Elmhurst, Oakland, California
Encyclopedia
Elmhurst is a residential neighborhood in the southernmost part of Oakland, California
. Originally a separate town, it was annexed
by Oakland in 1909, and today is considered part of East Oakland
. It lies at an elevation of 39 feet (12 m). It contains the Eastmont Town Center
.
. Originally named "Jones", the station was renamed "Elmhurst" in 1869. The town's first post office was established in 1892. The town of Elmhurst was primarily an agricultural community. After the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake
, East Bay communities grew in population, and the City of Oakland annexed
several surrounding communities in 1909, including Elmhurst. The neighborhood grew into a manufacturing center in the years that followed, with automobile manufacturing
playing a significant role. Chevrolet
opened an auto assembly plant in Elmhurst in 1915, which shut down in the 1950s.
Elmhurst was the site of one of the large carbarns for the Key System
's streetcars, the Elmhurst Carhouse.
Although it was historically a white working-class neighborhood, it became predominantly African American
after World War II, and today, Latino
s now form about half of Elmhurst's population.
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
. Originally a separate town, it was annexed
Annexation
Annexation is the de jure incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities, barring physical size...
by Oakland in 1909, and today is considered part of East Oakland
East Oakland, Oakland, California
East Oakland is the southeastern portion of Oakland, California, and takes up the largest portion of the city's land area. It stretches between Lake Merritt in the northwest and San Leandro in the southeast...
. It lies at an elevation of 39 feet (12 m). It contains the Eastmont Town Center
Eastmont Town Center
Eastmont Town Center is a shopping mall and social services hub located on bounded by Foothill Boulevard, Bancroft and 73rd Avenues, and Church Street, in the Eastmont neighborhood of East Oakland. The mall opened in 1970 on the site of a 1920's-era Chevrolet truck factory. Architect William...
.
History
Elmhurst began in 1865, when a railroad station was constructed by the San Francisco and Alameda RailroadSan Francisco and Alameda Railroad
In 1863 A. A. Cohen, a prominent San Francisco attorney, together with Charles Minturn, an operator of river steamboats and bay ferries, E. B. Mastick, a prominent Alameda landowner, and others incorporated the San Francisco and Alameda Railroad to provide passenger and freight ferry-train service...
. Originally named "Jones", the station was renamed "Elmhurst" in 1869. The town's first post office was established in 1892. The town of Elmhurst was primarily an agricultural community. After the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other...
, East Bay communities grew in population, and the City of Oakland annexed
Municipal annexation in the United States
Municipal annexation is a process whereby a city government expands the city limits into adjacent areas not already incorporated into cities, villages or other municipalities, and sometimes when they were...
several surrounding communities in 1909, including Elmhurst. The neighborhood grew into a manufacturing center in the years that followed, with automobile manufacturing
Automotive industry
The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....
playing a significant role. Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
opened an auto assembly plant in Elmhurst in 1915, which shut down in the 1950s.
Elmhurst was the site of one of the large carbarns for the Key System
Key System
The Key System was a privately owned company which provided mass transit in the cities of Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Emeryville, Piedmont, San Leandro, Richmond, Albany and El Cerrito in the eastern San Francisco Bay Area from 1903 until 1960, when the system was sold to a newly formed public...
's streetcars, the Elmhurst Carhouse.
Although it was historically a white working-class neighborhood, it became predominantly African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
after World War II, and today, Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
s now form about half of Elmhurst's population.