Idora Park windmill
Idora Park was an amusement park, with rides, a baseball field, a zoo, and an opera house. It was built by the Realty Syndicate that also owned and operated what later became known as the Key System transit company, and lasted from 1903 to 1929. Oakland's own Jack London took his daughters there, riding the rollercoaster repeatedly until one was no longer afraid of it, because as he said, "No child of mine is ever going to be afraid - of anything!".
Check out this great collection of Idora Park postcards at AlamedaInfo.com and read more about Idora Park at Wikipedia.
On the grounds of the Pardee House is a real windmill house but the "blades" are gone.
ReplyDeleteIt seems we have indeed been walking the same streets. You won't believe this, but today I took a photo of the 353 Grand sign. The music scroll at the top is now lit. I plan to go back at night to see if anything else glows in the dark.
I scrolled all your sign photos. Very impressive array. Let me add one to your list: The Wesley Cleaners sign on the corner of Cleveland (and Merritt?) just above the lake. Sadly, it doesn't work any longer.
Thanks for the pointer. The Wesley Cleaners sign is on my "to shoot" list (see the darker blue markers the map). I just haven't been in that area in the late afternoon when the light should be good.
ReplyDeleteI always wondered what that darned thing was doing there! thanks for the sleuthing... and I LOVE the old postcards!
ReplyDeleteHi there,
ReplyDeleteJust want to note that I also thought the windmill was part of the original park, but found out that it's made of cast iron (read: very, very hard to move) and is in its original location. It was once a lemonade stand I believe. Found this out at one of Oakland Heritage Alliance's lectures.
Christine, resident of Idora Park