Fruitvale Avenue
In the 1870s, upper Fruitvale was largely orchards, cow pastures, beer gardens and muddy roads. However, Fruitvale Avenue boasted palatial estates. Eucalyptus trees lined the street and, within the estates, thirsty ornamentals like palm, magnolia, lemon and orange trees flourished. People walked along these paths toward recreational spots like Dimond Canyon, likely on paths the Ohlone had once used for their activity up and down the creek. Builders erected footbridges spanning the creek, connecting the gardens of adjacent estates and offering a tranquil, shady retreat for residents and visitors.Newspaper reports of the time consistently mentioned Sausal Creek, highlighting its presence at the heart of Fruitvale and its role in nourishing the fertile soils that supported the thriving farms and gardens. You can see one such advert enticing potential vacation homeowners in the San Francisco Call in 1904.
Origins of Fruitvale
You may already know how Fruitvale got its name from the fruit orchards owned by entrepreneurs like Henderson Luelling and Frederick Rhoda. But why did they pick here to plant those fruit trees? Fruitvale sits atop an alluvial plain: a flat land formed by many streams meandering slowly across an area and evenly depositing sediment. This sediment and organic material flowing downstream created a lush meadow when the Ohlone tribe lived here. After colonization, this area was prime, fertile farmland: it was flat, abundant with groundwater, full of untapped organic deposits.As of 1998, you could still see one of Luelling's apple trees at 2125 Woodbine Avenue. It has since succumbed to old age — apple trees usually live between 50-100 years, if carefully tended.
The Unity Council
The Unity Council, located along Fruitvale Ave., is a non-profit Social Equity Development Corporation. Latino community leaders founded The Unity Council in 1967 as they sought to increase representation and opportunities for the less fortunate in their community. The most pressing tasks facing Founding Executive Director Arabella Martinez were access to quality education, jobs and services. The Unity Council has been successful in creating the Fruitvale Village, a transit-oriented development created in the early 2000s that has served as a model for transit villages around the country.The Unity Council is also a driving force of community support in the lower Fruitvale area: offering services and programs in over five languages to thousands of individuals, investing in affordable housing, and helping local businesses. Some of their programs include youth mentorship, employment services, cultural events and early-childhood education. The Fruitvale community has been able to thrive thanks to the work of the Unity Council, which continues to push for community equity and stability.
Fruit Vale Orchards
In the late 1840s, Quaker horticulturalist Henderson Luelling traveled west on the Oregon Trail with his family: his wife and their eight children. Luelling brought a variety of over 700 fruit and nut trees with him from his nurseries in Oregon and Iowa to Oakland, where he and his family settled in 1854. In 1856, he planted cherry, apple, and pear trees in the rich soil near Sausal Creek and named the orchard "Fruit Vale." Later on, horse-drawn streetcars brought people to the orchards for Sunday outings and picnics alongside the creek, where people could enjoy the native berries and fresh farm fruit.
Small Milkweed Bug
Small milkweed bugs (Lygaeus kalmii) are initially fully red, but eventually develop black diagonal markings. You can find them in meadows and fields containing common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), where they feed on the seeds and lay their eggs in the spring. They also get their nutrients from milkweed nectar and seeds; but if these food sources are limited, they may feed on other insects such as monarch caterpillars, which feed exclusively on milkweed. Milkweed is toxic to most creatures, so milkweed bugs and monarch caterpillars' diets make them poisonous to potential predators!
Early Logging
Fruitvale Avenue, like many major East to west roads in the East Bay, likely began as a Native American footpath. Sausal Creek not only provided hydration to water-loving redwood and willow trees, but also powered sawmills. Loggers would bring newly felled trees to one of 10 sawmills located along the river for processing. However, the creek could not support a transportation waterway for the resulting lumber. After processing the trees, early loggers had to use hand tools and ox carts to haul lumber down the natural footpath along the creek, which likely became Fruitvale Avenue.
Concrete Rivers
Check out the channel in front of you and the map attached to guess why the treatment of Sausal Creek varies from an engineered channel — or concrete riverbed — to an underground culvert through much of Lower Fruitvale. During the alteration of Sausal Creek in the 1930s and 40s, people started prioritizing urbanization over creek health. This would often force the creek underground into large pipes or culverts to create room for lateral roads, including the 580 Freeway, East 27th Street and Foothill Blvd.Engineers then observed that culverts sped up water and worsened flooding downstream. In downstream areas like Lower Fruitvale, engineered channels spaced out between major road culverts slow the water flow. Today, we understand that channeling water only between culverts worsens erosion and speeds up water velocity because smooth concrete does not allow water any time to seep into the soil.Now, experts advocate for "slow, sink and spread": slowing water by building up sediment through building natural dams, and removing concrete to allow water to disperse and spread into the soil. Removing concrete does not just slow water velocity, it also creates a healthier habitat for macroinvertebrates, along with more carbon recycling, sediment transport, and habitat provision for other animals. However, this is a difficult task in urban areas like these, because people have built their homes adjacent to the concrete channels.
Edwards' Glassy-wing Moth
Nestled among the Bay Area’s oak trees, you might find the hairy, pale yellow Edwards’ glassy-wing moth (Pseudohemihyalea edwardsii). These moths live throughout California and the American Southwest and typically fly in summer and fall. Their larvae almost look like bumblebees with their furry black and yellow appearance.Generally, moths like the Edwards’ glassy-wing are important to the ecosystems they inhabit: they serve as pollinators for a wide variety of plants, and are a vital food source to various birds and mammals. Their presence also indicates a healthy, biodiverse environment because it signals the presence of other invertebrates. This makes them key organisms for both their ecosystems and environmental researchers.
Urban Promise Academy
"The mission of Urban Promise Academy (UPA) is to develop scholars, warriors, and artists." What a goal! Promise Academy is a unique small public school that prioritizes project-based, personalized and social-emotional learning. When the academy was first founded in 2001, many Oakland schools with high populations of Black and Latino/a students were severely underfunded and filled with low-performing students. Frustrated by the lack of quality education, parents and community leaders partnered with the National Equity Project to create the "New Small Autonomous Schools" initiative. One of the schools created with funding from this program was the Urban Promise Academy. With a student body consisting of 90% on free or reduced lunch, 85% Latino/a, and 50% English language learners, UPA tailors its education approach to its community.Much of UPA's campus is covered with pavement and impermeable surfaces, including a 50,000 sq. ft. roof and 120,000 sq. ft. of hardscape. While these areas are great for activities like basketball, they prevent water from soaking into the ground, leading to large amounts of untreated stormwater runoff. During an average rain year, the UPA campus generates about 2.13 million gallons (or 6.5 acre-feet) of stormwater. Unfortunately, this runoff flows directly into drains that lead to Sausal Creek immediately below, carrying debris, trash, and other pollutants from the streets and roof. You may notice a faded blue band running across the paved area — it represents Sausal Creek's underground path, which is open to the sky just east of campus but buried in a culvert to the west of campus. Both can be seen, but not accessed, from the school property.There are many ways to manage stormwater more effectively called Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI), as well as Low Impact Design (LID). For example, rain barrels can be installed to collect roof water, and permeable pavers can replace paved areas, allowing water to soak into the ground. This is especially important for this neighborhood, which has some of the city's most polluted storm drains, flowing directly into Sausal Creek untreated.
California Scrub-Jay
Ever spot a flash of blue in the tree branches? You might have spotted the California scrub jay (Aphelocoma californica): a white-throated bird with a grey back, and a bright blue head, wings and tail. The scrub jay hides calculated food caches and recovers them, demonstrating their unique long-term memory and mathematical planning abilities.Quarterly birding monitoring by the Friends of Sausal Creek confirms the California scrub jay is an abundant year-round resident species, with sightings recorded on almost every monitoring day in Sausal Creek, regardless of the time of year.Look for these signs of the California scrub jay’s presence; a well-built nest of twigs and grass in a small shrub or tree, light green eggs with brown spots, a harsh or scratchy screech bird sound, and the flash of blue wings.
John Sanborn
Situated by East 17th Street and Fruitvale, horticulturist John Sanborn once owned an extensive garden filled with over 100 different plant species he cultivated himself. Sanborn purchased this land in the late 1870s and passed away in 1889; his wife, Elizabeth B. Sanborn, kept the land private until 1925. She sold the land to the City of Oakland and it became Elizabeth B. Sanborn Park. We now know the land as Josie de la Cruz Park. Interestingly, the park’s history goes back even further than 1925. Before Sanborn turned the land into gardens, the area was once a farm. Chinese laborers who worked on the building of the Temescal Reservoir and the Transcontinental Railroad managed the farm. Despite a lack of records on Chinese communities at the time, there are historical reports detailing the presence of a Chinese wash house in the area.
Eucalyptus
Look up at the towering eucalyptus tree, a familiar sight in the Bay Area with its distinctive scent and bark. The most common variety in the Bay Area is the blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus). Planted for their rapid growth — which benefited the timber industry — in 1910, these trees now spark debates over their environmental impact. While displacing native plants and poisoning soil with allelopathic (tree-produced) chemicals, they also provide habitat for wildlife and endure urban challenges.Today, people debate their role in the landscape: should they remain as an act of preservation or be removed to further ecological progress? For example: the East Bay Regional Parks District and the Oakland Fire Department are removing and/or thinning eucalyptus trees in the Oakland Hills due to their high fire risk, while habitat organizations such as the Xerces Society and Sierra Club oppose removal, citing their importance to Monarch butterflies and raptors.
Henderson Luelling
You might know Quaker horticulturalist Henderson Luelling (1810-1878) as the man credited with naming the Fruitvale area, but his life story tells a much more enthralling tale. In 1825, Luelling (sometimes spelled Lewelling) moved to Indiana and married his first wife, Jane "Elizabeth" Presnall. Along with their four children, they moved to Iowa in 1837 to co-form the town of Salem with other Quakers. There, Luelling joined the abolition movement, becoming a member of the Underground Railroad. In 1847, Henderson, Elizabeth and their (now) eight children moved west to Oregon. Elizabeth died in 1851 from childbirth complications; a few months later, Henderson married Betsy A. Eddy, but she passed away a couple years later in 1853.In 1853, Luelling came to Oakland and planted the area’s first apple, pear, and cherry trees — the latter of which were the first to be shipped out East. He married his third wife, Mary Warren, in 1855 and the two lived in a mansion near Dimond Park (the present-day Altenheim Senior Housing area) before selling a great portion of his land to John B. Weller, then-Governor of California.Luelling later abandoned Mary in 1859 to move to Honduras with two of his sons to join a free love society called The Harmonial Brotherhood. The society eventually failed, causing Luelling to return to Oakland and possibly living under the name "Henry" for a period of time before his death in 1878.
Sanborn Park (Josie de la Cruz Park)
Sanborn Park, as it was known in the 1960s and 1970s, became a local gathering point for political activism against the Vietnam War draft. However, during the 1980s, the park became home to gangs and drug dealers as the influx of crack cocaine into Oakland led to a rise in violent crime. The city revitalized the park in the 1990s, adding the Carmen Flores Recreation Center, a new basketball court and soccer field. Oakland renamed the park after Josephine (Josie) de la Cruz, a prominent local activist who moved to Fruitvale during the 1950s after construction of the 880 freeway displaced huge numbers of people from West Oakland. Josie graduated from University High School on Grove Street and worked at the Latin American Library (now the César E. Chávez Branch of the Oakland Public Library) as a community aide, organizing programs for Oakland youth and English learners. Meet Josie in this interview from 1995.
Norway Spruce Tree
The Norway spruce (Picea abies) is an evergreen conifer native to Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. The Norway spruce has a wide distribution because of its popularity as a timber and as a popular Christmas tree species. In Oakland, families and nursery workers in the late 1800s and early 1900s favored evergreen conifers like the spruce. Evergreen conifers were even promoted as good trees to plant in cemeteries. The particular spruce near the entrance to Josie De La Cruz Park has sparse branches, as it's an older tree. If it’s an original, it was likely planted sometime between 1870 and 1910.
Large Carpenter Bees
Save native bees! The European honey bee gets a lot of media attention, but they are not the bees we need most in the Americas. As pollinators, bees co-evolved with flowering plants; so, even though there are thousands of bee species, only around 90 are native to the Bay Area. The name of the western carpenter bee (Xylocopa californica) comes from their nesting behavior, since nearly all carpenter bees burrow into hard plant material such as dead wood.The carpenter bee is a bee of many talents. They pollinate some open-faced or shallow flowers, but they can also "rob" some flowers by slitting an opening along the base of the flower to get nectar without pollinating. These bees also perform floral sonication, or "buzz pollination," where they grab onto a flower and vibrate at specific frequencies to "unlock" the nectar and pollen. Different flowers require different frequencies, so these bees are veritable musicians!
Pygmy Date Palm
When you ask somebody from outside our state what comes to mind when they think of California, they might imagine sunny beaches underneath palm trees. But there is only one palm tree native to California (Washingtonia filifera) in the Mojave Desert, about 500 miles away.So why do we see so many palm trees lining this park and streets all over the state? During the 1700s, Spanish missionaries planted palm trees to use their fronds in Christian ceremonies, mainly related to Easter. Eventually, so many people associated the palm tree with California that it became a status symbol. Palm trees prefer warm, dry weather, so the ones around here tend to do better indoors. The palms you see here are Pygmy Date Palms (Phoenix roebelenii), which are typically native to Asia!
Dwarf Mallow
Dwarf mallow (Malva neglecta), a distant cousin of the marshmallow, is a naturalized mallow originally native to the Old World. Even though mallow is not native to the Americas, we consider it "naturalized," not "invasive" because it can exist in harmony with native ecological communities.Dwarf mallow grows just about anywhere, hence the scientific name neglecta — it thrives even when neglected. This makes it a common sight in parking lots as well as creekside meadows. Its other nicknames are "cheese plant" and "cheeseweed" after its cheese wheel-shaped fruit.Dwarf mallow is edible and medicinal, tasting a bit like spinach. Depending on the harvest time, you can enjoy young mallow leaves and developing fruits raw. Beautiful purple and white mallow flowers are a reliable source of food for local butterflies like the West Coast and Painted Lady.
Weeping Willow
The weeping willow (Salix babylonica) is an iconic tree native to China. Today, weeping willows and their hybrids are invasive to the Americas, displacing native willow species like the Arroyo willow (Salix lapiolepsis).If they are both willows, what is the difference? Native species co-evolve and develop complex, symbiotic relationships that stabilize the ecosystem. In this case, the Arroyo willow hosts native pollinators, and its roots provide structure to riverbanks. The invasive weeping willow does not have the same host relationship with native pollinators. In fact, it is a famously difficult ornamental tree because it is prone to diseases and pests, so it often becomes a falling hazard.
Where is Sausal Creek?
Before Europeans came to the Oakland area, Sausal Creek provided water, food and habitat to a vast amount of local species. The Ohlone people not only relied on the creek’s abundant fresh water, but also for countless plant, fish and animal resources. However, as colonizers and settlers arrived throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the creek lost much of its biodiversity. Settlers cut down redwoods for lumber, planted orchards in the fertile soil near the creek and built large estates. Before long, the pastoral area had transformed into a flourishing city.With the increase of vehicle use and development on the Sausal Creek floodplain in the 20th century, the creek became a nuisance because of its degraded state from pollutants as well as frequent flooding. This led developers to culvert and bury the creek to prevent it from hindering above-ground development. As a consequence, the creek cannot support life on the scale it once did; many plant and animal species have either disappeared or seen drastic reductions in population.
Josie de la Cruz Park Sausal Creek Improvements
Sausal Creek runs culverted along the back edge of Josie de la Cruz Park, but is in an open channel upstream at 17th Street. (A culvert is a structure that allows water to pass under an obstacle, such as a road, trail, or stream. Culverts are usually pipes or arched tunnels.) Currently, rainwater flows from 17th Street directly into the creek, bringing pollutants and trash along with it. Installing rain gardens along East 17th Street and rain barrels at the Recreation Center could treat this polluted stormwater. Because of the park's proximity to schools, there are also opportunities for community improvement projects. Two potential projects include creating a symbolic creek with interpretative signage and doing native planting workdays. Which of these improvements would you like to see in Josie de la Cruz Park?
Transitioning Water Supplies
When you turn on the tap, have you ever wondered where that water is actually coming from? Well, some of Oakland’s water used to come right here from Sausal Creek! Before Spanish colonization, the indigenous Ohlone set up villages near Sausal Creek, relying on its abundant water. When the Spanish, and later Anglo, colonizers arrived, they also used Sausal Creek as a water source.Taking advantage of the Sausal’s ample reserves, Caspar Hopkins created the Sausal Water Company in 1869 to supply Fruitvale with water. The company built a dam near Park Blvd., which held water that was then pumped into the neighborhood. Eventually, Anthony Chabot’s Contra Costa Water Company bought the Sausal Water Company to create more dams to supply water to Oakland.Eventually, these companies could not provide the growing population of Oakland with enough water, so the State of California adopted the MUD Act in 1923, forming the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD). Now, EBMUD supplies most of the East Bay with fresh water from the Mokelumne River. For a more in-depth look at the history of East Bay water sources and EBMUD, check out our May 2023 newsletter, featuring the EBMUD General Director!
Common Raccoon
The common raccoon (Procyon lotor) is a native North American species that has thrived alongside humans for centuries. The Ohlone people initially hunted raccoons for their meat and fur. Over time, these nocturnal creatures have adapted remarkably well to urban environments, using their agile paws and sharp intelligence to navigate our cities. While they're known for raiding garbage bins, pilfering pet food, and even nesting in attics, raccoons play a vital role in the ecosystem as natural scavengers.Despite their cute appearance, it's important to remember that raccoons can carry rabies, a serious disease transmitted through saliva. To stay safe, never approach a raccoon showing signs of aggression or illness, and always admire these clever creatures from a respectful distance.
Carmen Flores Recreation Center
Josie de la Cruz Park has existed since the 1980s, but major renovations in the late 1990s helped clear out the criminal activity and promote community growth. Once a center of gangs and drug dealers, the Carmen Flores Recreation Center at Josie de la Cruz Park is now a popular community center with a plethora of local events and low-cost community-building activities, such as zumba classes and afterschool programs. The non-profit Rebuilding Together, Maxwell House Coffee and Wheel of Fortune host Vanna White all supported the creation of a native community garden feature as well. What you might not know from looking at the park is that part of Sausal Creek runs through this area! However, it has been buried in a depression near the back of the park.
American Crow
The adaptable American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) thrives in urban environments, including the Sausal Creek Watershed. With their intelligence and scavenging behavior, they are common residents, foraging on the ground, in trees and trash. Since 2000, there has been a 1,100% increase in observable crows in Oakland, causing concerns over increased bird waste in urban areas. The crow's presence is especially noticeable in winter when they congregate in roosts on trees and buildings for warmth and protection. Recently, the City of Oakland has experimented with using trained hawk intervention to deter crows from roosting in urban environments.
Native and Non-native Squirrels
At first glance, all squirrels might look alike. But there are actually three different species you might see in this area! Fox squirrels (Sciurus niger), with their brownish-gray fur and fluffy tail, are the most common, though they are not a native species. It’s likely that, in the early 1900s, Civil War veterans from the South brought them to California. California made squirrel importation illegal in 1933, but it was probably too late. Fox squirrels quickly established dominance over native species because they use human infrastructure for food and nesting sites. They will feast on food scraps, garden vegetables, seeds, berries, and nut and fruit orchards.If you’re lucky, you might spot a Western gray squirrel (Sciurus griseus) with silver-gray fur, pure white underside, and bushy tail. These are the largest native tree squirrels in their range and help seed dispersion by hiding food in different places within their territory. They are true arboreal species, choosing to live in dense forests, eating only acorns, pine nuts and fungi that grow on trees. As their habitat has shrunk over time, they prefer to keep their distance from humans.If you see a squirrel with a mottled or dappled coat and brown tail, you’ve met the native California “Beechey” ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi). Unlike fox or Western gray squirrels that prefer living in trees, this keystone species is famous for its burrowing behavior. This also disperses seeds and aerates the soil, promoting plant growth. Ground squirrel burrows can be up to six feet deep and 35 feet long, with multiple rooms, such as nurseries, food storage or sleeping quarters.
Early Chinese laborers in Fruitvale
During the late 1800s, Chinese laborers were scattered throughout Oakland because job opportunities were dispersed and limited. Some of these laborers took up residence and found work farming and/or selling produce grown in the fruit orchards and vegetable gardens of Fruitvale. These produce peddlers would often carry two large baskets — each filled with 100 pounds of produce — all over the East Bay, which earned them the nickname "the Basket Brigade."However, anti-Chinese sentiment was strong at this time, particularly among (predominantly White) business competitors, such as the Merchant’s Exchange and Free Market of Oakland. Widespread prejudice influenced the creation of local laws that pushed Chinese laborers out of a variety of industries. In 1891, Oakland City Ordinance 1298 banned the vending of produce on the streets of Oakland.
La Clínica de la Raza Dental Mural
Artist Raymundo (Zalas) Nevel painted this mural on the side of La Clínica de la Raza Dental in 1977. It depicts crucial parts of the Chicano movement and ancestors like the feathered serpent deity Quetzalcoatl. Over time, the mural suffered weather damage; Nevel's daughter, Xochitl Nevel Guerrero, repainted it in the late 1990s. Many other members of the community also volunteered to contribute to the mural, as seen in the mural credits on the northern side of the building.
La Clínica de la Raza
In 1971, a group of UC Berkeley students alarmed by the lack of local, affordable health options formed La Clínica de la Raza (The Clinic of the People). The discrepancy between health care options for the affluent, primarily white classes and those for poorer, primarily BIPOC classes embodied one of the core inequalities underlying Civil Rights movements at the time. Much like the greater Civil Rights movement sweeping UC campuses and the nation, La Clínica took inspiration from Martin Luther King, Jr. and leaders of the Chicano Movement (El Movemiento) like Cesar Chavez. The students, backed by community members, declared "that every person deserves access to high-quality, culturally appropriate health care, regardless of their ability to pay." With this conviction in mind, they opened a storefront clinic, and La Clínica de la Raza was born. Since then, the operation has grown to 35 service sites throughout 3 counties.
Cesar Chavez in Fruitvale
"¡Sí, se puede! Yes, we can!" This rallying cry for labor rights echoed in Oakland in the 1960s as the United Farm Workers (UFW), led by Cesar Chavez, fought for fair treatment for farm workers. The UFW boycotted Safeway grocery stores because of anti-union practices. The Black Panther Party joined the boycott in 1979 after Safeway refused to donate food to the Panther’s free breakfast program, even after studies showed that poor kids struggled in school because they were hungry.Over the years, the Black Panthers and UFW teamed up repeatedly to support each other in the fight for civil rights and against injustices. UFW spoke up against government killing and imprisonment of Black Panthers. The Panthers encouraged Black voters to defeat 1979’s Prop 22, which would have prevented farm workers from unionizing.In an echo of how activism shaped policy in the past, the "Youth Advocates for Fruitvale Parks and Open Spaces" led a 2001 petition to rename this park — originally Foothills Meadows Park — to Cesar E. Chavez Park. They succeeded and Cesar E. Chavez Park re-opened in September 2002.
Spanish Speaking Citizens' Foundation
In the 1960s, Latino/a community members organized around their shared experiences of lack of services and widespread poverty. In 1964, they formed the Spanish Speaking Citizens' Foundation (SSCF). Their goal, similar to the Unity Council, is to improve the lives of Oakland Latinos and help the community celebrate their cultural heritage. The SSCF and Unity Council were some of the first organizations to lay the foundation for the empowerment and uplifting of the Latino community in East Oakland. Today, they offer many programs, including help with immigration, citizenship, financial literacy, English language classes and youth programs.
Redlining in Fruitvale
Historically in America, areas of wealth and leisure have tried to exclude people of color. During the New Deal between 1935-1940, the government-backed Home Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC) created "residential security" maps for Oakland with comments on how high the "racial infiltration" rates were in different parts of the city. While the government openly assisted White families with new home purchases, it denied that same help to people living in the red-lined areas — overwhelmingly people of color — meaning many were stuck as renters in denser urban areas.The term "redlining" came to describe this discriminatory practice that systematically denied access to mortgages and financial services to entire neighborhoods based on the racial composition of those areas. Neighborhoods with Black residents, as well as some immigrant and Jewish communities, were ranked lower due to the "infiltration" of non-whites. HOLC produced maps for each city, categorizing neighborhoods with grades: "A" (colored green) for the "best" and safest investments, and "D" (colored red) for those considered "hazardous." Fruitvale scored from "C" to "D." This practice of redlining was legal and prevalent for many years.Why does this matter? This practice prevented wealth accumulation: low grades of C or D made it nearly impossible for non-whites to buy property in affluent areas. Property ownership is a primary means of building and passing down wealth, so redlining systematically deprived marginalized communities of this opportunity, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and limited economic mobility.
The Eagles’ Street Fair and Carnival
In May 1910, Oaklanders looked forward to celebrating the Eagles’ Street Fair and Carnival in Fruitvale. The Fraternal Order of the Eagles — an organization dedicated to uplifting the performing arts — hosted the event, which took place near International Blvd. (previously East 14th Street) and Fruitvale Ave. The festival went on for an entire week, boasting decked-out streets, concerts and performances. The festivities ended with a Mardi Gras parade that included floats and a masquerade ball.
Keep Oakland Beautiful
Look at this colorful mosaic trash can! It’s part of a community beautification effort, started in 2010 in the Allendale Park neighborhood of East Oakland. Though it started in one neighborhood, local volunteer professional and amateur artists have spread the project to other neighborhoods in Oakland, including Dimond District, San Pablo Ave. and High Street.Local grants fund this art effort, along with the Keep Oakland Beautiful program: a nonprofit that aims to beautify neglected public spaces in Oakland. The program offers micro-grants of up to $1,000 for projects that benefit the community, such as murals, free Little Libraries, neighborhood cleanups and other efforts. To be eligible for a grant, you must first register with the City of Oakland's Adopt-a-Spot program and pledge to be a caretaker of a specific area, taking on the responsibility of keeping it clean and repairing any damage.If you’re interested in seeing how artists made the mosaics for these trash cans, watch this video.
Native American Health Center
Fruitvale’s non-profit Native American Health Center (NAHC) has been helping the Bay Area’s Indigenous and underserved populations access vital medical care at affordable costs since 1972. NAHC is one of the oldest and most well-established Urban Indian Health programs in the United States.NAHC's original headquarters was in San Francisco to support the large Indigenous populations in the Bay Area. After purchasing their Fruitvale building in the 1980s, they moved to Oakland, where they now operate many different types of healthcare services, including dental offices, behavioral health centers and social service programs.Using a unique approach to health, NAHC blends spirituality, culture and identity with modern medical practices to provide a culturally competent healthcare experience, which is why it has been such an important and lasting organization in the area.
Cohen Bray House
This towering Victorian house was an 1884 wedding present for Emma Bray and Alfred H. Cohen: children from prominent business families in the grain and railroad industries. In 1863, A.H Cohen's father A.A Cohen established the San Francisco & Alameda Railroad, which was the first railroad and ferry system in Alameda County. Only six years later, A.A Cohen's railroad ventures proved very successful and Cohen became a wealthy railroad attorney for the Central Pacific Railroad (CPRR). The Cohen Bray House is a symbol of A.A Cohen's success in transforming the region through railroad and ferry transportation.For many years, the Cohen Bray family used Sausal Creek in the backyard to provide all the water for this home. The water flow in the creek was strong enough to flow up to the house’s second floor water tank without any pumping mechanism. Water was then gravity-fed through an elaborate series of pipes in the kitchen’s coal-burning stove to heat it for baths. In the 1980s, years of pollution and erosion buried the creek underground in a culvert, where it remains today. You can see the buried creek in the backyard.After Emma Cohen passed away in 1925, the house stayed in the family until 1978, when they had it added to Oakland’s list of historic landmarks. If you’d like to look inside the house, sign up on this website for a guided tour of this remarkable glimpse into the past: https://www.cohenbrayhouse.org/about-5-1
Ghost Ship Warehouse Fire
The Ghost Ship Warehouse Fire in Oakland occurred on December 2, 2016, in a warehouse that had been converted into an artist collective and living space. The building, known as the Ghost Ship, lacked proper permits for residential use and had numerous safety violations, including inadequate exits, a lack of sprinklers, and a cluttered interior filled with flammable materials. During a late-night party, a fire broke out, quickly spreading through the building and trapping many inside. The tragedy resulted in the deaths of 36 people, many active artists in the Bay Area, making it one of the deadliest fires in California's history. The incident sparked widespread criticism of City officials for failing to enforce safety regulations and raised awareness about the risks faced by artists and residents living in unpermitted spaces. The Unity Council in Fruitvale bought the warehouse in 2023, hoping to turn it into a new project and memorial.
"Mask on" mural
In 2020, the Alameda County Public Health Department launched the "Mask On Alameda County!" campaign to encourage mask-wearing and unity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign included commissioning four murals in highly impacted neighborhoods. Oakland artist Jonathan Brumfield completed this mural in September 2020. It highlights the importance of solidarity among diverse communities, referencing the health crisis, Latino/a cultural pride, and social justice movements.Iconic symbols include "¡Sí se puede!" from the Cesar Chavez and the United Farmworkers' movement, the rainbow flag for LGBTQ+ support, and Black Lives Matter, continuing a long tradition of coming together to support one another in marginalized communities, combining art and activism.
Día de los Muertos
The vibrant celebration of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is one of the most captivating cultural events in Fruitvale. According to tradition, this holiday welcomes the spirits of the dead back home for the night, allowing them to reunite with their loved ones. While Mexican families have observed Día de los Muertos for centuries in religious ceremonies, the modern festival on the streets of Fruitvale traces its roots to the 1970s Chicano movement that began in East Los Angeles. During this era of civil rights activism, Mexican-Americans reclaimed their indigenous heritage and cultural roots, shaping the new Chicano identity.Self Help Graphics & Art, a printmaking collective and the oldest Chicano art center still in existence, reintroduced indigenous customs such as ofrendas (altars) adorned with photographs of departed loved ones. Each November, the streets come alive with dancing, delicious food and costumes as over 100,000 community members gather to honor and celebrate Mexican heritage. Check out this video by the Unity Council to see footage of the event.
Safety of International Blvd
Today, International Boulevard remains one of the "high injury corridors" of Oakland, where only 6% of streets account for 60% of severe accidents. Why is this the case? Here are some numbers: 25% of accidents involve speeding, 75% of accidents occur at intersections, and 33% of pedestrian deaths happen because drivers fail to yield to pedestrians. On International, AC Transit invested millions in 2017 on building dedicated "Bus Rapid Transit" (BRT) lanes to reduce commute times. However, drivers weave in and out of these lanes in order to speed around city traffic. In response, Oakland implemented speed bumps along the BRT lanes. Time will tell if this strategy reduces traffic danger — city planning requires ongoing risk assessment and careful implementation.
Mix of businesses
As you walk down International Boulevard, you'll become aware of an entirely different mix of businesses than you see along other segments of Fruitvale Avenue. In many ways, this neighborhood resembles one you might find in Latin America because this neighborhood's commerce primarily serves the needs of the local community. Party stores, dress stores, travel agencies, small medical clinics, and places to wire money abound.Why are there so many travel agencies? According to Forbes (2019), Hispanics outspend non-Hispanics on travel annually, and many prefer to consult agents than rely on online resources. Party stores and dress stores cater to year-round familial gatherings that are an integral part of life in this community. Small health clinics serve this population that is, statistically, less likely to have common health insurance and needs to pay for health care on a cash basis. And money transfer services allow community members to send money to their loved ones in other countries, especially Latin America and South America.
Renaming 14th Street International Blvd
In May 1996, the City of Oakland renamed East 14th Street to "International Boulevard." The renaming had two main purposes: to honor the diverse origins of Oakland's residents but also to improve the street's reputation, which had become a hotbed of crime. Despite the new name, the area is still an "Equity Priority Community (EPC)," meaning it has a high concentration of underserved populations, such as low-income households and people of color. We used to call these areas "Communities of Concern," but locals wanted a name that felt more positive and forward-looking. "Equity Priority Community" better reflects ongoing efforts to support and uplift historically disadvantaged communities.Both of these name changes are examples of onomastic activism, where changing a name helps shift the narrative and identity of a place. Why does this matter? For starters, 84% of "high injury corridors" are in EPCs. When only 6% of streets account for 60% of traffic injuries and most of those streets are home to underserved populations, the solution needs to uplift the entire community to make a lasting impact.
Willow Grove
What's in a name? Sausal Creek was supposedly named after the stand of water-loving willow trees it passed by just shy of its outlet into the San Leandro Bay estuary — in Spanish, a willow grove is bosque de sauces. The original willow grove was a crucial resource for the Ohlone, who inhabited the area. They used the diverse plant life along the creek banks to craft intricate baskets, using willow branches, western redbud and bracken ferns to create vibrant patterns. This abundance of plant material allowed them to develop sophisticated weaving techniques, weaving dark red redbud branches and black rhizomes of bracken ferns into the lighter-colored willow branches. Linda Yamane, a member of the Rumsen Ohlone Tribal community, sought to revitalize this lost art through careful ethnographic research. In 1994, she wove the first traditional Ohlone basket in over a century. Today, she is a master basketweaver who shares her knowledge.
Laotian Community
During the Vietnam War, the country of Laos — sandwiched between Vietnam and Thailand — became a major battleground. Despite the U.S. military and CIA's support of the Laotian government, the United States bombed Laos with more explosives than it had used during all of World War II. It was one of the most intense bombing campaigns in world history; as a result, Laos is still riddled with nearly 80 million buried explosives. After the end of the Vietnam War in 1975 and the passing of the 1980 Refugee Act, over 31,000 Laotians sought refuge in the United States. They mainly settled in California, including here in East Oakland, forming a strong cultural community. Today, International Boulevard in Fruitvale features a noticeable concentration of Laotian and Cambodian restaurants. The area hosts many cultural events, such as the Cambodian New Year festival in Peralta Hacienda Park every April. As you continue the tour, take special note of the Cambodian and Laotian imagery mixed in among the primarily Latino/a murals in the area.
Laotian Mural
Among the predominantly Latino murals in Fruitvale, here's a striking piece that stands out for its Laotian and Cambodian influences. This vibrant mural, created by Oakland-based artist Pat Kong, features a woman adorned with iconic symbols from Oakland, Laos and Cambodia. On her head is an Apsara headdress, typically seen in traditional Cambodian dance. In the center of the mural, under the “Welcome to Oakland” sign, is Airavata: the mythic three-headed elephant from Southeast Asian lore, symbolizing power and protection, and once part of the Laotian flag. By blending contemporary graffiti art with traditional Asian imagery, this mural reflects the richly multicultural community of Fruitvale.
Brooklyn and Fruitvale Railroad
The Oakland, Brooklyn and Fruitvale Railroad was a significant horse car line connecting downtown Oakland with the town of Brooklyn (lands south of Lake Merritt and the channel). Resident knew it colloquially as the "Tubbs Line," named after one of its backers, Hiram Tubbs. In the 1800s, if you did not own your own horse or a bike, you had to walk every mile you traveled. The horsecar revolutionized public transit by pulling cars along steel tracks, providing a smoother and more reliable ride.Established in 1871, the four-car, 22-horse-powered Tubbs Line extended from 7th and Broadway to 12th Street, then eastward along East 12th Street. For 25 years, it provided an important connection for workers in Fruitvale commuting along the waterfront to various jobs. Unfortunately, it wasn’t always the most sanitary and resource-efficient system, flooding waterways with manure and requiring a vast amount of hay, water and stables. By 1895, the line transitioned to electric cars, marking a technological shift in urban transportation.
Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexico's victory against the French in 1862. It started as a small event in some of Mexico's larger cities, but soon became a tradition in the United States as the Mexican community began to flock to American cities. The Chicano Movement grew the popularity of Cinco de Mayo: they encouraged the holiday to highlight the struggles their communities were facing. Cinco de Mayo celebrations eventually made their way to Fruitvale, including an extravagant festival along International Blvd. The event has since moved near the BART station, and is still a wonderful place to immerse yourself in the thrills of Mexican culture.
Fruitvale Village
Located on Oakland’s East Street, the Fruitvale BART station and surrounding Fruitvale Village is an internationally famous example of a successful transit-oriented development. Because this particular BART station is such a cornerstone in the Fruitvale community, Oakland’s Unity Council — a local non-profit that advocates for the underserved groups in Oakland — proposed a mixed-use development that would better serve the needs of Fruitvale’s residents. Throughout the 1990s, the Unity Council worked with BART, the City of Oakland, the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, and the UC Berkeley Institute of Urban & Regional Development to design the development, incorporating feedback from community members to ensure the development’s success. Fruitvale Village opened in 2004, complete with housing, shopping, community organizations, medical clinics, and (of course) easy access to public transportation.
Fruitvale BART Station
The Fruitvale BART station is located on 35th Ave, right near Fruitvale Village. As the fourth-busiest BART station in the East Bay, Fruitvale is fundamental in connecting the residents of the Sausal Creek watershed (especially those on the eastern portion of the creek) with the rest of the Bay. This particular BART station is also part of the Fruitvale Village, one of the most successful transit-oriented developments in the world. It has been serving the Fruitvale area since the early 1970s and is a cornerstone of the surrounding community. The 2013 movie Fruitvale Station is a biographical drama detailing the final hours of Oscar Grant III's life prior to a BART police officer killing him at the BART station. Director Ryan Coogler — who directed films such as Black Panther and Creed — shot several of the movie's scenes within the station.
Oscar Grant III Mural at BART Station
On New Years Day in 2009 at the Fruitvale BART station, BART police officer Johannes Mehserle shot and killed Oscar Grant III, a local 22-year-old Black man. The killing caused massive social unrest in the Bay Area and around the country, including a high-profile trial and a $25 million wrongful death claim against BART; they settled with Grant's daughter and mother for a total of $2.8 million in 2011. In addition, there is now a mural with Oscar Grant’s portrait on a wall near a Fruitvale BART bus stop and one of Fruitvale’s streets is now "Oscar Grant III Way."Each year, Fruitvale community members and local supporters gather in front of Fruitvale BART to honor Oscar's memory and protest against the murders that communities of color often face at the hands of police.
Casa Arabella
There is a long, troubling history of housing challenges in Oakland, including gentrification, displacement and exclusionary housing policies like "redlining." These challenges disproportionately affect low-income Latino/a and East Asian communities in East Oakland. As a result, many long-term residents struggle to remain in their neighborhoods amidst rising rents.Two nonprofit organizations in Fruitvale — The Unity Council and the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC) — have teamed up to build affordable housing to serve the multicultural community. The 2019 Casa Arabella apartment complex is one example: 100% of the apartments (94 units) are affordable, per State of California definitions. Through a combination of Below Market Rate (BMR) and Project Based Voucher (PBV) programs, Casa Arabella offers permanent affordable housing to almost 400 residents whose household income is at (or below) 20-60% of the area median income (AMI). And approximately 20% of the units are specifically for formerly homeless U.S. military veterans. Just a short walk from BART, this is a great example of a modern, transit-oriented development. Residents receive discounted transit fares to encourage commuting and there is plenty of bicycle parking.
Culturas, Sueños, y Sanación mural
In front of you lies the "Culturas, Sueños, y Sanación" mural. The American Friends Service Committee funded this mural and continues to fund 67 Sueños, a youth art collective. 67 Sueños, led by artist Amend TDK, unveiled their creation in October 2023. Like many other murals by this group, youth artists developed it from conception to completion. These youth artists come from undocumented or mixed-status families, and all live in the Fruitvale neighborhood. The theme of this mural is healing through connecting to one's cultural and ancestral practices. The youth artists also wanted to paint their hopes for the future of the neighborhood. Some of these hopes are that every culture is valuable, every dream is valuable, and every human is deserving of compassion, grace and love.
35th Avenue Plaza
Check out this pocket park! Thanks to a 1998 collaboration between the City of Oakland and the Spanish Speaking Unity Council, Fruitvale Plaza Park revitalized the corner of 35th Street and International Blvd.Through a community-driven process and public art call, the City selected artist Praba Pilar to design the park with: a mosaic tile bench; planter; serpentine mosaic floor piece honoring Sausal Creek; and an information kiosk featuring historic tiles and community announcements. During the building process, Pilar and sculptor Rod Garrett warmly engaged with local residents who provided input, shared food and volunteered their labor.Don't miss the historical references and nods to Sausal Creek near the mosaic bench and kiosk, including ceramicist Lucia Herrera's "Arbol de la Vida de Fruitvale." The park's festive opening celebrated a new community space, where locals still gather to relax and connect today.
Origins of the Chicano Movement
In the late 1960s, after being displaced from West Oakland to Fruitvale, the Latino/a community faced mounting challenges, such as inadequate schools, services and housing, as well as police brutality. Triggered by the police murder of 23-year-old Charles (Pinky) Debaca in 1968, local activism surged, coinciding with the Chicano Movement in Southern California. Inspired by young Mexican Americans striving for civil rights, Latino/a and Chicano/a residents started their version of the movement. Newly formed groups like the Chicano Revolutionary Party, with help from the Black Panthers, started a free breakfast program and community patrol.Fruitvale emerged as a focal point for Chicano/a activism, organizing protests against the Vietnam War and calling for improved healthcare and education. One example was establishing La Clínica de la Raza, a free health clinic still operating today.The terms “Chicano" and “Latino” are closely related yet distinct. “Chicano” was originally used as a slur against “less cultured” Mexican Americans and recent immigrants. Those engaged in civil rights advocacy reclaimed the word and now use it to express cultural solidarity, Indigenous pride and resistance to oppression. “Latino” refers specifically to ancestry from Central and South America, otherwise known as Latin America.
Heal Your People, Heal Yourself mural
Francis "Amend TDK" Sanchez, Angelica Lopez and youth artists from 67 Sueños painted this "Heal Your People Heal Yourself" mural in July 2021. The 67 Sueños organization is connected to the American Friends Service Committee. The artists themselves provide an apt description of the purpose and heart of the mural:"H.Y.P.H.Y. Mural is dedicated to the roots of Oakland (Huichin) true. Grateful for the ancestors who cultivated and took care of this land so we could call it home. Our town flower is unique and has given birth to our very hxstory, culture, and lingo. The beauty of our BIPOC hoods is made up of our diverse backgrounds, cultures, and migration stories. Today our people are being uprooted and kicked out of their homes. We paint this mural to remind us of the importance of healing generational trauma and ending cycles of pain, colonialism, and capitalism. Si no hay justicia para el pueblo, que no haya paz para el gobierno. This mural is meant to acknowledge our existence, power and beauty."This mural represents the BIPOC community of the Fruitvale area and the importance of health in the culture of the community. Civil Rights activists in the area have used art to create awareness and change in the disparity of access to quality and culturally competent health care for low-income BIPOC communities. If you would like to see more murals by any of the artists who worked on this piece, scan the QR code.
Fruitvale explodes after 1906 earthquake
In 1906, the "Great Quake" occurred offshore of San Francisco, setting off days of shockwaves that you could feel from Oregon to Los Angeles. Experts estimate it was about 7.9 magnitude on the Richter scale. In addition to killing an estimated 3,000 people, the tremors and subsequent fires destroyed at least 28,000 buildings, leaving 200,000 refugees without homes.Oakland saw a huge influx of newcomers to its urban area, which was desirable due to its cheap land and relatively low population. In fact, Oakland's population more than doubled from about 67,000 in 1900 to 150,000 in 1910. By 1910, approximately 5.5% of Oakland's population was non-White, of which the majority was Black or East Asian.
Exodus from West Oakland
Today, Fruitvale has the highest percentage of Hispanic, Latino/a and Chicano/a residents in Oakland, but this was not always true — its primary occupants used to be German, Portuguese and Irish families. Prior to World War II, West Oakland was home to Oakland’s first Latino/a neighborhood, especially attracting immigrants fleeing the 1910 Mexican Revolution. In the 1960s, urban renewal, freeway construction of the Cypress Freeway (now I-880), and BART construction destroyed over 5,100 housing units and community centers in West Oakland. All these factors contributed to displacing Black and Latino residents, many of whom relocated to East Oakland, particularly in neighborhoods like Fruitvale.
