Live Oak Park (Berkeley) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Live Oak Park (Berkeley)
Coast Live Oak on Walnut Street
Type	City park
Location	Berkeley, California, United States
Created	1914
Operated by	City of Berkeley

Live Oak Park is a cool public park in Berkeley, California. It's a lively spot right in the middle of several neighborhoods. This 5.5-acre park mixes nature with fun places to play and learn.

You can find play areas, basketball courts, and tennis courts here. There's also an indoor theater and the Berkeley Art Center. The park is home to native oak trees and California Bay Laurels. It has quiet picnic spots, a big grassy hill, and the lovely Codornices Creek flowing through it. Live Oak Park is one of Berkeley's oldest and most natural parks.

Discovering Live Oak Park's Location

Live Oak Park stretches along both sides of Codornices Creek. It looks like a narrow green belt at 1301 Shattuck Avenue. The park is between Shattuck Avenue and Oxford Street, with Walnut Street running through its middle.

Codornices Creek winds through groves of native oak trees. You can also see large, old trees that were planted long ago. These trees were part of the gardens that existed before the park was created.

Why So Many Creeks in Berkeley?

Live Oak Park is located here because many small creeks flow from the Berkeley Hills. These creeks travel a short distance down to San Francisco Bay. They might look small, but these creeks are quite powerful.

Thousands of years ago, when the sea level rose, these creeks helped create the flat lands you see today. They carried rocks and soil from the hills, which were shaped by earthquakes.

About Codornices Creek

Codornices Creek is one of these original creeks from the Berkeley Hills. It flows through the San Francisco Bay Area in California. The upper part of the creek stays within Berkeley city limits. Further downstream, it forms the border with the nearby city of Albany.

The name "Codornices" comes from a Spanish word meaning "quails." California valley quail used to be very common in this area. A family named Peralta, who once owned a huge ranch called Rancho San Antonio, gave the creek its name.

A Look Back: Park History

Live Oak Park has a rich history, starting with early settlers and growing into the community hub it is today.

How the Park Started

In the early days of Berkeley, a large area, including what is now Live Oak Park, was bought by Napoleon Bonaparte Byrne in 1860. He and his family, along with Pete and Hannah Byrne (who were freed slaves), traveled from Missouri. They settled by Codornices Creek to farm their 800 acres.

Later, the Byrnes began selling parts of their land, starting in 1873. This was because they had invested in a farming business in another area.

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  Codornices Creek flows through the park.

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  This stone fireplace was built in 1917.

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  Pittosporum undulatum is one of the park's trees.

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  A beautiful cherry tree near Walnut Street Bridge.

Making a City Garden

Henry Berryman bought the Byrne House and ten acres of land. This area became known as the Berryman place. Henry Berryman imagined a growing town. He owned the Berkeley Waterworks and built the Berryman Reservoir, which is still nearby. He also extended the steam train line to help make his North Berkeley lots more appealing. Some of the first houses built then are still standing today.

In the 1870s, when Henry Berryman divided the large Byrne lands, two parts along Codornices Creek remained untouched. These became private estates. Michael O´Toole owned the land north of the creek, and Russell Penniman owned the land to the south.

On March 10, 1914, the City Council decided to buy this land to create a city park. At that time, Berkeley, like many other American cities, was part of the "City Beautiful Movement." This movement encouraged cities to create more public parks and beautiful spaces.

The city officially took over the property on July 1, 1914. The park, which didn't have a name yet, opened to the public with a special ceremony. For the next two weeks, people suggested names for the new park. Finally, on July 14, 1914, the City Council chose "Live Oak."

Years later, the park grew one block longer, reaching Oxford Street. Codornices Creek and its mix of native and planted trees were carefully preserved. One of the first improvements was the Walnut Street Bridge, designed in 1915. In 1917, a large stone fireplace was built. In 1918, William Miles donated a rustic birdhouse. Penniman's old brown shingle house became a clubhouse and a branch library.

The Community Hub Today

The Penniman Clubhouse burned down in 1951. After that, the city built the current Live Oak Community Center. This center is officially called the "Live Oak Park Recreation Center, Social Hall Shattuck & Berryman, Berkeley, California." Groups like the "Berkeley Folk Dancers" meet there.

The Berkeley Art Center is now located on the east side of the Walnut Street Bridge. Live Oak Park is a free public park for everyone to enjoy. There are public restrooms between the tennis court and the park. Picnic areas with the stone fireplace and other activities are available for individuals and groups. You can easily find and sign up for programs and classes online.