South Berkeley, Berkeley, California facts for kids
South Berkeley is a neighborhood in Berkeley, California. It stretches from Dwight Way south to the city line with Oakland. It's located between Telegraph Avenue on the east and Sacramento Street or San Pablo Avenue on the west. This area sits about 102 feet (31 meters) above sea level.
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People and Community
South Berkeley is a main hub for Berkeley's African-American community. About 52% of its 9,341 residents are African American. This neighborhood was once seen as less wealthy. However, as rents have gone up in Berkeley, South Berkeley has become popular with students and young people. Now, rents here are similar to other parts of Berkeley. Many AC Transit bus lines run through South Berkeley, making it easy to get around.
A Look Back in Time
South Berkeley was once part of a huge land grant called Rancho San Antonio. In 1820, the Governor of Alta California, Don Pablo Vicente de Sola, gave this land to Luis Maria Peralta. This was to thank him for his 40 years of military service. In 1842, Peralta divided his land among his four sons. José Domingo Peralta received the northern part, which includes today's Berkeley, California and Albany, California.
By 1872, the Berkeley L.T.I. Association had planned out the streets of South Berkeley. But there were no houses yet.
In 1873, the first house was built for Mark Ashby. Ten years later, his brother William Ashby built a house nearby. This house was later known as "Friendly Farm" in 1938. It was a preschool for young children.
During World War II, a camp for African American soldiers, called Camp Ashby, was set up in the area.
South Berkeley has also been a major center for sports in the East Bay. It's known for competitive softball, little league baseball, and the Midnight & Twilight Basketball League at Grove Park.
Cool Places to Visit
South Berkeley has many important services and businesses. These include the Ashby BART station, which is a train station. You can also find the Shotgun Players theatre and the La Peña Cultural Center here. The Berkeley Tool Lending Library is also in South Berkeley.
The Berkeley Bowl supermarket, famous for its huge selection of food, has one of its two stores here. Every weekend, the Ashby BART station hosts a flea market in its parking lot. It's a great place to find unique items.
The area is also home to Wat Mongkolratanaram, a Thai Buddhist temple. They serve a popular Sunday brunch. In 2018, a 100-foot-long mural showing South Berkeley's history was painted on Ashby Avenue at Ellis Street. It was created under the direction of artist Edythe Boone.
Historical Markers and Stories
The Berkeley Historical Plaque Project has placed six special plaques in South Berkeley. These plaques tell stories about important places and people.
- At 2960 Sacramento Street, a plaque and sculpture honor Dr. William Byron Rumford's Pharmacy.
- At 2643 Dana Street, a plaque remembers the home of Anthony Boucher, a famous editor and writer.
- At 1500 Derby Street, a City of Berkeley Landmark plaque celebrates Longfellow School. This school is important for its design and its role in the community. It now houses the Longfellow Magnet Middle School.
- At 2237 Carleton Street, a City of Berkeley Landmark plaque marks the Woodworth House. This was the home and workplace of Charles W. Woodworth. He was a scientist who studied insects. He also helped create the University’s College of Agriculture and Berkeley’s first public library.
- At 3332 Adeline Street, a City of Berkeley Landmark plaque remembers the Lorin Theater]. This was South Berkeley's first neighborhood movie theater. It could once seat up to 1,500 people.
- At 3290 Adeline Street, a City of Berkeley Landmark plaque honors the South Berkeley Bank. In the early 1900s, this was one of two banks in the busy Lorin business district. The building was designed by John Galen Howard, who also designed other buildings in Berkeley.
Parks and Outdoor Fun
South Berkeley has several parks for recreation. These include San Pablo Park (13 acres) and Grove Park (3 acres), along with smaller mini-parks. Grove Park is home to the Berkeley All-Stars, a nationally recognized men's basketball team.
Both Grove Park and San Pablo Park have been training grounds for many famous athletes. These include Don Barksdale, Claudell Washington, Phil Chenier, Shooty Babitt, Je'Rod Cherry, and Jason Kidd.
The tennis courts at Grove Park are now called William C. Charles Courts. They are named after "Mr. Charles," who was also known as "the waving man." For 30 years, he stood outside his house every morning, waving to people and saying "Keep smiling" and "Have a beautiful day." He passed away in 2002, and the courts were named in his honor.
Important People from South Berkeley
South Berkeley has been home to many notable individuals who made a big difference.
William Byron Rumford (1908–1986)
William Byron Rumford was the first African American elected to a state public office in Northern California. He was also the first African American hired at Highland Hospital in Oakland as an assistant pharmacist. In 1942, he bought his own pharmacy in Berkeley, naming it Rumford's Pharmacy.
Rumford worked to make housing fair for everyone. He helped pass the 1959 Fair Employment Practices Act, which made it illegal to discriminate against people in jobs. In 1963, he introduced the Rumford Fair Housing Bill. This bill aimed to stop discrimination in housing, meaning people couldn't be refused a home because of their race. Despite strong opposition, the bill passed and became law.
Rumford was also recognized for his work against air pollution. In 1980, a part of the Grove-Shafter Freeway was renamed the William Byron Rumford Freeway in his honor. A postal station and a senior housing community in Berkeley are also named after him.
Mable Howard (1905–1994)
Mable Howard was a dedicated community activist. In the 1960s, the city planned to build new BART train tracks above ground through South Berkeley. This area had many Black residents. Howard worried that the above-ground tracks would harm the neighborhood and lower property values.
She led a legal fight that stopped construction for nine months. Because of her efforts, BART agreed to build the train line underground instead. A housing complex for seniors was later named after Mable Howard to honor her contributions to South Berkeley. She was also the mother of artist Mildred Howard.
Mildred Howard (born 1945)
Mildred Howard is an African-American visual artist. She is known for her installations (art that fills a space) and mixed-media assemblages (art made from different materials). Her art has been shown in galleries and museums around the world, including in Boston, New York City, Berlin, London, and Venice.
Mildred was born in San Francisco in 1945 and grew up in South Berkeley. She has created many public art installations in the Bay Area and beyond.
