Redwood Canyon

[Preliminary design for Oakland, Antioch & Eastern Railway advertisement]

The Oakland, Antioch & Eastern Railway (which later had various names) was an electric railroad line that ran from Oakland to Sacramento. A tunnel was built from Shepherd Canyon to Redwood Canyon, which we now know as Pinehurst. Pinehurst was then a railroad station on the line, as was Canyon, which is now the location of the town of Canyon, CA. The original railroad bed still exists, above and parallel to Pinehurst Road. Big secret: it's fun to ride on a bicycle. I'm not sure exactly where the parks, created by the railroad, were, but they were Pinehurst, Madrone Park and Canyon Park.

There is some confusion about where Redwood Valley is / was. Historically, it's the valley where Pinehurst road is, but now, Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, consisting of a pair of ridges, with a valley down the center was formerly known as "Little Redwood Canyon," to differentiate the two. Both canyons are neighbors, which what's now known as "East Ridge" separating them. 

In the 1850s, the little town of Elk Horn was in the next valley south.

There's plenty on the internet about Redwood Canyon. Here's some links:

Wikipedia: Sacramento Northern Railway

Oaklandwiki: Redwood Peak Tunnel

Oaklandwiki: Sacramento Northern Railway

Madrone Park and Canyon Park, mentioned in Moraga, By Susan K. Skilton · 2016

Here are some blog posts I've written / transcribed / researched about Redwood Canyon:

Boundary Line Between Alameda and Contra Costa - Daily Alta California, Volume 29, Number 10060, 24 October 1877

OVER THE HILLS - 'Cyclers Take Trip to Walnut Creek - Oakland Tribune, 08 May 1889, Wed, Page 3

MANY MILES ON WHEEL - WHEEL WHIRLS - ACME ATHLETES - Oakland Tribune 02 May 1894, Wed Page 8

THE OAKLAND CLUBS. - San Francisco Chronicle 05 May 1894, Sat Page 10

AMONG THE WHEELMEN - San Francisco Chronicle 15 Jun 1895

DIMOND THE BEAUTIFUL - The San Francisco Call, 13 Apr 1896, Mon Page 5

Clara Classen & Fred Barker's names on Redwood Peak

THE GLORY OF THE HILLS. - Hike to Redwood Peak - Alameda Daily Argus, 03 Sep 1904, Sat, Page 3

TRAMPING TO REDWOOD PEAK, by Harold French, Sat, Jan 8, 1910, The San Francisco Call

Then and now in "Redwood Canyon"

JOY TRIPS ARE MANY; BEAUTY-SPOTS PLENTY - Oakland Tribune - 28 Feb 1915, Sun - Page 8

Oakland Sequoia Mountain Park; Part 1, the Bond Measure

Oakland Sequoia Mountain Park; Part 2

MANY MILES OF NEW TRAILS ARE OPENED IN HILLS - Oakland Tribune - 09 Oct 1921, Sun - Page 17

The Hiker's Paradise by Louis Allen - Oakland Tribune 07 May 1922, Sun Page 77

On the Tip of the Crescent, by Louis Allen, Oakland Tribune, 24 Sep 1922, Sun, Page 64

Short Hikes for Sunday - Oakland Tribune 26 Aug 1923, Sun

Redwoods Near Oakland - remembrances of Joseph Lamson

KNAVE - VOL CXXV - OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1941

The Knave - Oakland Tribune - Sunday, September 28, 1941

Historic Site Now City Park - Ancient Indian Camp Given to Oakland By Robin McCrea

Final Link in Chain of Parks Assured as City Votes Funds - Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) 18 Sep 1946, Wed • Page 4

MANY DUSTY ROADS LED OUT OF CITY - Oakland road histories

EBMUD Refuses Canyon Road Aid, Dec 23, 1953, Oakland Tribune

Knave - History in the Making, Changing Scene, Shady Harrison St., Contra Costa Hills, Orchards and Pasture, Fascinating Steam, Soldiers and Indians, Bull and Bear Fights, Monterey Celebration, By No Means Gentle

Knave: Potter Elk Horn, Redwood Canyon, Redwood Regional Park, Mariano Vallejo

Redwoods Atop Oakland Hills First Brought Settlers Here - Oakland Tribune - 09 Oct 1966, Sun - Page 137

Knave - Picnic Trains to Redwood Canyon - Oakland Tribune, 16 Jun 1968

Here are some newspaper clippings I've saved, in date order:

Leader Sharp (Sharpe) has arranged a run for the boys to Redwood canyon next Sunday. 08 Apr 1891, Wed Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com

Redwood Canyon Park, Pinehurst station 10 Jun 1915, Thu Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com

Redwood Canyon Park 18 Jun 1915, Fri Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com

Hayward considers buying Canyon Park precursor to EBMUD wanting to buy it for water, sewer reasons 27 Apr 1919, Sun Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com

Hayward to Vote $335,000 Bonds Would Buy Water Plant and Park Canyon 06 Oct 1919, Mon Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com

Picnic at Canyon Station park Pinehurst park Madrone park 06 May 1922, Sat Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com

picnic at Canyon park Sacramento Short Line Fortieth and Shafter to Canyon station 08 Aug 1922, Tue Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com

Acme Athletic Club reunion Dimond Canyon "old road" 16 Aug 1925, Sun Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com

OLD SPORT STARS HOLD BARBECUE 17 Aug 1925, Mon Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com

McCosker clippings

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49352475/modern-homesteaders-buy-another-slice/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27421546/robbers-camp-found-in-hills/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49378615/knavemccosker-kohler-fletcher/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49399530/medau-mccloskey-mccosker/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49380152/funeral-tomorrow-for-old-residentjohn/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49377165/obituary-for-katherine-mccosker-bohan/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49377264/mrs-katherine-bohan-mccosker/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49376648/recluse-widow-scion-of-pioneers-found/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21859421/mccosker-ranch-history-purchase/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21858539/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49375489/catherine-mccosker-sues-patrick/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49376128/mrs-mccoskers-unhappinesspatrick/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49377375/john-mccosker-obituaryhusband-of-mary/

Canyon clippings

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27505230/picnic-trains-to-redwood-canyon-part-1/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27506233/picnic-trains-to-redwood-canyon-part-2/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13727685/acme-wheelmen-in-redwood-canyon-meet/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15362690/bert-brown-acme-california-1895redwood/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15252446/acme-athletic-club-reuniondimond/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27506204/redwood-canyonmadrone-parkcanyon/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49365127/ebmud-refuses-canyon-road-aid/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41783566/redwood-canyon-improvement-club-asking/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26661216/ideal-tour-in-the-redwood-canyonhaynes/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/46827462/where-fire-demon-raged-in-canyon/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23168147/there-are-two-redwood-canyons-one/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26664174/great-description-of-redwood-canyon-to/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/32864178/redwood-canyon-will-have-good-road/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41782452/residents-of-orinda-moraga-and-redwood/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41389286/mrs-fred-boehmer-wife-of-the/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21856085/own-your-own-beautiful-country-home/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40232415/redwood-canyon-and-the-moraga-road-an/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59336304/a-reclusea-hermit-of-the-hills-of/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21205387/redwood-canyon-road-closed-by-water/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13724726/shepherd-canyon-tunnel/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15207043/w-r-fletcher-reminisces-oakland/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49608537/shot-by-a-dogedward-medauhenry/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49640183/county-road-through-shepherds-canyon/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59335967/obituary-for-old-uncle-joe-russell/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41782562/mr-reese-director-of-redwood-canyon/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41475054/fritz-boehmers-wayside-resort-on-the/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49602749/medau-road-to-county-road-no-2457/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26610382/hauschilds-canyon-sequoia-park/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23169732/the-comet-crack-train-of-o-a-e/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15184496/old-canyon-road-to-be-abandoned/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27420577/silvajacksonredwood-canyon/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41389252/waited-fifty-years-to-recover/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41140326/dust-and-rutsa-request-for-repair-of/