Today’s walk explores the Jaynes and Schmidt tracts, bounded roughly by Cedar, California, Rose, and Grant and not far from today’s North Berkeley BART station. While these tracts were being developed, between 1906 and 1918, the city of Berkeley was tripling in population, and the university was becoming the campus it is today. The area became a quiet, early commuter suburb, hardly impacted and seemingly untouched over the years by outside real-estate interests and other influences. Development was made possible by a railroad line running below grade behind California St. (the California Street line). We’ll take a peek into a nearby 1910 Southern Pacific Railroad bridge-tunnel at Rose and California.

There are many Arts and Crafts–style houses on the tour today circa 1908, as well as great examples of Spanish-Mediterranean Revivalstyles from 1920–1939 and one 1895 Victorian.

Almost all terrain is flat with one or two hills. Distance is about 2 miles.

$10 for BHSM members, $12 for non-members. Reservations required—sign up by mail with this form or online here.

Walking Tour Details

Tours start at 10:00 a.m. and generally end between 11:30 and 12:00. Sometimes they are slightly longer, so be aware if you park in a two-hour zone. Tours are limited to 30 paying participants unless noted otherwise. Pre-paid reservations are required and tickets are not refundable. Tours are conducted in rain, shine or fog.

Keep a record of your order. Email addresses and telephone numbers are very important for confirmations and last-minute changes. You will be sent an email or a phone message with each tour’s starting point.

For last-minute reservations, call 510-848-0181 between 1 and 4 pm on the Thursday or Friday before the tour to learn the meeting place and sign up if there is an opening.

If you have suggestions for future walking tours, please email info@berkhistory.org or leave a message at 510-848-0181.

SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE WALKS ARE WELCOMED