Shafter Avenue Architecture IV- Public Right-of-Way, College to Presley

East of College Ave., MW 302 sits on Shafter Ave., west of Pryal St., south of St. Albert’s Priory. These two streets and the homes to the right of the train, nos. 5799 and 5803 Shafter Ave., right to left, no longer exist. What was it like to walk down this section of Shafter Ave., reconfigured as Miles Ave., prior to the era of BART and Highway 24? East view, May 31, 1951.

L17-05 George Krambles Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 51718sn, (Image 1 of 25)

The south side of Shafter Ave. and north side of Keith Ave. in this 1956 aerial were cleared for BART and Highway 24 in the mid-1960s. On the north side of Shafter and Birch Ct., property was incorporated into the school, the yellow circles, incorporated into the fire station, the red circles, converted to a parking lot, the white circle, or cleared for Highway 24 construction, green circles. Ref. G4364_B5_A4_1956_R6_no.116-2

L17-10-RM Towill Photo, Courtesy Earth Sciences and Map Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 2 of 25)

This July 1956 east view along Claremont Middle School may appear familiar in 2011, but from the previous aerial, the house bordering the east side of the school yard fence is at present now part of that yard.

L17-15-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 54982sn , (Image 3 of 25)

Comparing Shafter Ave. from College Ave. to Presley Way, red line, between 1939 and 1956, many changes are obvious on the north side. Elimination of street trees, increase in the footprint of Claremont Middle School, and reduction in homes from the school yard up to St. Albert’s Priory, itself still incomplete in 1939. Ref. BUT-BUU-289-66, top.

L17-20-USDA AAA Western Division, RM Towill, and Earth Science and Map Library, UC Berkeley, (Image 4 of 25)

To appreciate the ground-level views taken by rail enthusiasts from the 1930s-1950s that follow, two aerial views from Apr. 8, 1953 are provided, starting with this southwest view. The orange circle marks the intersection of Presley Way and Shafter Ave., and the purple circle the intersection of Pryal St. and Shafter Ave., two places that no longer exist.

L17-25-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3300-40, Detail, (Image 5 of 25)

To complement the previous image, a northeast view also from Apr. 8, 1953 is presented. Again, appreciate that all the homes on the south or right side of Shafter Ave. were eliminated for the freeway and BART, and only three homes survive in this section on the north or left side, the 4th-6th lots east of the school yard.

L17-30-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3301-15, Detail, (Image 6 of 25)

This image of the Bidwell parlor car at the rear of this train highlights the large trees along the north side of Shafter Avenue, and the fenced off lots separating the commercial from residential border on the south side. West view, circa 1940.

L17-35-Paul Smith Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 53217sn 3, (Image 7 of 25)

Turning eastward from L17-35, SN 603 and SN 604 lead three box cars with a helper motor on the rear past the school, out of view on the north or left, and the front garden of Olivet Gospel Assembly Church, to the south or right. The first residential home on the south side seen through the trees is no. 5729. The license plates of the car agree with the year as 1945, and it must be later in that year as the shield is off the motor’s front light.

L17-40-Charles Savage Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 10093sn , (Image 8 of 25)

Further up the street, SN 1007 leads train 3 past no. 5768 Shafter Ave. This home was the border of the school yard in the 1956 aerial, but is absent in a 1964 Sanborn map. A photo taken of it in late 1958 would suggest it was razed or moved when the school yard was expanded a second time. The fire station that was added to its east flank, by the way, was not added until 1962, further reducing the number of residences on the north side of the street. East view, 1936.

L17-45-Charles Savage Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 10104sn , (Image 9 of 25)

The eucalyptus trees barely visible in L17-40 can be seen in this east view of this undated, license plate-obscured, passenger era image of SN 1011 and trailer. The train sits across from the school yard, just east of the image in L17-40, but just west of image L17-45 based on the low shrubs in both images and shadows of the houses in the latter. The first home on the right is no. 5759, and to its left, no. 5761.

L17-50-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 53161sn, (Image 10 of 25)

SN 1014 leads the last SN passenger train to Pittsburg in this west view from July 12, 1941. The home along the left or south edge is no. 5779 Shafter Ave., and the one to the right, obscured by the small tree, is no. 5775. Appreciate that the house numbers increased by four digits moving east once past no. 5767 until one home short of Pryal St.

L17-55-Dudley Thickens Photo, Courtesy Western Railway Museum Archives, 59247sn, (Image 11 of 25)

Moving slightly to the east on June 29, 1941, no. 5783 Shafter Ave. now occupies the left edge, and a Cal-Nevada-sponsored three-car excursion train composed of SN 1014, SN 1005 and the Bidwell parlor car heading back to San Francisco from Pittsburg now occupies the street in this southwest view.

L17-60-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 64874sn, (Image 12 of 25)

This east view of SN 605 circa 1950 documents the delivery of an endless number of tanks on flatcars heading to the Oakland Army Base despite the SN’s decision to not renew their franchise. No. 5783 with its address affixed to a porch support is seen, with no. 5787 to the left. Today this would be across from the fire station and 5782 Miles Ave. Courtesy Howard Letcher, DDS, Collection.

L17-65-Fred Fellow Photo and Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 51716sn, (Image 13 of 25)

This east view from 1940 with SN 1005 could easily be an ad for the California craftsman bungalow. This is across from what is today no. 5788 and 5790 Miles Ave. No. 5783 is at the far right, then add four digits proceeding to the left, ending with the box-like no. 5803, two houses from the intersection with Pryal St., directly across from the grounds and garden of St. Albert’s Priory.

L17-70-Roy E. Covert Photo, Courtesy Tom Gray, (Image 14 of 25)

Now one house closer on the south side or right, no. 5787 is to the far right, but it is now circa 1950 in this east view of a SN 670-led freight heading toward College Ave. The fence around St. Albert’s property is in view to the left.

L17-75-Courtesy California State Railroad Museum, CSRM 33350, (Image 15 of 25)

Proceeding east on Shafter Ave., this east view with SN 661 circa 1950 provides more fine details of the last three homes on the south side to the southwest corner with Pryal Street.

L17-80-Railroad Negative Exchange, Courtesy Charles Smiley, (Image 16 of 25)

In fact, the date of the previous image is most likely Dec. 19, 1949, based on this dated kodachrome taken by “WBD”.

L17-85-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 161834sn, (Image 17 of 25)

SN 661 passes St. Alberts west of Shafter and Pryal St, northeast view, circa 1950.

L17-90-Robert P. Townley Photo, Courtesy Robert P. Townley, (Image 18 of 25)

SN 605 is admired by the kids at Shafter Ave. and Pryal St., northeast view, circa 1950. Once Highway 24 and BART were built, Presley Way was extended to connect to Keith Ave. and Pryal St. was eliminated.

L17-95-Robert P. Townley Photo, Courtesy Robert P. Townley, (Image 19 of 25)

Another east view from Nov. 11, 1947 with SN 661 with stripes complements the view in L17-125 up to the last house west of Presley Way. The southeast intersection of Pryal St. with SN block signals, and a signature palm tree behind is seen to the right.

L17-100-Roy E. Covert Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 55319sn , (Image 20 of 25)

SN 1005 back from its tour of duty on the Key System leads MW 302 in its first BAERA excursion on July 6, 1952 in this east view. The corner home at the intersection with Presley Way is seen on the left, and the homes on the south side of Shafter Ave. include, nos. 5909, 5915, 5919, 5925 and 5933, right to left.

L17-105-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 70085.1sn, (Image 21 of 25)

Looking west down Shafter Ave. on Oct. 13, 1956, SN 653 approaches the intersection with Pryal St. providing a clear view of the west corner house, no. 5815-19.

L17-110-Grahame Hardy Collection, Courtesy California State Railroad Museum, CSRM 11806B , (Image 22 of 25)

Even the dog is excited by this July 1956 excursion with SN 1005 that has taken us past Pryal St. for a west view of the Priory grounds. The house seen directly to the west of the Priory is now a parking lot. To the south, the park parallel sign and the tree next to the pole will serve as key street markers.

L17-115-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 54985sn, (Image 23 of 25)

A 2011 view of a portion of Shafter Ave. that survives today as Miles Avenue, although the curve in the road begins the initial deviation to the north to accommodate the ramps of Highway 24. Oakland lawyer and educator Tim Hallahan believes the structure in the insert had something to do with the SN, but its absence in L17-115 proves otherwise. Some say it was used to draw water out of Temescal Creek during a drought.

L17-120-Stuart Swiedler Photos, (Image 24 of 25)

The markers from L17-115, the park parallel sign and the tree next to the pole, are a clue that SN 605 is approaching the last house on the north side of the west intersection with Presley Way in this west image circa 1950. The eastern edge of the Priory and this corner house were eliminated to complete Highway 24.

L17-125-Tom Gray Photo, Courtesy Tom Gray, (Image 25 of 25)