Lowell St., Golden Gate Tower, and the Market St. Solution, Part 2, After 1941

Bay Area transportation historian John Harder was driving down Stanford Ave. in 1999 and noticed a forlorn building at no. 942 Stanford. Once on the ex-Southern Pacific, SP, right-of-way, northeast view, left, he snapped the image on the right knowing that he documented a very special structure transformed in time. He went back home and looked through his photos from an earlier time, a similar journey this update will take starting in 1941.

L294-05-John Harder Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 1 of 45)

Key 139 line H has just passed Tower 4 junction at 53rd Street where the tracks are seen joining those from the Shattuck F line on July 24, 1941, north view. In two days the line would be abandoned, blamed on poor ridership to areas of Berkeley that were too sparsely populated at the time according to Harry Demoro in his book, “The Key Route.”

L294-10-Vernon Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 94920ks, (Image 2 of 45)

As for the SP,  they would have abandoned all of their electric railways by July 26, 1941. The SP approached their electric lines like their long distance steam lines in terms of good pay, good equipment and proper maintenance, all leading to large financial losses. This northeast view from July 5, 1941 shows the rear of a Shattuck local passing Woolsey and Adeline Sts. where the Ellsworth line was abandoned in 1933.

L294-15-Ralph Demoro Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 3 of 45)

Back to Lowell St., track removal was near completion by 1942, as seen in this south view taken north of 62nd St. The Santa Fe was also being revised at the time to be shifted to the center of the street upon reaching Alcatraz Ave. The building to the immediate right was occupied by Paper Box Corp., and the one further south by the Ralph N. Brodie Co. meter factory during this time.

L294-20-Vernon Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 18167ks, (Image 4 of 45)

A detail of the previous south view from 1942 is shown here. The water tower and windmill pump are in the rear of a house featured in the previous update, no. 946 61st St., a Victorian that is present in the 1903 Sanborn map and survivor in 2023.

L294-25-Vernon Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 18167ks, Detail, (Image 5 of 45)

When the H line was scrapped, it meant only substituting the service with a motor coach as seen here in San Francisco in 1945. Note it did not service Lowell St. By Nov. 28, 1948, all remaining electric streetcar service was replaced by buses. The only remaining electric lines connecting Oakland and Berkeley would be Key’s Claremont, later renamed E line, and the Shattuck, later renamed F line.

L294-30-Courtesy David Chen and Ron Hook, (Image 6 of 45)

Santa Fe freight continued servicing Lowell St. industries using the track moved to the center of  Sacramento St. ca. 1942. This south view at Tyler St. in Berkeley with Santa Fe Alco S2 diesel switcher 2326 with local freight on Sept. 1967 was the earliest photo found. As will be reviewed later, the Lowell St. corridor did not generate many carloads of freight, so these long trains must reflect transfers between the Oakland terminal and Richmond.

L294-35-Louis L. Stein Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 69583atsf, (Image 7 of 45)

The planned extension of Market St. from Adeline St., red arrow, to Sacramento St., yellow arrow, was described in the June 8, 1952 Oakland Tribune. The half-mile, six-lane, divided roadway required the acquisition by eminent domain of 66 separate parcels of land, mostly residential, for about $700k, divided equally between the City of Oakland (bonds, gas tax,) and Alameda County. Ref: Ref: Left, fusion of Flight c-1600, Frame 24 and Flight c-1600, Frame 57, 1931; Right, Flight cas-65-130, Frame 15, 1965

L294-40-Courtesy of UC Santa Barbara Library Geospatial Collection, (Image 8 of 45)

The extension of Market St. would only square off the triangular northwest corner with Stanford Ave., white arrows. The dots show the corresponding position of houses internal to a block in 1931, but now serving at the corner with the new road. This can be appreciated in the unconventional angles of these structures in 1965. Ref: Left, Flight c-1600, Frame 57, 1931; Right, Flight cas-65-130, Frame 15, 1965

L294-45-Courtesy of UC Santa Barbara Library Geospatial Collection, (Image 9 of 45)

An added auto conduit between Oakland and Berkeley dates back to the wagon era. In 1888, Market St. continued at 45th St. as Calais St., turquoise arrow, providing a four-lane road to just over the 1878 Berkeley border at Dwight Way, blue arrow. This alignment would not survive long into the 20th century. Ref: Left, Map of the City of Oakland and Surroundings. Compiled from Official and Private Surveys by J.C. Henkenius. Right, Realty Syndicate Map. Both maps have been rotated 60 degrees.

L294-50-David Rumsey Map Collection, David Rumsey Map Center, Stanford Libraries, top, and Courtesy John Bosko, bottom, (Image 10 of 45)

In this detail from the previous 1903 map now in standard orientation, the light blue shading shows where Calais St. was severed between Adeline St. and Stanford Ave. The green shading notes that the street from there to Alcatraz Ave. became Occidental St. By 1921, California St. was connected to Calais St. at Dwight Way with a fork in the road, and the California St. designation was extended south to just past 62nd St.

L294-55-David Rumsey Map Collection, David Rumsey Map Center, Stanford Libraries, l, and Courtesy John Bosko, r, (Image 11 of 45)

The extension of Market St. catalyzed a relocation of the Key F line stop at 59th St. to here at 57th St. at the southern end of the extension. The woman appears to be waiting of the no. 88 bus as she ignores KS 127 line F in this northeast view from 1958.

L294-60-John Holt Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 110873ks, (Image 12 of 45)

Back to Lowell St., Santa Fe diesel 304 approaches the intersection of Lowell and Adeline Sts. in June 1955. The abandoned right-of-way of the H line is still unoccupied, the sign to the left of the crossbuck states ‘Property City of Oakland.’  The Santa Fe would continue running Golden Gate and Chief passenger trains through here until June 15, 1958. Only two months earlier, the Key F line seen approaching the private right-of-way at 53d St. in this north view was abandoned.

L294-65-Fred Matthews Photo, Harry Aitkins Coll., Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Arch., 162206sn, (Image 13 of 45)

The Market St. extension was complete by the date of this northeast aerial from Apr. 8, 1953. From this distance, it is equivocal whether the Key portion of Lowell St. remained an unimproved road, but it was navigable. The S. T.  Johnson building addition at Lowell St. and Stanford Ave. was the only new major industry added to the east side from 1941, red arrow, while the continuing presence of the Santa Fe’s freight business increased industry on the west side.

L294-70-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3300-6, (Image 14 of 45)

The 1950 Sanborn map shows the status of Lowell St. between 55th St. and Arlington Ave. Vacu-Dry had expanded their facility from mid-block north to Aileen St., green rectangle. North of Aileen St., the Redwood Manufacturers building in the 1920s was replaced by a facility occupied by Frozen Food Distributors, Inc., orange rectangle, a few years later renamed Langfield Frozen Foods, Inc. at no. 955 57th St. On the east side, by 1938, East Bay Refrigerator had added “and Fixture Co.” to their name.

L294-75-Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division, Sanborn Maps Collection, 1911 - Oct 1950 Vol. 3, (Image 15 of 45)

Next, the first of several of oblique aerial views taken on Sept. 23, 1953 starting with this southeast view. Since the previous aerial, the building at no. 967 Grace Ave. had been added, red arrow. City records document the building was completed between May and October of that year. Expansion of next store neighbor at no. 959, Fuller Brush Co., into this building can be documented as early as July 14, 1955.

L294-80-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 16 of 45)

The expansion of industry since 1941 on the west side of Lowell St. is highlighted between Arlington Ave. and 61st St. in this 1950 Sanborn map. The lot to the east of Fuller Brush Co. at that time was empty as expected. Prior to Paramount Built-in Fixture at no. 962 Stanford Ave. the space was occupied by East Bay (later Certified) Welders between 1938-1944. Langendorf United Bakeries Inc. Cake & Cookie Division began at no. 967 Stanford Ave. by 1944.

L294-85-Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division, Sanborn Maps Collection, 1911 - Oct 1950 Vol. 3, (Image 17 of 45)

This panel of the east side of Lowell St. from the 1950 Sanborn map features, left to right, S. T. Johnson’s new facility with SP spur at no. 925 Stanford Ave., just to the west of East Bay Printing Co.,  some minimally identified construction-contractor yard just to the south of Goelitz Candy Co. between 60th-61st Sts., and a furniture factory at the northeast corner of Stanford Ave. and Occidental St. This building was present in the previous 1931 aerials, and was occupied by at least 1925 by the Ferro Enameling Co. of California.

L294-90-Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division, Sanborn Maps Collection, 1911 - Oct 1950 Vol. 3, (Image 18 of 45)

The second of several of oblique aerial views taken on Sept. 23, 1953, another southeast view. This will be examined in more detail in the panels to follow.

L294-95-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 19 of 45)

This first detail of the southeast oblique aerial view taken on Sept. 23, 1953 features the industries on the south side of Stanford Ave. to Arlington Ave. that have just been reviewed. Lowell St. appears to be paved here. Along the central bottom edge is the remains of the Golden Gate Tower, since decapitated off its upper story and adorned with two large billboards. More on the fate of the tower later.

L294-100-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 20 of 45)

The expansions of Ralph N. Brodie Co., Inc. and Paperbox Co. on the west side of Lowell St. since the 1940s are depicted in this 1950 Sanborn map.

L294-105-Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division, Sanborn Maps Collection, 1911-Oct 1950 Vol. 3, (Image 21 of 45)

This second detail of the southeast oblique aerial view taken on Sept. 23, 1953 features the industries on the west side of Lowell St. just reviewed in the previous panel as far north as 63rd St., and the joining of Market St. And Lowell St.

L294-110-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 22 of 45)

Next, a northwest oblique aerial view taken on Sept. 23, 1953 capturing the area north of Arlington Ave.

L294-115-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 23 of 45)

The detail from the northwest oblique aerial view taken on Sept. 23, 1953 shows the modified tower in the foreground topped by two billboards. The history of the tower after the abandonment of the electric lines follows.

L294-120-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 24 of 45)

The tower remained intact as shown in this northeast view from June 1947, although it was unlikely needed to oversee sporadic traffic on the single track the SP kept on Stanford Ave. for their freight operation, or for the infrequent Santa Fe passenger and local freight service. The ordinance printed in the Sept. 10, 1947 Oakland Tribune indicated the survival of the tower was to be short-lived.

L294-125-Jeff Moreau Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 93107ks, (Image 25 of 45)

It is unclear who owned the tower when it was being used for billboard display, but these Oakland records show the tower base’s entry into several restaurant ventures at no. 942 Stanford Ave.

L294-130-Courtesy City of Oakland, (Image 26 of 45)

After reviewing all of the views taken during the electric era of the tower in his collection, John Harder did return on Nov. 27, 2004 to create a before-and-after set of what existed then to a Ralph Demoro northeast view from ca. 1940.

L294-135-John Harder Photo, l, Harre Demoro Photo, r, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 27 of 45)

This final oblique aerial view taken on Sept. 23, 1953 provides a north view from 57th St. deep into Berkeley. Details to follow.

L294-140-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 28 of 45)

This first detail of the north oblique aerial view taken on Sept. 23, 1953 features the residences on 57th. St. and Arlington Ave., and a detail of the Santa Fe siding serving Key Distributing Co. and Fuller Brush Co.

L294-145-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 29 of 45)

This next detail of the north oblique aerial view taken on Sept. 23, 1953 features all the properties reviewed north of Stanford Ave., and shows the three Santa Fe sidings approaching the buildings from the north in contrast to those south of Stanford Ave. This difference appears to be determined by the relative position of buildings and street intersections. There is no evidence that the Santa Fe ever sent a siding to the east side of Lowell St.

L294-150-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 30 of 45)

This third detail of the north oblique aerial view taken on Sept. 23, 1953 depicts the centering of the Santa Fe track on Sacramento St. that occurred after the Key H line abandonment in 1941. The color change in the asphalt just south of Alcatraz Ave. marks the crossing of the Oakland border into Berkeley. Note the switch from the mixed industrial-residential nature of Oakland on Lowell St. to the purely residential district on Sacramento St.

L294-155-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 31 of 45)

The final detail of the north oblique aerial view taken on Sept. 23, 1953 shows the Santa Fe track heading off Sacramento St. to the northwest at Oregon St., and one block to the north the start of the wide islands on Sacramento St. retained after the Key abandoned the H line in 1941.

L294-160-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 32 of 45)

This set of aerials and the one that follows provide a link between the previous presentation to this one in terms of the evolution of Lowell St. during and after the electric era. This set of panels cover the southern portion of Lowell St. as far north as Grace Ave. The assignment of company names to the buildings was based on Sanborn maps, phone directories, photos, city records, and other information obtained from the internet. Ref: Upper, Flight c-1600, Frame 24, 1931; Lower, Flight cas-65-130, Frame 15, 1965

L294-165-Courtesy of UC Santa Barbara Library Geospatial Collection, (Image 33 of 45)

This set of panels cover the northern portion of Lowell St. as far north as its transition to Sacramento St. and the intersection with Alcatraz Ave. The assignment of company names to the buildings was based on Sanborn maps, phone directories, photos, city records, and other information obtained from the internet. Ref: Ref: Upper, Flight c-1820, Frame 57, 1931; Lower, Flight cas-65-130, Frame 15, 1965

L294-170-Courtesy of UC Santa Barbara Library Geospatial Collection, (Image 34 of 45)

A summary of freight service in 1957 provides an independent way to confirm the occupants of the buildings. All but two of the sidings, to Cheney Bros. Restaurant Supplies, the ex-Brodie property, and Langendorf, appeared to be in use. Note that the railroads listed deliveries to the same place separately based on the commodity or division; wire to American Steel and Wire’s two divisions, and juice versus frozen foods to Langfield. Although the frequency of deliveries was not investigated, the number of cars for each business was small.

L294-175-Courtesy Bruce Eldridge, Tabulated by Stuart Swiedler, (Image 35 of 45)

A set of images to get an idea of what it was like to be on Lowell St. as the Santa Fe freights came rolling by is provided here by railfan Ron Hook. He documented the Santa Fe Local’s path at several points on three occasions as the freight era was coming to an end. This first southwest view of SF 3056 shows the Local turning off Adeline St. onto Lowell St. taken on May 12, 1979, the last day of freight service between Richmond and Oakland.

L294-180-Ron Hook Photo, Courtesy Ron Hook, (Image 37 of 45)

Santa Fe 3441 and freight are alongside no. 5321 Lowell St., one half block to go to cross 54th St. in this south view taken on  Sept. 24, 1977. Note the street is paved in this section. Above the profile of the second diesel is the spire of the Remar Bakery building at 46th St. and Adeline St. Ron also managed to get the spire in the four images to follow, providing a landmark for each image to be located accurately.

L294-185-Ron Hook Photo, Courtesy Ron Hook, (Image 38 of 45)

Another south view, this time Santa Fe 3404 heading north on Apr. 21, 1979. As for location, the image speaks for itself. At this late date, the Santa Fe obviously had no intention of fixing the asphalt lining the tracks.

L294-190-Ron Hook Photo, Courtesy Ron Hook, (Image 39 of 45)

Back to the freight led by Santa Fe 3441, the train is just a stone’s throw from Stanford Ave. as it passes Langendorf United Bakeries Inc. on the right or west in this southwest view from Sept. 24, 1977. The empty lot on the left or east is full of sculpture in 2023, but still unbuilt upon since the Key abandoned the H line in 1941.

L294-195-Ron Hook Photo, Courtesy Ron Hook, (Image 40 of 45)

Once north of Stanford Ave., freights such as this one led by Santa Fe 3404 had to navigate track still on an unimproved track bed. This southwest view from Apr. 21, 1979 with the wig-wag signal in the foreground at 62nd St. was taken where the Ralph N. Brodie Co. meter factory had been in operation from the 1920s until 1951, purchased in 1976 by artist Peter Voulkis for the Dome. Today the entire right-of-way of the Santa Fe north of Stanford Ave. is enclosed by fencing. Ron also managed to get Oakland City Hall in this image.

L294-200-Ron Hook Photo, Courtesy Ron Hook, (Image 41 of 45)

Ron’s image of the north end of the Lowell St. corridor is shown here, a south view of Santa Fe 3404 and freight transitioning to Sacramento St. on Apr. 21, 1979.

L294-205-Ron Hook Photo, Courtesy Ron Hook, (Image 42 of 45)

On the subject of Ron Hook, he was pleased to find Santa Fe rail embedded in the dirt at the northwest corner of Arlington Ave. with Lowell St. in 2023. This track was part of the siding supplying Wholesale Liquors, later Key Distributing Co., and Fuller Brush Co. beginning about 1950.

L294-210-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 43 of 45)

Oakland Heritage Alliance’s Dan Levy lined up an image from Google Maps with a Key System photo ca. 1950s to address the origin of poles still in use at 53rd St. at the Lowell St. southern origin from Adeline St. In these southwest views, the red arrow indicates the metal pole at the southwest corner is derived from a Santa Fe Wig-wag signal, while the turquoise arrow suggests that telephone lines associated without Santa Fe were removed after the line was abandoned. The brick building at 5303 Adeline St. in the scene dates back to 1947 based on city records.

L294-215-Courtesy Google Maps, and Key System Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 44 of 45)

To close, one last artifact from the railroad era. The photo from 2023 speaks for itself, except that S. T. Johnson moved out more than a decade earlier, the building is now owned and occupied by Wilson Associates. The building is intact, even the second story loading dock. Appreciation and acknowledgement to John Harder for his study of the Golden Gate Tower, and to Ron Hook for providing images he took of Lowell St. at the end of the Santa Fe railroad era, and to Betty Marvin for the 1953 aerial views.

L294-220-Stuart Swiedler Photos, (Image 45 of 45)