Posts Tagged ‘history’

Oakland Big Tree Registry

Monday, August 18th, 2008

City of Oakland Logo TreeWell this makes perfect sense. I guess the cities largest / oldest Oak Tree was unattended in Dimond Park and was lost due to disease back in 2005.
So now they are asking people to report old trees and such so that they may be watched after and maintained so we don’t lose any more of these ancient Oakland Residents.
To find out more info.

Thanks for checking out our post. Be sure to view the older postings as well on the right side bar.

San Francisco Ferry Building picture and history

Monday, July 14th, 2008

San Francisco Ferry building

The San Francisco Ferry Building was completed in 1898. That means it survived the 1906 Earthquake and the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. It is a long standing historic landmark in the San Francisco Bay Area. At one point it was the main form of transportation in and out of the Peninsula. This was the days before cars and before the Golden Gate bridge or Bay Bridge had been completed. It had about 50,000 passengers a day! That was the 2nd busiest terminal in the world at the time!

In 2004 the Ferry Building reopened as the well known San Francisco Gourmet Market and home of the Farmers Market.

Port of Oakland Free Harbor Tours

Wednesday, July 9th, 2008

Port of Oakland Free Harbor ToursThe Port of Oakland is offering FREE Harbor Tours this season for all of you Oakland History buffs. I have personally gone on this tour twice and would like to say that Pamela and Laura are great tour guides. You take a nice slow cruise through the Ports Harbor viewing all of the ships and cranes! It’s pretty amazing and you get to hear a lot of facts and history you just may have never learned otherwise. It is also a GREAT chance to take pictures of the cranes as well! Be sure to visit the Port of Oakland’s official website to sign up today! Hurry before it’s too late! And who knows, you may even see me on board taking pictures.

The Historical Oakland Tribune Building Clock Tower

Saturday, July 5th, 2008
Oakland Tribune Tower Building
Oakland Pictures

First of all I love this building, it has always been my favorite and will always be.

The Oakland Tribune Clock Tower is a famous Oakland Landmark. It was declared a landmark on May 4, 1976 after about 70 years of life. The Tower was actually built in two stages. The six floors of base were completed in 1907 and the clock tower section was finished in 1923.

In recent years the Tower was damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. Because the building was not occupied the Oakland Tribune Newspaper had to relocate. The Tower remained empty until 1995 and was bought and renovated. Ten years later in 1999 the great Tower was reopened. To this date it is occupied with condos and businesses. My company is actually locate din the Tower as well.

The Tower is a part of Oakland and will always be. It was recently sold for about $15 million dollars so I don’t think it will be going anywhere anytime soon.

Star Wars AT-AT Walkers? Port of Oakland Cranes?

Friday, July 4th, 2008
Port of Oakland star wars cranes
Oakland Pictures

This is a picture of the Port of Oakland shipping container cranes at one of the berths. It was taken from a Ferry on the Ports Free Harbor Tours. As you have probably heard George Lucas got his idea for the AT-AT Walkers (All Terrain Armored Transport) from the Port of Oakland Cranes while flying into the Bay Area’s Oakland International Airport (OAK)at one time. Can it be confirmed? Who knows the truth. I think it is highly possible because he does live here in the North Bay. However he claims recently that this is NOT the case. George Lucas says he did not get his AT AT Walker idea from the Port Cranes. Is this true? Would he give the Shipping Container Cranes credit for his Walkers? Or would he say it is obviously an unique idea created purely by my own imagination?
AT-AT Walkers

Grab a shirt here.

Oakland The Town Crane shirt