Berkeley Historical Society Spring 2015 Walking Tours

Regional Parks Botanic Garden (Courtesy Friends of the Regional Parks)

Saturday, 28 March:
Regional Parks Botanic Garden, Tilden Regional Park
Led by garden Volunteers

Founded in 1940, the Botanic Garden at Tilden Regional Park is a beautiful 10-acre living museum of California native plants. Explore the Garden’s many habitats and plant communities, from the high sierra to the Coast Range and from the Northern Rain Forests to the Southern Deserts. Not all of the Garden is wheelchair-accessible, but the staff can arrange a modified tour.

Maple Avenue, now Stuart Street, in the Kelsey Ranch, c. 1900
(Illustrated History of the University of California)

Saturday, 11 April
The Kelsey Family
Led by Burl Willes

The influential Kelsey Family settled in the Elmwood in 1860, before there were elm trees. On still bucolic Kelsey street can be seen remnant buildings of their Kelsey Orchard. Nearby, Ishi lived with the Watermans. On College Avenue, we’ll stop to remember the historic “firsts” made by businesses in this pedestrian-friendly two-block commercial district.

Morrison Library (Courtesy UC Berkeley)

Saturday, 25 April
Exploring UC Berkeley’s Libraries
Led by Bill Roberts

NOTE: This walk will begin at 1:00 pm, as some libraries are not open in the morning.

How many libraries are there on the UC Berkeley campus? We’ll take a walk through the campus and find some of the more interesting and unusual ones. Most of the libraries have open stacks where materials may be used without formal affiliation with the university; some require only registration with identification, some require a university affiliation. What is your interest? We’ll see if we can find a collection especially for you.

Berkeley City Hall (photo: Daniella Thompson, 2004)

Saturday, 16 May
Berkeley City Beautiful: A Century Later
Led by Steve Finacom

In 1915, German city planning expert Werner Hegemann published a master plan for Berkeley and Oakland. Following “City Beautiful” ideals, the plan called for a grand Berkeley civic center, extensive park development, and public improvements to residential districts and streets. At the same time, the University of California was rapidly building a neo-classical campus. This walk will trace built landmarks and ideals of that era from the 100-year-old Campanile to City Hall, and explore how those ideals could still inform municipal planning in Berkeley today. Wheelchair accessible. The walk will conclude at the Berkeley History Center where, for those who can stay past noon, the guide will give a brief gallery talk on his exhibit on Berkeley’s role in the San Francisco world fairs of 1915 and 1939/40.

The Carbone orchid nursery, late 1930s (McCullagh photo courtesy of Louise Colombatto)

Saturday, 23 May
Berkeley Woods
Led by Paul Grunland

This subdivision became part of Berkeley in 1959, along with the neighboring subdivision of Park Hills, rounding out the north and east boundaries of our city. Starting at the EBMUD reservoir at the top of Spruce Street, we will explore an area once used by plant nurseries and the Pacific Lutheran Seminary at the top of Marin Avenue. The route is uphill, so prepare for an aerobic walk.

For additional information and ticket orders, visit the BHS website.