Berkeley, a Look Back: 1925 court grants land to become Grizzly Peak road

"The idea of what would become Grizzly Peak Boulevard took tangible form a century ago when a court approved condemnation proceedings against the East Bay Water Co. so that a strip 3 miles long and 70 feet wide could be acquired by Berkeley and Oakland and developed with a public "skyline boulevard." County Supervisor Redmond Staats said Alameda County could find $200,000 to build the road."

"between Shattuck Avenue and Fulton Street. Visitors included city councilmembers, people from local service clubs, classes of Berkeley high school students and "a group of Berkeley's early pioneers who have seen the city grow from a small hamlet" and "took occasion to be reminiscent over those early days and compared the Berkeley of that time with the present city of commerce, industry and residential beauty.""

A court approved condemnation proceedings to acquire a 3-mile, 70-foot strip from the East Bay Water Co. so Berkeley and Oakland could develop a public skyline boulevard. Alameda County Supervisor Redmond Staats indicated the county could provide $200,000 to build the road, promoted as one of the finest motor drives in California and as a fire break along the ridge. A new telephone exchange at 2116 Bancroft Way drew large crowds in November 1925, with 600 visitors the first day and 1,100 the second. Visitors included councilmembers, service-club members, school classes and long-time pioneers who compared Berkeley's past hamlet character with its growth. University of California President William Wallace Campbell revoked use of Wheeler Auditorium for a planned women's debate on the proposition that the family is unnecessary after receiving a formal definition of 'the family' from the Cal debate coach.

Read at The Mercury News