Elmhurst, Oakland, California facts for kids

Elmhurst is a neighborhood located in the southern part of Oakland, California. It's mostly a place where people live, with many homes and families. Elmhurst used to be its own small town, but in 1909, the city of Oakland officially took it over, a process called annexation. Today, it's known as part of East Oakland. The neighborhood sits about 39 feet (12 meters) above sea level.

The Story of Elmhurst

Elmhurst has a cool history that goes back to the 1800s.

How Elmhurst Started

The area that became Elmhurst began to grow in 1865. This was when the San Francisco and Alameda Railroad built a train station there. At first, the station was called "Jones." But just a few years later, in 1869, its name was changed to "Elmhurst." The town got its very first post office in 1892, which helped it feel more like a real community. For many years, Elmhurst was mostly a farming area, where people grew crops and raised animals.

Growing with Oakland

A big event changed things for Elmhurst: the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. After this huge earthquake, many people moved from San Francisco to communities across the bay, like those in the East Bay. This caused these towns to grow a lot. Because of this growth, the City of Oakland decided to make its borders bigger. In 1909, Oakland annexed (or officially took over) several nearby communities, and Elmhurst was one of them.

Elmhurst's Factories and Cars

After becoming part of Oakland, Elmhurst started to change from a farming town into a place with many factories. This was a big deal for the neighborhood. Making cars became a very important part of Elmhurst's economy. For example, the famous car company Chevrolet opened a large factory in Elmhurst in 1915. This factory was called Oakland Assembly and it built many cars for decades. It finally closed down in the 1960s.

Streetcars and Transportation

Elmhurst was also important for public transportation. It was home to one of the biggest "carhouses" for the Key System. A carhouse was like a garage where streetcars (trolleys) were stored and repaired. The Elmhurst Carhouse was located on East 14th Street (which is now International Boulevard). It was a busy place for many years, helping people get around Oakland. However, it closed on June 29, 1932, and all its operations moved to another carhouse closer to Lake Merritt.