Monday, April 23, 2012

Oakland Celebrates Its History!

May 4th, 2012 will mark 160 years since Oakland was incorporated as a city. To celebrate its birthday, the city will be hosting a number of events in and near city hall.

Oakland Celebrations

Come Out and Play the OPR Way
Friday, April 27, noon - 1:30pm
Celebrate Oakland Parks and Rec's 2012 summer program.

Oakland Loves the Arts
Monday, April 30, noon - 1:30pm
Celebrating the artistry of Oakland, with special performance by the Oakland School for the Arts.

Oakland Loves its History
Tuesday, May 1, noon - 1:30pm
Celebrate Oakland's history before and after its incorporation in 1852. This will include a panel of local authors about Oakland history, including Annalee Allen, author of Selections from the Oakland Tribune Archives, Oakland - postcard series, and the beautifully illustrated Oakland Landmarks book.

Oakland Loves Dance
Wednesday, May 2, noon - 1:30pm
A celebration of Oakland as the regional center of ethnic and urban dance. Includes live performances by various local dance troupes.

Oakland Loves Music
Thursday, May 3, noon - 1:30pm
Celebrating Oakland's musical heritage and emerging talent in a tribute to the late jazz great Khalil Shaheed.

Birthday Finale
Friday, May 4, 11:30am - 1:30pm
Lots of fun things, including a birthday cake cutting, history displays, live music, city hall tours, and a presentation of the winners of the "Inspire Oakland" billboard design contest.

California Preservation Foundation Conference

The celebration is a nice lead in to the California Preservation Foundation (CPF) annual conference which is being held in Oakland this year, May 3-6. It's the 37th annual CPF conference, and the first time in 30 years that the conference is being held here. There are numerous tours and workshops being put on as part of the CPF conference, but you don't need to attend to the whole conference to take part in them. A few of the tours are listed below.

California Preservation Foundation Tours

Rosie the Riveter / WWII Home Front National Historical Park
Thursday, May 3, 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Visit Rosie the Riveter / WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond where historic structures and interpretive artworks are employed by the City of Richmond and the National Park Service to tell the diverse social history of WWII. Participants will learn how reviving a neglected chapter in Richmond’s history has deepened understanding of local heritage, shed light on current issues and contributed to community and economic revitalization efforts. Come see the award winning Ford Assembly Building and the SS Red Oak Victory ship, recipient of a Save America’s Treasure grant, and many other treasures.

The Balancing Act in East Bay Regional Parks cancelled
Thursday, May 3, 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Explore how the largest regional park district in the nation, East Bay Regional Park District, connects historic structures with surrounding landscapes for 21st century visitors. Visit Garin Barn with operational blacksmith and tool shop, ranching-related displays, and antique farm machinery. Next visit the oldest working reservoir in the nation where a one-mile interpretive trail with historic structures and images bring to life the 1860’s construction of Lake Chabot.

Ranches and Redwoods: Oakland’s Early History
Sunday, May 6, 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Visit Peralta Hacienda Historical Park, the first non-Native American settlement of the East Bay in the middle of modern day Oakland. Once the headquarters of a 44,000-acre longhorn cattle ranch, then absorbed into the urban grid of Oakland, and now resurrected by neighbors into a world class historic site and community center. Then take a tour of Redwood Regional Park, a redwood grove in the city of Oakland, once owned by the Peraltas, led by Historian Richard Schwartz with a fascinating preservation history. The redwood grove was razed to the ground twice before preservationists fought to preserve the grove for public use in the early 20th century.

Prices vary, but for all the above tours, transportation is included. To register for those or for any other tours, check out this order form (PDF) for more info and contact details. Space is limited, so act quickly if you're interested.

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