Oakland Scavenger truck c1947

Description:
New truck, Oakland Scavenger Company, 2601 Peralta Street, Oakland, Calif."In this photo, The Oakland Scavenger Company displays one of the new trucks brought into service circa 1947. Note steps on passenger side for workers to climb to unload their collection cans." [Ray Raineri note]

Date of Document:
c1947

Document Author:
Unknown (possibly Ted Wurm)

Geographic Location:
2601 Peralta Street, Oakland, Calif.

Context:
In the first decade of the 20th century, garbage collection in Oakland was provided by independent collectors most of whom traced their lineage to the northern Italian region of Liguria who drove their horse-drawn garbage wagons to individual customers throughout the city. Competition for customers was fierce, and so in 1909, collectors banded together to form the all-Italian Oakland Scavenger Association. By 1920, it officially incorporated as the Oakland Scavenger Company, an employee-owned business. The enterprise, which included recycling and composting services, expanded into other East Bay cities. In 1986, Oakland Scavenger was acquired by Waste Management, Inc., a corporation operating throughout the U.S. and Canada.