1959 Map of Oakland East

About this map

Oakland and Berkeley reveal a dense mid-century urban landscape climbing from the Tidal Canal into the East Bay hills during this period of expansion. The map documents massive infrastructure and institutional presence, from the industrial Naval Supply Center and dry docks at the waterfront to the specialized campuses of the Calif School for Blind and Deaf and College of St Albert. In the hills, the transition from urban grid to open space is marked by the sprawling Mountain View Cemetery and the protected lands of Joaquin Miller Park. The arrival of modern transportation is evident in the path of the MacArthur Freeway cutting through established neighborhoods, while the Southern Pacific tracks continue to serve the coastal corridor near Alameda. To the east, the terrain shifts abruptly toward the Moraga Valley and the Upper San Leandro Reservoir, showing the region's critical water management and suburban nodes like Orinda and Moraga.