Allendale, Oakland, California facts for kids
Allendale is a place in Alameda County, California. It used to be its own small community but is now part of the bigger city of Oakland. Allendale is located about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northeast of an area called Fruitvale.
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Allendale's Beginnings
Allendale got its name from a real estate broker named Charles E. Allen. A post office opened in Allendale in 1903. By 1908, this post office became a branch of the main Oakland post office. This shows how Allendale was growing and becoming more connected to Oakland.
The Heart of Allendale
The main shopping area of Allendale is found along 38th Avenue, especially where it crosses Allendale Avenue. This is where people would go for shops and services. Allendale Elementary School is also located in this central part of the neighborhood.
East Oakland's Movie Theaters
Allendale is part of what some people call the "cinema archipelago" of East Oakland. An "archipelago" is a group of islands, but here it means a group of movie theaters. Starting in the 1920s, most commercial areas in East Oakland had their own movie theater.
Allendale's Own Theater
The Allendale theater was one of these local cinemas. Like many others, it has since been changed into apartments. This means people now live where movies used to play!
Other Theaters in the Area
Other neighborhoods nearby also had theaters. For example, Laurel had two theaters, and Fairfax, Dimond, and Fruitvale each had one. Fruitvale even had a second theater nearby. Most of these old theaters have also been converted for other uses. The Grand Lake Theater is one of the few that still shows movies today. It's located at the edge of East Oakland, near the north end of Lake Merritt. There are also other active theaters in downtown Oakland and North Oakland.
