Mosswood Creek c1940
Description:
The Broadway branch (sometimes referred to as Mosswood Creek) of Glen Echo Creek, as it passes through Mosswood Park, located off West MacArthur Blvd. (formerly Mosswood Avenue) in the Temescal district, Oakland, Calif.The creek, where it passes through the park, was culverted for public safety reasons circa 1950. [Ray Raineri note]
Date of Document:
circa 1940
Document Author:
Unknown
Geographic Location:
Broadway and W. MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, Calif.
Context:
Mosswood Park, bordered by Webster Street, W. MacArthur Blvd., Broadway, and the I-580 Freeway in North Oakland, is a public park and recreation center operated by the Oakland Department of Parks and Recreation. The Carpenter Gothic style Victorian mansion on the site was built in 1864 by Joseph Mora Moss for his bride, Julia Wood (which, combining their surnames, he named Mosswood). Through the efforts of Mayor Frank Mott in 1907, the city of Oakland, having annexed the area north of 36th Street only ten years earlier, purchased a portion of the Mosswood estate for $72,000 for use as a park. A pergola and two amphitheaters were built, although one was sacrificed in the 1960s when the southern portion of the park was taken for improvements to the I-580 Freeway. Other park amenities include a recreation center building, basketball and tennis courts, a dog run, and picnic tables. The Victorian mansion was designated an Oakland Heritage Landmark in 1975.