George Russell I – The Coast of Oakland

From the early 1920s until the mid-1930s, George E. Russell documented the growth of the Bay Area through the lens of aerial photography, particularly along the coastlines. His journey over Oakland begins at the bay in the north. Northeast view of Oakland, ref: API 653_35_BOX 91 thru 95. For more on Russell, see http://www.sfei.org/projects/surveying-bay-through-time-george-e-russell-aero-foto#sthash.FJ8SL3cJ.dpbs

L173-05-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission , (Image 1 of 28)

To facilitate identifying key enterprises and structures during this tour, several references are provided starting with this map from 1921, bookending the earliest time period of Russell’s images.

L173-10-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 83537, (Image 2 of 28)

The map is flipped on its side to allow easier viewing.

L173-15-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 83537, (Image 3 of 28)

Marked by black arrows, this presentation will start at the Key Pier and head as far southeast as the Western Pacific, WP, crossing of the Southern Pacific, SP, at Chestnut St. With rare exception, the images were not dated, but approximate dates are provided when dictated by specific structures or markers.

L173-20-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 83537, Detail, (Image 4 of 28)

In this east view with Yerba Buena Island in the foreground, are the Key Pier, the SP Oakland Mole, the WP Oakland Mole, and the Alameda Mole, left to right. For dating purposes, the Alameda Airport, near the right edge, was built in 1927, and the original Key Pier structures that burned in May 1933 are still present. Ref: API 650_5_BOX 92050

L173-25-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission, (Image 5 of 28)

Borax Smith built the Key Pier out further into the bay than the competitors to shorten the ferry transit time. Many references insist on calling it a mole, but it was a pier since it was not built on a solid base, and water could freely flow under it. It was operational from 1903. The Bay Bridge opened to electric railway traffic on Jan. 15, 1939. Ref: #1 API 650_5_BOX 92050, Detail

L173-30-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission , (Image 6 of 28)

Next to the other three train-ferry terminals. They were built on fill and properly called moles. Note that these moles did have piers projecting from their train termini to allow ferry boats to approach. Ref: API 650_14_BOX 94048

L173-35-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission , (Image 7 of 28)

A closer view, from top to bottom, of the SP Oakland Mole, the WP Oakland Mole, and the SP Alameda Mole. The WP mole began operation in 1910, and the SP structures are from the late 19th century. The original SP Alameda building burned in 1902 and was replaced with the structure seen here. Ref: API 650_14_BOX 94048, Detail

L173-40-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission , (Image 8 of 28)

The SP Mole shown in a southeast view, dated as shown, 1922. Ref: API 650_23_BOX 94047

L173-45-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission , (Image 9 of 28)

Each company owned its own ferries, although the SN used the Key System vessels. John Harder’s best guess is that the ferry shown here was the SP “Berkeley”. John also noted that the windows on the electric rail cars are in the process of having the larger square windows replaced with the smaller round ones that were less prone to shatter. Ref: API 650_23_BOX 94047, Detail

L173-50-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission , (Image 10 of 28)

Progressing further east, a north view of the four rail operations. Ref: API 525_4_BOX 9003

L173-55-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission , (Image 11 of 28)

A detail from L173-55, north view. Ref: API 525_4_BOX 9003

L173-60-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission, (Image 12 of 28)

This pre-1927 southeast view of the SP Alameda tracks show no airport as yet, in contrast to the next image. Ref: API 525_8_BOX 9004

L173-65-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission, (Image 13 of 28)

This east view clearly shows the new Alameda Airport, the precursor to the Alameda Air Station. The WP’s track angling toward downtown Oakland can also be appreciated across the estuary. Ref: API 651_1_BOX 94056

L173-70-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission , (Image 14 of 28)

A closer east view to verify “Alameda”. Ref: API 651_1_BOX 94056, Detail

L173-75-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission , (Image 15 of 28)

The SP rail operations, both electric and steam powered, can be seen dividing up in this north view along the coast lines north and south, and its electric lines penetrating West Oakland. Ref: API 651_12_BOX 91 thru 95

L173-80-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission, (Image 16 of 28)

Following the SP rail lines to the north, the large white buildings are associated with the Oakland Terminal, followed by the SP 16th St.-Wood St. Station. The rail lines can be seen splitting to upper and lower decks of the latter as they approach from the south. Ref: API 651_12_BOX 91 thru 95, Detail

L173-85-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission , (Image 17 of 28)

At this point, the railroad tracks get fairly complicated, so this map from 1931 is being provided ...

L173-90-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives,106539, (Image 18 of 28)

… with this enlarged version of the identification tables.

L173-95-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 106539, (Image 19 of 28)

Now a detail from the 1931 map, showing all the multiple round houses and other depot-related structures for freight trains.

L173-100-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 106539, Detail, (Image 20 of 28)

By 1930, the SP still maintained the huge rail operation at the site of the Port of Oakland. Northwest view. Ref: API 651_9_BOX 95059

L173-105-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission , (Image 21 of 28)

The southern end of Peralta St., black arrow, can be seen heading on a northeast diagonal extending to the original St. Patrick’s Church at 10th and Peralta, seen near the right border. The parish was founded in 1878, and the replacement church that is there today was dedicated in Oct. 1947. Ref: API 651_9_BOX 95059, Detail

L173-110-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission, (Image 22 of 28)

Next a panoramic north view of West Oakland, the east border along the right edge being Filbert St. Two details follow.

L173-115-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission , (Image 23 of 28)

Starting from the south, the first detail shows the crossing of the WP on a diagonal with the SP. Just to the north of the crossing are the tracks of the Chestnut St. streetcar that can be seen curving to the west and ending in a fenced- off yard short of the WP-SP crossing. The line was built during WWI and had originally terminated at Moore and Scott’s shipyard. Ref: API 651_7_BOX 91 thru 95

L173-120-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission, (Image 24 of 28)

Further to the north between 12th and 14th Sts., between Poplar and Union Sts., the Shredded Wheat Company opened their factory during WWI. It was purchased by Nabisco in 1928, and is still in operation today. See https:localwiki.org/oakland/Pacific_Coast_Shredded _Wheat_Company. Ref: API 651_7_BOX 91 thru 95

L173-125-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission , (Image 25 of 28)

Concluding this section is a northeast view of the WP-SP crossing, but this one features the WP roundhouse in the foreground, the Moore Drydock Co. to the east, and finally the Howard Terminal, the elongated building at the east end of the the protrusion of land into the estuary. Ref: API 652_22_BOX 95032

L173-130-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission, (Image 26 of 28)

This detail from L173-130 shows the Webster St. bridge in the foreground, and remnants of the Harrison St. bridge in the background. It dates the photo to about 1925. The Posey tube would be built at the site of the latter, and opened for traffic in 1928. More details later as the journey with George Russell continues. Ref: API 652_22_BOX 95032, Detail

L173-135-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission , (Image 27 of 28)

For each section, additional aerial images will be added from diverse sources that provide more information about time and space. This first east view is from about 1935. The structures rebuilt at the Key Pier after the May 6, 1933 fire are present, and construction of the Bay Bridge began on July 9, 1933. Ref: BW Hellings Photo, 112 Kearny St, Cal Toll Br. Auth., EBRPD.P25.1

L173-140-Courtesy East Bay Regional Park District, (Image 28 of 28)