Winter Outing

After all the fun of the holidays, it's time to get "back" in shape. What could be better than taking a long walk on a sunny day in an interesting park that is filled with trees, shrubs, and tombstones? On this January day, we're going back to the Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland. The cemetery is a beautiful place that has a long history and fantastic views of the Bay Area.

Brotherly Love

Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks

There is always something new to discover at the cemetery. On this day we came across a magnificent bronze elk statue perched on top of a tumulus in Plot 32. The site is an "Elks' Rest" burial place for deceased lodge members (similar sites are located around the country). The monument was established by Lodge #171, and unveiled and dedicated in 1896 (see Where Elks May Sleep in Peace).

View towards Millionaire Road

Tombstones are always fascinating, for both their styles and the stories they tell about the deceased. This gravestone for William H. Lessels caught my eye. It looks like it was broken at some point, and then repaired. The tombstone is a little difficult to read in places, but it looks like Lessels was a midshipman of a British Duke class ship, who died August 21, 1876 at the age of 18. He drowned near Sunderland, England and the officers and crew of his ship paid tribute to their deceased colleague.

I did a quick internet search of the Lessels family and found Brief Life History of Allen Henderson (Lessels). William Henry Lessels is listed as the second child (1858-1876) of Allan and Jane Lessels. However, the family seemed to be firmly settled in England and Scotland, with no mention of anyone migrating to the Bay Area. I am curious how his grave marker ended up at the Mountain View Cemetery - a family history mystery!

Tribute to William H. Lessels, midshipman

We also discovered a graffiti tribute to a deceased 21-year old (1995-2016), painted on a concrete retaining wall nearby. Two young lives in two different eras, snuffed out too early, both with friends, family, and colleagues to honor them.

Tribute to Tonio, brother

Our outing was a success - we got some exercise in a beautiful location, and made several interesting discoveries.

Celebrating Life

In the spirit of "The Roaring Twenties", we're celebrating gardens, adventures, and life all year long. This week we're celebrating in the cemetery! The Mountain View Cemetery is a jewel in Oakland's crown, for its long history, fantastic views of the Bay Area, and evolving vision for the future. We've visited Mountain View over the years to enjoy its tranquility, architecture, and trees (see Mountain View Cemetery, Cal at Mountain View Cemetery, American Gothic, Trees of Mountain View Cemetery, and more).

View of Oakland and beyond from Millionaire Row

Gothic mausoleum with stained glass window

The Ewing mausoleum

After very restrictive access during the last several years due to COVID, the cemetery is again open for recreational strolls (with a few new rules). Recently, my husband and I visited Mountain View on an overcast day to get some exercise between heavy winter rainstorms. We headed for Millionaire Row for our walk among the tombstones. 

The Goodall mausoleum

The Goodall statue

An angel guards the Bradbury mausoleum

The overcast sky seemed to emphasize interesting details in the structures around us. We saw a large murder of crows up the hill, and wondered why they were gathering in such numbers (Corvids are quite intelligent - should we be worried?). The views were expansive (even with the low cloud ceiling), reminding us to look up every once in awhile to see the big picture. Walking through the beauty and tranquility of the cemetery is also a good reminder to live fully and enjoy life as much as possible (even through hardships)!

A murder of crows gathers in the cemetery

A final view of Oakland over the rooftops

Benicia and the Delta

My husband and I are just back from a four-day trip to Benicia and the Delta. That may not sound as exciting as a trip to Hawaii, Alaska, or Europe, but I had read an article that caught my imagination, in the Regional in Nature Activity Guide (East Bay Parks District, September-October 2021, page 7) . "A Day Drive in the Delta" described a 46-mile driving loop that starts at Big Break Regional Shoreline in Oakley, CA, follows Highway 160 North, links up with Highways 220 and 84, and ends in Rio Vista, CA. I've always wanted to know more about "the Delta", and this sounded like a great way to start. It didn't take long to put together an itinerary for a short trip! 

Union Hotel in Benicia, established in 1852

View of the Carquinez Bridge from Coast Lotus

We stayed at the charming Union Hotel in historic Benicia, CA. From the Coast Lotus room, we had great views of Carquinez Strait and the Carquinez Bridge. Benicia was incorporated in March 1850 and has served as the state capital for 13 months from 1853 to 1854; as the site for an arsenal for the United States Army; and as the location for the original Mills College (then called the Young Ladies Seminary) before it moved to Oakland. We spent a day enjoying the local sites.

Benicia Bridge Vista Point (old and new bridges)

Benicia Clock Tower

Benicia Arsenal
(Benicia Historical Museum at the Camel Barns)

View from the Benicia City Cemetery

Benicia Capitol State Park

The next day we launched out to explore the Delta, following the map and information in "A Day Drive in the Delta". At the Big Break Regional Shoreline visitor center we learned about the Delta, its origin as a vast wetlands, and the fifty years of human engineering to create a series of levees and agricultural land. The Delta refers to the intricate network of waterways, canals, and sloughs that connect the Sierra Nevada to the San Francisco Bay.

Map excerpt from "A Day Drive in the Delta" (East Bay Parks District)

First visit to the Big Break Visitor Center

Scoop used to reclaim land

We had a picnic at the Brannan Island State Recreation Area, and learned more about the workers who built the agricultural lands at Isleton (because of time, we didn't visit the Locke Historic District). 

Picnic break at Brannan Island State Recreation Area

Slough by Brannan Island

Isleton Chinese and Japanese Commercial Districts

Chinese Laborers Memorial Pavilion in Isleton

We drove across Ryer's Island, enjoying the green fields and waterways from the highway built on top of the levees. Two ferries are part of the highway system, and enabled us to access and depart Ryer's Island. We arrived at Rio Vista in time to see the Rio Vista Bridge raise so a ship could pass, but managed to evade the resulting traffic jam that was waiting to cross the bridge. Back at the hotel, I spotted a ship approaching the Carquinez Bridge and wondered if it had passed under the Rio Vista Bridge a couple of hours before.

The highway follows the levees

Waiting for the "Real McCoy Ferry"

Rio Vista Bridge vertical-lift bridge in the raised position
(CSR 12 across the Sacramento River)

Ship approaches the Carquinez Bridge at Sunset

The next day we slept in, and spent a lazy day walking to the First Street Peninsula and public fishing pier, and strolling around town. We ended the day with a delicious dinner at the Union Hotel Restaurant & Bar, and great conversation about all our interesting experiences and adventures. 

First Street Peninsula

Sunset over Carquinez Strait

Union Hotel Restaurant

I really enjoyed our time on the Delta, seeing all that rich farmland and waterways, and thinking about the complex balance between pristine wetlands and human needs for transportation, food, and water. We just scratched the surface of the Delta, but I still came away with a new appreciation for California's unique water system.

American Gothic

I love this photo taken a few years ago at the Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland, California. My folks and I made an excursion to see the beautiful stained glass skylights in the columbarium and the native and exotic trees of the Victorian era cemetery (see Trees of Mountain View Cemetery).

An American Gothic Halloween

On Millionaire Row, the mausoleum in the background is lit up with warm fall light, while the cute couple in the foreground could be the Halloween version of American Gothic. Instead of being spooked, though, these two look like they are enjoying themselves and taking in the marvelous views from high on the hill.

Dublin Heritage Park and Museums

Dublin Heritage Park and Museums is a ten-acre park located in the crook of the Interstate 580 freeway as it swings around from the valley floor to make the grade through the pass heading west toward the East Bay. It is a gem of a place to spend an hour or two if you're in Dublin, California, and want to be transported back in time a hundred years or so. The location was  the original "downtown Dublin" for the surrounding homesteads. As Dublin transformed from farmland to a modern town, a few forward-looking folks sought to preserve a little of its dairy farming history.

Dublin Heritage Park and Museums

The old St. Raymond Church (built in 1859) and the Dublin Pioneer Cemetery (established in 1859) are in their original locations. The Murray Schoolhouse, Kolb House, and associated barns were moved from across the freeway as the original farms were carved up for development projects. A small stream and forest insulates Heritage Park from the freeway, and the grounds are landscaped with plants you might see in the early 1900s, like hollyhocks and rambling roses. Across the street is the Challenge Dairy headquarters, and the original Green general store building.

The schoolhouse has wonderful exhibits for kids (and grownups) showing what it was like to attend school in a one-room schoolhouse, and to live and work on a dairy farm. The headstones in the cemetery provide a glimpse into pioneer life, and the church is a testament to early settlers who pitched in to build the center of spiritual and community life. I especially enjoyed our personal tour of the Kolb House, built in the Craftsman Bungalow style that was becoming popular at the turn of the twentieth century. I recommend visiting the Dublin Heritage Park and Museums, and checking out the photographs at the Online California Archive, the Dublin Heritage Museum collection.

Spring at Mountain View

The San Francisco Bay Area is absolutely beautiful in the spring, especially after some rain. We have had a few downpours of rain in the last month – not enough to build up the snow pack in the mountains, or to end the drought, but enough for the plants in our Mediterranean climate to spring into action. The hills green up, and the plants blossom or leaf out as part of their life cycles.

I recently visited the Mountain View Cemetery to follow up on a few plants that I wanted to see in the spring. The cemetery is known for its massive tulip displays. How impressive to see the bright yellow and red tulips (and what a challenge for the gardeners, because the deer love tulip blossoms)!

Tulips in full bloom at Mountain View Cemetery

I also wanted to see the pergola that is covered in wisteria. Just as I hoped, the wisteria was in full bloom and active with bees. The pergola always offers deep shade, but this visit it was all the better with its fragrant purple blossoms.

Pergola dripping with Wisteria

Finally, I saw the Dawn Redwood, a deciduous tree, all leafed out for spring. What a treat to see the tender green leaves glimmering in the sunlight (I have also seen this tree after its leaves have turned to reddish brown in the fall).

Dawn Redwood with tender green laves

 

Trees of Mountain View Cemetery

I’m a sucker for beautiful trees. I especially like seeing mature trees that have space to reach their maximum size, and seeing trees as they go through their seasonal cycles. Last fall I joined the “Trees of Mountain View Cemetery” tour in Oakland. I had learned about the tour while taking the Tree ID class at Merritt College in 2012, and finally had an opportunity to take it.

Kwanzan Flowering Cherry (Prunus serrulata 'Kwanzan') - the same variety planted in Washington , D.C. This is a recent addition to the cemetery, and beautiful in spring!

Weeping Willow (Salix babylonica) - a traditional cemetery tree. The weeping form is a good metaphor for sorrow. It looks a little odd without its pond, which has been drained due to the drought.

Chris Pattillo, a veteran guide at the cemetery and a landscape architect, lead the tour. The weather threatened rain, but everyone in our group voted to continue. Pattillo introduced us to native trees in the cemetery, such as Monterey Pine, Giant Sequoia, and Live Oak; and exotic trees, such as Ginkgo, Monkey Puzzle, and Dawn Redwood.

Lombardy Poplar (Populus nigra 'Italica') - Olmsted favored the tall columnar shape for cemeteries, representing the reach toward the heavens.

Ginkgo or Maidenhair Tree (Ginkgo biloba) - this ancient tree with the unique fan-shaped leaves is from a family that existed with the dinosaurs.

Frederick Law Olmsted designed the Mountain View Cemetery, and recommended a small tree palette (he specifically cited Italian Cypress, Italian Stone Pine, Monterey Cypress, Cedar of Lebanon, and Live Oaks). However, since he designed the cemetery during the Victorian era when collecting specimen plants and trees was all the rage, the final plant list extends well beyond that recommendation.

Saucer Magnolia or Tulip Tree (Magnolia soulangiana) - magnolias are used throughout the cemetery. Olmsted recommended using trees with dark leaves to convey a sense of lushness in our dry climate. Magnolias originated in the New World, but this hybrid was developed in France.

Yew (Taxus baccata) - this slow growing, somber tree is associated with burial grounds, and is also an ancient tree.

We followed the route of Patillo’s self-guided tour—Trees of Mountain View Cemetery—up the main avenue, with multiple detours to seek out specific trees and shelter during some serious downpours! We saw deciduous trees with beautiful fall colors, and evergreen trees.

Sweet Gum or Liquid Amber (Liquidamber styraciblua) - this has a tall, columnar form with leaves that look like maple. This New World tree provides fall color in the Bay Area.

Monterey Cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) - this tree was suggested by Olmsted as suitable cemetery tree. Its dense, horizontal form complements the columnar trees native to California.

I recommend the tour for anyone interested in trees. You can wait for one of the official tours offered periodically in fall or spring (watch the Calendar for the schedule), or you can take the self-guided tour (down load the guide: http://www.pgadesign.com/pdfs/Mtn_View_Tree_Tour.pdf). I used its information about trees and cemetery design to write this article.

The Family Farm

It all started with this picture of a freshly plowed field and a team of horses, with the title “In Vt.” written in the sky. This picture, and Grandma Nina’s fond stories about the World War I years she and Grandpa Lionel spent on the farm in Vermont got me wondering. Could this be the farm? There wasn’t much to go on except that low range of mountains in the background.

In Vermont

I learned that my dad's second cousin, Wesley, and his wife, June, still lived in Vermont, and contacted them via email only the week before we left for Boston. I was thrilled when Wes responded, and we arranged to meet in Vergennes, Vermont for a family tour, and then drive to Essex for a late lunch.

Vergennes, Vermont

Grandpa Lionel was born in 1884, and was raised on the family farm near Vergennes. Grandpa and his siblings swam and fished in Otter Creek, which cut through the farm. He attended Vergennes High School, and claimed to not have been a very good student, but seemed to enjoy playing football.

Grandpa Lionel (first row, far right) and the Vergennes High School football team - 1903

Grandma Nina was born in 1892. Her family owned a store in Halstead Kansas, and then moved to Rialto, California in 1905 for her father’s health. Grandma was 13. Grandpa rode the rails from Vermont to California to visit family, arriving in Rialto the day after Grandma’s family arrived. Grandpa was 21. They both attended the same church in Rialto, and Grandpa became fast friends with Grandma’s older brother, Claude.

When Grandma was 20, Grandpa proposed marriage. “Ask me again in a year,” she said. Grandma confided to me decades later that she was afraid he would forget, and not ask again. During that year, Grandma worked in a store and saved her money, and they continued to see each other in the church youth group. Grandpa didn’t forget. A year later, almost to the day, he proposed again, and this time she said yes.

Grandpa Lionel Harris - she finally said yes!

Grandma Nina - after she accepted Grandpa's proposal

HTML Tables

With great anticipation, my husband and I drove from The Vermont Inn to Vergennes, Vermont, up Highway 7 to meet Wes and June. I recognized Wes immediately. I could see the men of my family etched across his face, especially my Dad’s uncle, Clifford. We parked our rental car and headed off together with Wes and June for a family history tour. Wes is a genealogy and family history buff. He shared stories about the family and his recollection of the folks we share in common, and I pumped him for information (I appreciated the patience of our spouses)!



Wes and June by Otter Creek, near Otter Creek Falls 

We visited the Hawley cemetery where many of the Harris family ancestors are buried (some from the 1700s), and another cemetery where many Harris and Bristol ancestors are buried. I recognized many family names.

The Bristol Family Farm

The Harris Family Farm

Next we drove to the location of the two family farms – the Bristol farm and the Harris farm. What a thrill to see the prosperous silos of the Bristol farm on one side of the road, and the wooden barns and buildings of the Harris farm on the other. I recognized the Harris farm from the picture, with the low range of mountains in the background. Another family owns the land now, and we didn’t trouble them for a tour, but it was a great pleasure to see the farm is still in use. Here is where Grandpa spent his childhood. Here is where Grandma and Grandpa tended the farm during most of World War I, where they worked hard, but enjoyed being their own bosses.