Rockridge, Oakland, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rockridge
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College Ave in Rockridge
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Location of Rockridge in Oakland
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Alameda |
| City | Oakland |
Rockridge is a cool neighborhood in Oakland, California. It has homes and lots of shops. It's located east of Telegraph Avenue and south of the Berkeley city line. To the west are the Oakland hills, and to the north is the area around Pleasant Valley Avenue and 51st Street. In 2002, Money Magazine called Rockridge one of the "best places to live."
This neighborhood is about 187 feet (57 meters) above sea level. Many homes were built between the 1920s and 1950s. Some are even older, from 1909 to 1912. You can also find smaller bungalows and cottages. There are also apartment buildings, which help support local shops and public transport. Rockridge is also home to the Claremont Country Club.
Contents
Discovering Rockridge's Past
Rockridge gets its name from the rocky hills nearby. These rocks are part of a long ridge formed by the Hayward Fault. You can still see an old rock quarry next to the Rockridge Shopping Center. This quarry was used until the 1950s. Today, it's a reservoir for the Claremont Country Club.
In the 1920s, many homes were built in Rockridge. Back then, some rules made it hard for certain groups of people to own property. This meant that the area became mostly white, which is different from most of Oakland.
How Roads Changed Over Time
Pleasant Valley Avenue is a main road in Rockridge. It used to be much shorter. It didn't cross the hill from Piedmont Avenue to Broadway. Instead, it ended at Piedmont Avenue. The main road between Piedmont Avenue and Broadway was Mather Street. A small street called McAdam existed near what is now Pleasant Valley and 51st Street. McAdam was extended and became part of Pleasant Valley Avenue in the 1960s.
Like many neighborhoods, Rockridge has changed a lot. Before Highway 24 was finished in 1964, some streets were laid out differently. The area was once known as "Little Italy" because many Italian immigrants lived there. The new freeway divided the neighborhood. By the 1970s, some shops on College Avenue were empty. But new businesses opened, and the area became busy and popular again.
Trains and Fires in Rockridge
Until the 1950s, electric trolley trains ran along College Avenue. These routes are now used by AC Transit buses 51A and 51B. Also, until 1957, the Sacramento Northern Railway tracks ran along Shafter Avenue. They crossed College Avenue near the Rockridge BART station. Then they followed what is now Highway 13, through Montclair Village, and into Contra Costa County. You can see old videos of this train route on local TV.
The Oakland firestorm of 1991 came very close to College Avenue. It destroyed a large part of the Upper Rockridge area. This area is east of Broadway. After the fire, a memorial wall was built under the Rockridge BART station on College Avenue.
Shopping and Fun in Rockridge
College Avenue is the main street for shops in Rockridge. It runs from 51st Street to the Elmwood district in Berkeley. This street has over 80 restaurants, cafes, and cool shops. You can find several bookstores that sell used and rare books. The Rockridge Market Hall is also here. It's a place with many gourmet food stores.
Dreyer's Ice Cream has its main office in Rockridge on College Avenue. Until 2019, they had their only ice cream shop there too.
The Rockridge Branch of the Oakland Public Library is a very popular spot. It has a huge collection of children's books and movies. Rockridge is often mentioned in guidebooks about Oakland and the East Bay.
Getting Around Rockridge
The Rockridge BART station helps people travel around the neighborhood. From here, you can take trains, buses, or even join a casual carpool. These options can take you to airports, downtown areas, and fun places all over the Bay Area. The BART station is right in the middle of Rockridge. It's where College Avenue goes under the Grove Shafter Freeway (Highway 24).
AC Transit bus lines 51A, 51B, and 79 serve the center of the neighborhood. Other bus lines like E, 6, 12, CB, and V run along the edges of Rockridge.
Traveling by BART from Rockridge to Montgomery Station in San Francisco's downtown financial district takes about 22 minutes. A trip to Downtown Oakland takes about 8 minutes.
Rockridge Community Life
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Many people in Rockridge are active in their community. They help with local politics, schools, and cultural events. Rockridge has groups like the Rockridge District Association. The Rockridge Community Planning Council also helps plan for the neighborhood. The Rockridge News is a newspaper that comes out every month. It's delivered to every home in the area.
What is Frog Park?
Rockridge is home to the Rockridge-Temescal Greenbelt Park. This is a long park with two unique play areas. These play areas were built by volunteers from the community. People often call it Frog Park. This name comes from FROG, which stands for Friends of the Rockridge Temescal Greenbelt.
FROG started in 2001 and raised over $100,000 from the community. This money helped create the greenbelt park. The park has two play structures built by volunteers. A nice path connects them, following Temescal Creek. This path goes from Hudson Street to Redondo and Clarke. The park also has basketball courts, a dog park, and a butterfly garden. You can see public art by Mark Brest van Kempen. There's also a Lily Pad Plaza and places for picnics. The FROG group helps keep the park clean and organizes community events.
Learning in Rockridge
The Oakland Unified School District serves the Rockridge neighborhood.
Elementary Schools
- Chabot Elementary School opened in 1927. It teaches students from kindergarten to 5th grade. Chabot usually scores high on state tests. The school's PTA (Parent Teacher Association) offers many after-school programs. These include language classes and art and music classes.
- Peralta Elementary School is an Arts Demonstration School. It opened in 1880 as a one-room schoolhouse. Today, Peralta has about 325 students from kindergarten to 5th grade.
Middle and High Schools
- Claremont Middle School (formerly Claremont Junior High School) has been on College Avenue since 1913. The original building was rebuilt in the 1970s to be safer in earthquakes. Claremont now has over 400 students in grades 6–8.
- Rockridge students in grades 9 through 12 go to Oakland Technical High School.
- Far West High School was an "alternative" public school. It focused on visual arts for grades 7–12. It was located where the old Rockridge Elementary School used to be. The Oakland School Board decided to close Rockridge Elementary in 1979. This was because fewer students were attending, and the building wasn't safe in earthquakes. The original auditorium was torn down in the 1950s. The current one was built in 1959. This campus is now the upper campus for Oakland Technical High School.
Other Schools in Rockridge
- Mentoring Academy is a private high school. It offers special, one-on-one teaching where students learn at their own speed. Mentoring Academy is at 5951 College Avenue. John Muster started it in 2012.
- California College of the Arts (formerly the California College of Arts and Crafts) offers college-level education. The school started in 1907. It has been at its current location, where College and Broadway meet, since 1922.
- St. Albert's College is a school for Roman Catholic priests and friars. It is run by the Dominican Order. It's located on Birch Court near Claremont Middle School.
Images for kids
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College Ave in Rockridge
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Location of Rockridge in Oakland
