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| Robin D. McCrea, who is giving the acreage to the city as a memorial to his father, the late George E. McCrea, points to one of the many places around the camp where the Indians ground their flour.-Tribune photos. |
[This is where Holy Names College is, now. - MF]
Historic Site Now City Park
Ancient Indian Camp Given to Oakland By Robin McCrea
One of Oakland's little known historical spots, a hilltop section where Indians camped and where the Spanish padres took their messages to the aborigines, has been presented to the city as a park.The property, between four and five acres off Redwood Road near Mountain Boulevard, has been given to Oakland by Robin D. McCrea, San Francisco engineer, and will serve as a memorial to his father, the late George E. McCrea, well-known Bay area architect.
McCrea Sr., who died last May, bought the property, then 20 acres, in 1908. Previously it had belonged to two different owners, each of whom lived there a quarter of a century, and before that had been part of the Rancho de San Antonio of the Peraltas.
ANCIENT CAMP SITE
The acreage, cut with paths which had their origin in the water trails of the Indians, includes a camp - a rock-bound circle - where the Indians had their council fires and cookery.The rocks, blackened by smoke and pitted with mortar wells where the acorn flour was ground, will be left as they are for a historical exhibit.
A chapel, where padres from Mission San Jose held services for the Indians and under which a priest is said to be buried, also will be included in the park.
TO RESTORE CHAPEL
The chapel was converted into a dining room when McCrea added on to the buildings after he bought the property, but will be removed from the house and restored to its original form, according to E. M. Sanborn, forester in charge of field operations for the Oakland Park Department.The property, heavily wooded, probably will be cleared out, but will be otherwise left as it was when Indians first camped on the hilltop. According to an early history of the grounds, the red man could command the entire landscape in every direction from his camp there and could sight an approaching enemy long before an attack could possibly begin.
When his father took the property, he found relics of the Indian and of the padre, McCrea said. A two-room cabin which antedated the chapel, and a house which had been used by a branch of the old Peralta family also were still standing. The deed to the property lists it as part of the Peralta grant.
HOUSE DEVELOPED
The house, which under McCrea Sr.'s direction grew from a narrow "farmhouse" into a charming, rambling eight or nine room home, has been sold to William D. Schulte, who now lives at 3581 Jordan Road, and will not be included in the park.Robin McCrea, who spent his childhood in the house, now lives at 465 Marina Boulevard, San Francisco. He is owner of the McCrea Engineering Company.
Historic Site Now City Park Tue, Nov 23, 1943 – Page 17 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) · Newspapers.com
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| Commemoration of Old Redwood Road from Redwood Canyon |
More articles about the property:
Marie E. McCrea wife George E. McCrea Brooklyn Township
Holy Names Sat, Jun 20, 1908 – Page 17 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) · Newspapers.com
"Co Rd 809" is Redwood Road. - MF
George E. McCrea Park Wed, Apr 5, 1944 – Page 6 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) · Newspapers.com
Holy Names deed
McCrea Thu, Jul 18, 1957 – 40 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) · Newspapers.com
Holy Names College Gets Wilderness Tract for Park Wed, Dec 25, 1957 – 8 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) · Newspapers.com
George E. McCrea Memorial
Leona Park Trout Pond
history, Holy Names
TO BLOG Thu, Jan 18, 1962 – 9 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) · Newspapers.com
The last time I saw the McCrea house, in 2018, it was seriously decrepit. I very much doubt that it will be preserved.
ReplyDeleteAgree, looks like a goner, and no one alive remembers its history, so there won't be an advocate.
Delete