Temescal, Oakland, California
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Temescal is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the northern section of Oakland, California. It is centered on Telegraph Avenue, bordered by Broadway and Shattuck Avenue to the east and west, and Claremont Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard to the north and south. Although it shares its name with Lake Temescal, the neighborhood is located nearly two miles from that reservoir.
Temescal received its name from the Peralta family, who established their Rancho San Antonio in the East Bay. The name was first applied to the major creek that runs through the district. It was subsequently applied also to the estate of one of the Peralta brothers (Vicente), which was established in today's Temescal district adjacent to the creek.
The word temescal derives from the word temescalli, which means "sweat house" in the Nahuatl language of the Mexica ("Aztec") people of Mexico. It is surmised that the Peraltas or perhaps one of their ranch hands (vaqueros) had seen local indigenous (Ohlone) structures along the creek similar to those in other parts of New Spain which were called temescalli.
Temescal has long been an important junction of several principal thoroughfares: Telegraph, Claremont, and Shattuck Avenues, and 51st Street.
Until the early 20th century, a wide wooden bridge spanned Temescal Creek, carrying both road (Telegraph Avenue) and railroad tracks.
The horsecar line to the University of California along today's Telegraph Avenue (then called Humboldt Avenue in Oakland and Choate in Berkeley) operated out of a horse barn at 51st and Telegraph. When the horsecar was replaced by electric streetcars, the horse barn was replaced by a carbarn. The carbarn became the Western Carhouse of the Key System's streetcar division, the East Bay Street Railways. When the streetcars ceased operation in 1948, the carbarn was razed and a grocery store constructed on the site. This, in turn, was razed in the 1980s and replaced by a Walgreen's store.
Temescal is a diverse neighborhood with concentrations of Ethiopian and Eritrean immigrants. There are many Ethiopian restaurants here, especially on Telegraph north of 51st St., where there is one every few blocks all the way into Berkeley. There are also many Korean establishments along Telegraph Ave.
The neighborhood has seen many changes in demographics since 2000 as new condominium developments and upscale shopping have entered the neighborhood. Large numbers of young couples with children have moved to Temescal as the prices in nearby Rockridge have grown out of reach for middle-class families.
Temescal is home to one of the newest farmers markets in the Bay Area; the Temescal Farmers' Market, begun in 2006, is held on Sundays in the parking lot of the Department of Motor Vehicles facility on Claremont Ave.[1]
[edit] See also
- MacArthur (BART)
- Oakland Technical High School
- Piedmont Avenue, Oakland, California
- Rockridge, Oakland, California
[edit] Publications
- Temescal News & Views ("Published by Temescal Neighbors Together with the support of Temescal merchants"); bimonthly newsletter.
- TNT, c/o 469 Rich St., Oakland, CA 94609; temescal_news@yahoo.com
[edit] External links
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps or MapQuest
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Microsoft Virtual Earth, or WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
- Temescal Interactive Neighborhood Map - Oakland Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Temescal Merchants Association
- East Bay Neighborhoods: Oakland's Temescal - The San Francisco Chronicle's guide to the neighborhood.
- Temescal Branch Library
- Friends of the Oakland Public Library: Temescal Branch
- Oakland City Councilmember Jane Brunner, who represents Temescal
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| Downtown and Lake Merritt | Adams Point · Chinatown · City Center · Crocker Highlands · Grand Lake · Jack London Square · Lakeside/Lower Lake Merritt · Old Oakland · Trestle Glen |
| East Oakland | Dimond District · Elmhurst · Fruitvale · Glenview · Grass Valley · Laurel · Maxwell Park · Oakmore · Redwood Heights · Ridgemont · Seminary · Sequoyah Heights |
| North Oakland and Montclair | Claremont · Golden Gate · Montclair · Piedmont Avenue · Piedmont Pines · Rockridge · Temescal |
| West Oakland | |
