin Miller as part of a inspirational artists’ retreat. He purchased 70 grassy acres, parcel-by-parcel, in “The Hights” above the “City of the Oaks” in 1886 and erected monuments, structures for his mother and daughter, and coordinated the planting of 75,000 trees – Monterey pine, Monterey cypress, olive and eucalyptus. , Below the photograph of Joaquin Miller on the upper-right., ”The Abbey was a frame building consisting at first of a single small room with a porch. The roof was a high shingled peak, and there was no ceiling, for the rafters supporting the roof had been left bare. Visitors often said that the room looked like an unfinished museum. The walls were made of rough boards, hung with hides, bear claws, sheep horns, antlers, Mexican saddles, bows and arrows and weapons of all sort. Wherever there was a vacant spot, Joaquin had tacked up photographs of actresses and of himself, magazine and newspaper clippings concerning himself, and some original drawings that he had done as illustration for his poetry.” , Excerpt from the book Splendid Poseur: Joaquin Miller, American Poet, M. Marion Marberry, Crowell, 1953
The tiny cottage known as “The Abbey” was built by the 19th century poet and environmentalist Joaquin Miller as part of a inspirational artists’ retreat. He purchased 70 grassy acres, parcel-by-parcel, in “The Hights” above the “City of the Oaks” in 1886 and erected monuments, structures for his mother and daughter, and coordinated the planting of 75,000 trees – Monterey pine, Monterey cypress, olive and eucalyptus.
Below the photograph of Joaquin Miller on the upper-right.
”The Abbey was a frame building consisting at first of a single small room with a porch. The roof was a high shingled peak, and there was no ceiling, for the rafters supporting the roof had been left bare. Visitors often said that the room looked like an unfinished museum. The walls were made of rough boards, hung with hides, bear claws, sheep horns, antlers, Mexican saddles, bows and arrows and weapons of all sort. Wherever there was a vacant spot, Joaquin had tacked up photographs of actresses and of himself, magazine and newspaper clippings concerning himself, and some original drawings that he had done as illustration for his poetry.”
Excerpt from the book Splendid Poseur: Joaquin Miller, American Poet, M. Marion Marberry, Crowell, 1953
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Erected 2010 by City of Oakland.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1886.
Location. 37° 48.636′ N, 122° 11.583′ W. Marker is in Oakland, California, in Alameda County. It is in Joaquin Miller Park. Marker can be reached from Joaquin Miller Road near Sanborn Road, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3098 Joaquin Miller Road, Oakland CA 94602, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, February 3, 2014
2. Joaquin Miller’s Abbey and Marker
The marker is on the left.
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, February 3, 2014
3. Joaquin Miller’s Abbey
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, February 3, 2014
4. Joaquin Miller’s Abbey
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 15, 2014, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 602 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on February 15, 2014, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.